Comparison

Brick vs alignup

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Brick

This app helps you regain focus by temporarily removing distracting applications and notifications from your phone. It uses NFC hardware to create distraction-free periods, allowing you to concentrate on important tasks or activities. Reconnect with your apps by simply tapping your device again.

Highlights
  • Temporarily remove distracting apps
  • Block notifications
  • Customize unblocked apps
  • Track usage history
  • NFC hardware integration
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Brick is the world's first digital wellness tool designed to create a more intentional relationship with your technology. In a world designed for constant distraction, Brick introduces a simple but powerful idea: friction. By adding physical barriers, Brick creates a deliberate pause between impulse and action — turning smartphones back into tools for what matters.

With the Brick app, you can design your personalized system to block distractions using both your Brick and Brick Night — allowing you to do more of what matters. Brick is a physical device that helps you block distracting apps on your phone. Tap to start a Brick session, then place Brick somewhere out of reach and go live your life. When you’re ready to be connected again, simply tap to Unbrick. Unlike screen-time settings and blocker apps that switch off in a second, Brick isn't on the phone you're trying to put down. It's a physical barrier you can't swipe out of. Brick Night automatically blocks the apps you choose when you enter your bedroom. Unlike app blockers, Brick Night uses Bluetooth to know when you're in your bedroom, creating a simple boundary around your sleep — so you don't have to remember to activate it every night. The result: fewer late-night distractions, fewer mornings lost to your feed, and a bedroom that feels like the sanctuary you intended it to be. FEATURES - Select the apps you’d like to block, and keep what you need. Temporarily remove distracting apps and their notifications from your phone, leaving only what you choose - Block any app (except the dialer, per Apple policy) and select Safari websites - Create custom modes for different parts of your day: Work, Family, Sleep, Gym, Study, Focus, and more - Create custom schedules to automatically block apps during specific moments of your day - A built-in focus timer tracks how long you stay undistracted - 5 Emergency Unbricks included for unexpected situations - Usage history tracks your progress so you can see how your habits improve over time DESIGNED FOR EVERY PART OF YOUR LIFE Parents use Brick to create device-free family time and build healthier habits around technology. Students rely on it during study sessions and exam prep when focus matters most. Professionals use it for deep work without the constant pull of notifications. Athletes keep it in the locker room to stay locked in before competition. Brick is also a thoughtful gift for anyone trying to build a healthier relationship with their screen habits, reduce anxiety from constant notifications, or simply spend less time scrolling and more time living. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING Featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The Economist, Fortune, Vogue, TechCrunch, CNET, Fast Company, The Washington Post, Business Insider, and The New Yorker. With over 55,000 five-star reviews, people describe Brick as the thing that finally helped them break free from screen addiction. Join a growing community choosing to take back their time and reclaim hours lost to technology. HSA & FSA ELIGIBLE 30% average savings on Brick and Brick Night with HSA/FSA through our partnership with Truemed. Use pre-tax dollars to invest in your digital wellness and mental health. HSA/FSA funds accepted for qualified Truemed customers. HSA/FSA tax savings vary. Learn more at truemed.com/disclosures. WHAT'S INCLUDED Your purchase includes the physical Brick or Brick Night and full access to the companion app.

About

alignup

This app integrates tasks, habits, and goals with your calendar to streamline your daily planning. It helps you organize your life and work towards your objectives more effectively. Achieve better productivity by keeping everything in one place.

Highlights
  • Task management
  • Habit tracking
  • Goal setting
  • Calendar integration
  • Unified planning
Features
Read full description

tasks, habits, goals and your calendar - all working together

Screenshots

Brick4 screens
alignup4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: alignup at free against Brick's paid. alignup also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 78%) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Brick's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (58K vs 3). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Brick against 5.0 for alignup. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brick has 58K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Brick's written reviews are positive against 100% of alignup's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Brick ships an update every 4 days, alignup every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Brick versus alignup: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBrickalignup
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (58K ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews78.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings58K — better3
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#83 — better—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB50 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBrick LLC (Wisconsin)William Myers

Customer experience

Brick

All ratings58,007 ratings
Positive99.1%
Neutral0.4%
Negative0.5%
Written reviews2,176 reviews
Positive78.3%
Neutral6.8%
Negative14.9%

alignup

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Brick

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes when selecting apps to block/allow
  • Saved settings get deleted or reset unexpectedly
  • Inability to block certain apps like Safari
  • Bricked mode not working as expected after phone restart

Requested features

4 requests
  • Scheduled bricking/unbricking modes
  • Remote bricking option
  • Ability to block more than 50 apps
  • Improved app stability and reliability

alignup

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Brick

No in-app purchases

None

alignup

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Brick free?
Brick is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is alignup free?
alignup is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Brick or alignup?
alignup is rated higher. Brick averages 4.9 out of 5 from 58K ratings, while alignup averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Brick or alignup have ads?
Neither Brick nor alignup shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Brick or alignup?
Brick ships an update every 4 days, and alignup every 2 months. Most recently, Brick was updated on October 22, 2026 and alignup on October 16, 2026.

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