AppLimit vs Opaque
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AppLimit
This app enforces strict daily usage limits on selected applications or categories. Once a time limit is reached, access is blocked without any exceptions or extensions, helping users break habits and establish real boundaries.
- Set daily usage limits for apps/categories
- Blocks access automatically when time limit is reached
- No override, snooze, or grace periods
- Minimal setup and clean interface
- On-device only, no accounts or tracking
- Utilizes Apple Screen Time APIs for true hard stops
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AppLimit enforces app limits - without loopholes. Choose apps or categories and set a daily usage limit. When the limit is reached, access is blocked until the next reset. No “Ignore for 15 minutes.” No extensions. No exceptions. How it works: • Select the apps you want to limit • Set a daily time limit • AppLimit blocks access automatically when time is up AppLimit is intentionally opinionated. If you want reminders or flexible limits, this app is not for you. Why AppLimit? • True hard stops using Apple Screen Time APIs • No override buttons • No snooze or grace periods • Minimal setup, clean interface • On-device only - no accounts, no tracking Ideal for reducing social media overuse, breaking habits, and enforcing real boundaries. Set the limit. When time is up, it’s done. Legal and Regulatory In-app purchases and subscriptions are governed by Apple´s standard terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Opaque
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Opaque locks your most addictive apps behind a real shield, holds the line when the urge hits, and shows you the years you can gain back. Not a nag. A wall. HOW IT WORKS Pick the apps that eat your time and give them a daily budget. When it is spent, Apple's Screen Time shield comes down. Your first break of the day is one tap. The next needs a ten-second hold. The one after that, a sixty-second wait. Friction rises so the urge can pass. THE PRINTED QR CODE Print a code, put it somewhere far, and make scanning it the only way a group takes a break. The walk to the paper is the point. PLACES Save a spot like the office, and your picked apps stay blocked the whole time you are there, whatever the budget says. Your location is checked against your own saved circles on this phone and goes nowhere. THE HONEST MATH One hour a day is the equivalent of fifteen days a year. Most of us spend three or four hours. Opaque starts by showing you your own number, projected across your life, then helps you take it back a day at a time. EVERY HABIT, ITS OWN BUDGET Social apps at 30 minutes. Games at 45. Every group is its own limit with its own shield, streak, and ring. Apps in two groups stay protected by both. FOCUS HOURS Shield your work or school hours on the days you choose, or get gentle look-up nudges instead. Overnight windows work too, for protecting your sleep. PROGRESS YOU CAN FEEL Keep your limit, keep your streak. Every morning, one quiet recap of yesterday: time used, urges beaten, minutes gained back. See your full per-app screen time, drawn on-device inside Apple's sandbox, where not even Opaque can read it. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account. No server. No analytics. Your answers, limits, streaks, and places live in your phone's local storage. We could not sell your data if we wanted to. We do not want to. SUBSCRIPTION Opaque Unlimited is required after setup: $47.99/year with a 7-day free trial, or $6.99/week. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends; manage or cancel in Settings. Emergency breaks are never sold, ever. Privacy: https://opaqueapp.com/privacy Terms: https://opaqueapp.com/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: AppLimit at 16.0 against Opaque's 18.0. On price, update cadence, 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
Both are free to download. AppLimit sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Opaque sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
AppLimit ships an update every 4 days, Opaque weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 3, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AppLimit | Opaque |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Shervin Koushan | Danny Nguyen |
In-app purchases
AppLimit
- AppLimit Pro$3.997 Days
- AppLimit Pro$99.991 Year
- Unblock one app or category$0.99
- Unblock all apps and categories$9.99
Opaque
- Weekly$6.997 Days
- Annual7 Days trial$47.991 Year









