App blockers without a subscription
You can block apps without a subscription. Lock In Squad and ScreenZen are free on iPhone and Android, Forest's app blocker is free, and Cold Turkey Blocker Pro is $45 once on Windows and macOS. Several subscription apps also sell lifetime plans, such as AppBlock at $89.99 and Opal at $399.
Lock In Squad makes this page and the Lock In Squad app listed on it. The sources for every price are listed under the tables.
Free, or paid once
These blockers cost nothing, or charge a single price with no renewal. The ones with a device need that device to work.
| App | What you pay | What you get without paying | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lock In Squad | Free. $4.99 paid once removes ads | Blocking during timer or stopwatch sessions, the hold to quit, streaks and stats. An ad shows when you end a stopwatch session or leave a timer early | iPhone and Android |
| ScreenZen | Free, with optional tips of $5 to $40 in the App Store | Everything, according to ScreenZen, including schedules and daily limits | iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows |
| Forest | Free. Forest Plus is a subscription, $5.99 a month or $35.99 a year | The focus timer and Deep Focus, which blocks other apps during a session, with occasional ads | iPhone and Android |
| Cold Turkey Blocker | Free, or $45 once for Pro | Website blocking with timed blocks and statistics. App blocking and scheduling need Pro | Windows and macOS, no phones |
| Brick | $59 for the device, with no subscription | The app is free, and blocking needs the device | iPhone and Android |
| Bloom | $39 for a metal NFC card, with no subscription | The app is included, and you tap the card to start and end a session | iPhone and Android |
| Screen Time | Built into iPhone | Time Allowances and a Screen Time Schedule, on iOS 27 | iPhone |
| Digital Wellbeing | Built into the phones that include it | App timers and Focus mode | Android |
Lifetime plans from subscription apps
These apps are sold mainly by subscription, and each also offers a single payment that unlocks the paid plan for good. Prices are in US dollars.
| App | Lifetime price | By subscription | Free version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opal | $399 | $99.99 a year or $19.99 a month | 1 rule, block lists only |
| Freedom | $199 list price ($99.50 on sale when we checked) | $39.99 a year or $8.99 a month | Sessions you start right away, with no scheduling or Locked Mode |
| one sec | $99.99 | $19.99 a year or $6.99 a month | 1 app |
| Jomo | $99.99 | $29.99 a year or $5.99 a month | 1 session, 1 screen time budget and 1 action or limit |
| AppBlock | $89.99 | $29.99 a year or $4.99 a month | On iPhone, 2 schedules, Quick Block up to 4 hours and Strict Mode up to 12 hours |
Prices checked on September 22, 2026. Sources:
- ScreenZen and its App Store tips
- Forest and Forest Plus on the App Store
- Cold Turkey pricing
- Brick and its App Store listing
- Bloom
- Opal pricing
- Freedom Premium and its App Store listing
- one sec's plans and its App Store prices
- Jomo pricing and its App Store prices
- AppBlock's plans and its App Store prices
- Apple's Screen Time guide
- Google's Digital Wellbeing help
What you give up without paying
Most free versions cap how much you can set up. Opal's free plan allows 1 rule, Jomo's allows 1 session, and one sec's covers 1 app. Freedom's free plan has no scheduling, and Cold Turkey's free version blocks websites but not apps.
Lock In Squad has no paid tier for features, so the free version blocks, tracks streaks and shows stats in full, with ads until you pay $4.99 once. It also has no scheduled blocking, since each session starts when you tap Lock In. If schedules matter to you, ScreenZen offers them for free, and so do Focus mode on Android and Screen Time on iPhone.
How to choose
- To pay nothing at all, start with the tool already on your phone, then try ScreenZen, Forest or Lock In Squad.
- If you want a block you cannot end from the phone in your hand, Brick needs its $59 device to end a block, apart from a few emergency unbricks.
- For a computer, Cold Turkey Blocker Pro is $45 once on Windows and macOS.
- If you already use a subscription app, its lifetime plan pays off only if you keep using it for years. Opal's $399 equals about four years at $99.99.
For Opal in particular, see free Opal alternatives, and for the device, see Brick alternatives.
Questions
Is there an app blocker with no subscription?
Yes. Lock In Squad is free on iPhone and Android, and a $4.99 purchase, paid once, removes its ads. ScreenZen is free and funded by donations, Forest's app blocker is free, and Cold Turkey Blocker Pro for Windows and macOS is $45 once. Brick and Bloom sell a device once, with no subscription.
What is the cheapest lifetime app blocker?
It depends on the listing. On the US App Store, AppBlock's lifetime plan is $89.99 and one sec's is $99.99. Jomo's pricing page says $99.99, though its App Store listing also shows a $84.99 lifetime item. On a computer, Cold Turkey Blocker Pro is $45 once, and Lock In Squad's $4.99 purchase only removes ads.
Do free app blockers have ads?
Some do. Lock In Squad shows an ad when you end a stopwatch session or leave a timer early, until you pay $4.99 once. Forest says its free version shows occasional ads, never during an active focus session. ScreenZen says it is completely free and supported by optional donations.
Can I block apps for free without downloading anything?
Yes. On iPhone, Screen Time in iOS 27 lets you set Time Allowances for app categories and a Screen Time Schedule for when apps are available. Android phones that include Digital Wellbeing have app timers, which close an app after a daily limit, and a Focus mode that pauses the apps you pick.
Try Lock In Squad free
The app is free on iPhone and Android, and $4.99 paid once removes the ads. The stores list it as Lock In until the next update.
