Brick vs Opal: Which Phone Blocker Actually Works?

7 min read · Brainrot Test

Brick vs Opal comes down to one question: do you want a physical lock or a software schedule? Brick is a small device you tap your phone against to lock chosen apps until you tap it again, so leaving it at home is the whole point. Opal is an app that blocks apps on timers and schedules, with more options and a subscription for the full set.

Neither one tells you why you keep reaching for your phone in the first place. If you want to know how deep the scroll habit actually goes before you spend money on a blocker, Check my brainrot.

Short answer: Brick or Opal?

• Pick Brick if you keep breaking your own rules and need something you physically can't reach. It works best for evenings, weekends and "phone-free" chunks of the day.
• Pick Opal if you want detailed schedules (school hours, homework blocks, bedtime) and stats on how you use your phone.
• Pick neither yet if you've never tried the free route: iPhone Screen Time or Android Digital Wellbeing, plus your phone in another room.

Most Brick vs Opal comparisons online are written by companies selling a third blocker. We don't make a blocker, so this is the plain version.

How Brick works

Brick is a small magnetic puck. You install the Brick app, choose which apps to block, then tap your phone on the Brick. Those apps are now locked. To unlock them, you have to tap the phone on the Brick again.

What a Brick phone lock feels like day to day

The trick is distance. Most people leave their Brick on a shelf at home or stick it to the fridge. If you're out, you can't unlock TikTok because the Brick isn't with you. That's the entire idea: it adds a walk, not a timer.

There's also a limited number of emergency unlocks built in, so you're not stuck if you truly need an app.

Brick phone review: the good and the not-so-good

• Good: very simple, no daily decisions, hard to argue with.
• Good: you pay for the device once; there's no required subscription at the time of writing.
• Not so good: it's all-or-nothing. It can't say "Instagram for 20 minutes after school."
• Not so good: if you live with your Brick, you can still walk over and tap it.

How Opal works

Opal is an app blocker that uses your phone's screen time permissions. You set up "sessions" (blocks of time when chosen apps are off-limits), daily limits and schedules that repeat.

Opal app blocker features worth knowing

• Scheduled sessions, like weekdays 8am to 3pm.
• App limits, so an app locks after a set time.
• Deep Focus, a stricter mode where you can't end a session early.
• Stats and a focus score that show how your screen time changes.

There's a free plan with the basics and a paid Pro subscription for the full feature set. Prices change, so check Opal's site for today's numbers.

Opal app review in one line

It's the more flexible tool, and flexibility is both its strength and its weak spot: if you set the rules, you can also loosen them when you're tired.

Side-by-side comparison: Brick vs Opal

What about Brick vs Opal vs Bloom?

If you're also looking at Bloom or other newer blockers, run them through the same four questions from the table: what it costs over a year, how it blocks, how easy it is to undo, and whether it matches the times you actually scroll. Any app blocker that fails the "easy to undo" test won't last past week two.

Which is easier to cheat?

Honest answer: both. Every phone blocker runs on permissions you gave it, so a determined person can find a workaround. The real question is how much effort the cheat takes.

• Cheating Brick usually means walking to it or using an emergency unlock. The walk is often enough to break the impulse.
• Cheating Opal usually means ending a session or editing a schedule, unless Deep Focus is on. That takes a few taps, which is closer to the impulse speed you're trying to beat.

If you're the kind of person who opens an app before you've even decided to, the physical step gives Brick an edge. If you mostly just forget the time, Opal's schedules do the job.

Who each one is for

Brick is best for

• Evenings and weekends when you want to be fully off.
• People who've already tried a free app blocker and kept switching it off.
• Anyone who likes a clear rule with no gray area.

Opal is best for

• Students who want school hours and homework blocks handled automatically.
• People who want numbers: pickups, time per app, progress over weeks.
• Anyone who needs some apps sometimes, like group chats for a project.

Opal app alternatives and Brick alternatives that cost nothing

• Screen Time (iPhone) or Digital Wellbeing (Android): built-in limits. Ask a parent or friend to set the passcode if you'll just tap "ignore limit."
• One Sec: adds a breathing pause before an app opens instead of blocking it. We compare it in Opal vs One Sec and review it in our One Sec app review.
• A drawer in another room: the original physical blocker.

Here's the part no blocker does: it can't tell you whether your habit is actually getting better, or whether you're just blocked. Brainrot Test re-measures your score every Sunday, so you can see if the reflex is fading, not just whether the app was locked. Check my brainrot

A third option: train the reflex

Blocking works while it's on. The day you take it off, the old reflex is still there: unlock, open, scroll, repeat. That's why a lot of people end up in a loop of installing and uninstalling app blockers.

Training the reflex means practicing the opposite habit in small, easy doses until it sticks. Here's a simple version you can start today, with or without Brick or Opal:

1. Name it. Each time you unlock, silently say why: "bored," "texts," "avoiding homework."
2. Put distance in. Phone in another room for 10 minutes during one task a day.
3. Replace the slot. Have a book, sketchbook or game ready for the moment you'd normally scroll. If reading has gotten hard, why you can't read books anymore has a step-by-step way back.
4. Check progress weekly, not hourly. Habits change slowly.

Use a blocker and train at the same time

The strongest setup for most people: a blocker covers the danger hours (late night, homework), while short daily practice slowly shrinks the urge. Then, after a few weeks, try a day without the blocker and see what happens.

See how cooked you are before you pick a blocker

Brick vs Opal is a fair fight, but the best blocker is the one that fits your real habit. In the next minute you can tap through 17 questions about what you actually do with your phone and get a brainrot score from 0 to 100, a tier, and where you rank against everyone else. Then each two-minute daily drill takes a point off.

Check my brainrot

FAQ

Is Brick worth it compared to Opal?

Brick is worth it if you keep switching software blockers off, because the physical tap adds real effort. Opal is worth it if you want schedules and stats. If you're unsure, try the free built-in screen time tools for a week first.

Can you cheat a Brick phone lock?

Yes, with effort. You can walk to the Brick, or use one of its limited emergency unlocks. For most people, that extra step is enough to stop a mindless scroll, which is the point.

Is the Opal app blocker free?

Opal has a free plan with basic blocking and a paid Pro subscription for features like more sessions and stricter modes. Check the app for current pricing, since it changes.

What is the best app blocker for teens?

The best app blocker for teens is one that matches when you actually scroll. Opal's schedules suit school days; Brick suits evenings. Many teens do fine with iPhone Screen Time plus a parent-held passcode and the phone charging outside the bedroom.

What are good Opal app alternatives?

Brick, One Sec and the built-in Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing tools are the main ones. One Sec adds a pause instead of a hard block, which some people find easier to live with long term.