One Sec vs Brick: Software Pause or Physical Lock?
One Sec vs Brick is really a choice between two philosophies. One Sec is an app that adds a short breathing pause before distracting apps open, so you can still get in, you just have to choose to. Brick is a small physical device: tap your phone on it to lock chosen apps, and you can't unlock them until you tap it again. One Sec nudges; Brick blocks.
Which one you need depends on whether you can resist a nudge, and Brainrot Test measures how strong your pull is in 17 questions: Check my brainrot.
Quick verdict
| One Sec | Brick | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | App with a pause screen | Physical device + app |
| How it stops you | Breathing pause, then you choose | Apps locked until you tap the Brick |
| Can you skip it? | Yes, easily | Hard, unless you use an emergency unlock |
| Cost | Free version (one app), paid Pro | One-time device purchase |
| Best for | Autopilot opening | People who always cheat |
| Needs to be carried? | No | No, and that's the point |
- Pick One Sec if you mostly open apps on reflex and a moment of awareness is enough to stop you.
- Pick Brick if you've already tried soft blockers and deleted every one of them.
- Pick neither yet if you've never tried leaving your phone in another room. It's free, and it's the same idea as Brick.
How One Sec works
One Sec sits between you and the apps you choose.
- You tap TikTok.
- A short breathing animation plays.
- One Sec asks if you still want to open it, and shows how many times you've tried today.
- You open it or close it.
Why it works
Most app opens aren't decisions. Your thumb just goes there. The pause makes it a decision again. One Sec is also one of the few screen time apps with published research behind it: a 2023 study in PNAS by researchers from Heidelberg University and the Max Planck Institute found the pause reduced how often people opened the apps they'd targeted.
Where it falls short
You can always tap "continue." If you're bored, sad, or procrastinating on an essay due at 9am, a pause is easy to push past. After a few weeks, some people tap through without noticing.
How Brick works
Brick is a small magnetic puck with an app that goes with it.
- Install the Brick app and choose which apps to block.
- Tap your phone on the Brick. Those apps are now locked.
- To unlock them, tap your phone on the Brick again.
Why it works
Distance. Most people stick their Brick on the fridge or leave it on a shelf at home. If you're at school, uni, work or in bed and the Brick is in the kitchen, TikTok is locked. No negotiating. Getting up and walking to the fridge at 1am is enough effort to make most people just go to sleep.
Where it falls short
- Emergencies. Brick offers a limited number of emergency unlocks for real situations. Once those are gone, you need the device.
- You have to actually use it. If you "forget" to brick your phone, it does nothing.
- Forgetting it at home when you wanted to unlock things. That's the point, but it can be annoying.
If you're weighing Brick against a strict software blocker instead, ScreenZen vs Opal explains how Opal's Deep Focus mode works.
Price: brick app cost vs One Sec
One Sec
- Free version covers one app.
- One Sec Pro is a paid subscription for more apps and features.
- Over a year, a subscription adds up, so check the current price in your app store.
Brick
- A one-time purchase for the device. There's no subscription for the core blocking at the time of writing.
- Check Brick's site for today's price and shipping to the US, UK or Canada.
Which is cheaper?
It depends on how long you'll use it. If you just need one app paused, One Sec's free version costs nothing. If you'd pay for One Sec Pro for years, a one-time device can work out cheaper over time. Both cost more than the free option: your phone's built-in Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing, or a drawer.
The DIY option
Some people copy the Brick idea with a cheap NFC sticker and an iPhone Shortcuts automation that switches on a Focus mode when they tap it. It's fiddly to set up and easier to undo, but it's a thing if you like tinkering.
Strictness and cheating
Be honest with yourself here. This is the whole decision.
How people cheat One Sec
- Tapping through the pause without thinking.
- Opening the website in a browser instead.
- Removing the app from One Sec's list.
How people cheat Brick
- Using emergency unlocks for non-emergencies.
- Opening the website in a browser if it's not blocked.
- Deleting and reinstalling apps (Brick has settings to discourage this; check what's currently offered).
- Carrying the Brick around (which defeats the whole idea).
The pattern
If your problem is autopilot, One Sec's nudge is enough. If your problem is you, fully awake, choosing to scroll anyway, you need a wall, and Brick is a wall.
The hard part is being honest about which one you are. Almost everyone thinks they're the "just need a nudge" person. Brainrot Test asks 17 questions about what you actually do when you pick up your phone and gives you a brainrot score from 0 to 100, compared with everyone else, so you're not guessing. Check my brainrot
Which one to choose
Choose One Sec if...
- You open apps dozens of times a day without deciding to.
- You want something gentle you'll keep installed.
- Your budget is zero and one app is the main problem.
- You like the calm, breathing vibe.
Choose Brick if...
- You've deleted or bypassed every soft blocker you've tried.
- You want a clear "phone-off" mode for evenings, weekends or study blocks.
- You live somewhere the Brick can stay put (bedroom desk, fridge, kitchen shelf).
- You don't mind a one-time cost.
Other One Sec alternatives and Brick alternatives
- ScreenZen: a pause app like One Sec, plus open limits, with main features free. See One Sec vs ScreenZen.
- Opal: scheduled blocks and a strict Deep Focus mode.
- App Block and similar blockers: software blocks with strict options.
- Built-in tools: Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing with a passcode someone else holds.
- The drawer method: put your phone in another room. Surprisingly undefeated.
Get your score before you buy a lock
One Sec vs Brick is easier once you know how strong the pull really is. In the next minute, Brainrot Test gives you a brainrot score from 0 to 100 and shows how you compare with everyone else. Then its daily two-minute drill ends with a real-world phone action on a timer, like putting your phone in another room for 10 minutes, which is basically a free taste of what Brick does.
FAQ
Is Brick better than One Sec?
Brick is better if you keep cheating on software blockers, because apps stay locked until you physically tap the device. One Sec is better if you just need a moment of awareness before opening an app, and it's easier to live with day to day.
How much does the Brick app cost?
The Brick app comes with the Brick device, which is a one-time purchase. Check Brick's website for the current price and shipping to your country.
Can you cheat Brick?
It's much harder than cheating a software blocker, but not impossible. Brick gives a limited number of emergency unlocks, and apps you didn't block (like your browser) still work, so block those too if they're a problem.
Is One Sec free?
One Sec's free version works with one app. For more apps and extra features, there's a paid One Sec Pro subscription.
What's the difference between One Sec and Opal?
One Sec adds a pause before an app opens and then lets you decide. Opal blocks apps during scheduled sessions, and its Deep Focus mode can't be ended early. Opal is much stricter.