Brick App Alternative: Do You Need a $59 Puck?

If you want a Brick app alternative, you are really choosing a kind of friction. Brick is a $59 physical puck, and its backers argue that software blockers are too easy to bypass. They are half right. A software blocker can compete only if quitting takes real effort, or other people.

What is Brick, and what does it cost?

Brick is a physical device you tap your phone against to block apps, and tap again to unblock. According to Brick's own site, the device is $59, a Case is $39 and a Mount is $15. It is listed as HSA and FSA eligible and works on iOS 17+ and Android 12+.

That is a one-time price, with no subscription mentioned on the page we checked. For a lot of people, that alone makes it a serious option next to a $99.99 yearly app.

Is software really too easy to bypass?

Often, yes. In TechCrunch's June 2026 piece on Brick, co-founder TJ Driver argues that software tools are easy to bypass and that physical friction works better.

NBC Select's August 2026 Brick review points the same way. Its testers noted that Apple's Screen Time lets you tap "ignore limit for today," and that Opal sessions can be ended inside the app.

We build a software blocker, and we agree with that diagnosis. A limit you can dismiss in one tap at 11pm is a suggestion, not a limit. We covered the same problem in our look at whether app blockers work.

What did reviewers find wrong with Brick?

The same NBC Select review was mostly positive, but it did not hide the downsides. One tester found the timer anxiety-inducing. Another asked whether Brick just shifts your use to a laptop. Reviewers also flagged that you get only five emergency unBricks, and that you lose phone access if you leave the puck somewhere else.

Neither TechCrunch nor NBC Select gives effectiveness numbers, so we are not going to invent any. What both outlets support is narrower: easy-to-dismiss limits are the weak point.

How do the options compare?

Prices below come from each product's own page or App Store listing as of October 2026. Check them before you buy, because they change.

Sources for the app prices are the Opal, one sec and BreakOff App Store listings. For a deeper price rundown, see our free app blocker guide and BreakOff vs Opal.

So which one should you pick?

Pick Brick if you want a one-time purchase and you know you will not reach for a workaround. The puck is a clear physical signal, and the reviewers mostly liked it.

Pick an app if you do not want to carry or lose a device, or if you want to start for free. Just be honest about whether you will dismiss the limit on a bad night.

Pick a group approach if the problem is not willpower but company. Families and friend groups often fail at phone-free time because one person caves first.

Our hot take: the fix for a bypassable lock is people

A bypassable lock does not need a $59 puck. It needs someone watching. When you block apps alone, the only person you have to answer to is the one who wants to scroll.

That is the idea behind BreakOff. A host starts a break, friends or family join by QR code or NFC, and everyone's chosen apps stay blocked until the group ends it. Blocking and scheduling are free. Group breaks and Hardcore are part of Pro, which is $49.99 a year after a 7 day trial. Hardcore and an uninstall guard exist to make quitting alone harder. We are a small team and a young app, so we would rather you try it than take our word for it. If you are weighing options for your household, our family screen time app page and phone-free family time ideas are good next stops.

The takeaway

Brick's critics are right about one thing: easy exits ruin blockers. Where we disagree is the cure. Physical friction works because it adds a step. Social friction adds a person, and a person is harder to talk your way past than a puck.

Want friction that comes from your people, not a gadget? Start a shared break with friends or family, block the apps that pull you out of the room, and keep each other honest.

Sources: TechCrunch: If you want to cut your screen time, just get a Brick; NBC Select: Brick phone app blocker review; Brick: Apple page; App Store: Opal; App Store: one sec; App Store: BreakOff. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, psychological, or professional health advice. If you have concerns about mental health, attention, or device usage, please consult a qualified professional. BreakOff is a productivity and wellness tool, not a medical device.