5 Opal alternatives for iPhone
Prices from the US App Store, checked on 2026-09-13. We make Cortex app and we put it first; the other four are the ones we would name if you asked us for something else.
The main Opal alternatives on iPhone are Cortex app (a pause with an intention question and a daily score, $14.99 a year), ScreenZen (free, with strict blocking too), one sec (a pause, $19.99 a year), Jomo (limits and schedules across Apple devices) and Clearspace. If Opal’s price is the problem, all five are cheaper; if its blocking is the problem, the first three replace the wall with a pause.
| App | Price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Cortex app | free · $14.99/yr | iPhone |
| ScreenZen | free (tips) | iPhone · Android |
| one sec | $19.99/yr | iPhone · iPad · Mac · Android |
| Jomo | subscription | iPhone · iPad · Mac |
| Clearspace | subscription | iPhone |
1. Cortex app — a pause instead of a wall
Never blocks. Five seconds of micro-intervention (breath, typed math, trivia, your own numbers), a work/leisure/autopilot question and a daily score. Runs on iOS 17 (Opal needs 18). Free for one app; Pro $14.99 a year — a seventh of Opal.
Pick it if blockers have failed you and you want awareness at the tap, not a lockout.
2. ScreenZen — Opal’s blocking, free
Strict blocking by time range or open count, website blocking, a settings lock, plus delays and prompts. Everything free with optional tips.
Pick it if you want Opal-style blocking without the subscription.
3. one sec — the research-backed pause
A breathing pause before apps open, peer-reviewed studies, iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android, website blocking. $19.99 a year.
Pick it if you want a pause with published evidence and cross-platform support.
4. Jomo — schedules and limits across Apple devices
Blocks apps and websites by schedule, sets daily limits, and can make you wait before opening. iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Pick it if you liked Opal’s schedules and want them on your Mac too.
5. Clearspace — effort before opening
A breath or exercise plus an intention before the app opens, with session timers.
Pick it if you want friction that costs effort, not time.
We list apps that cover at least one of Opal’s jobs — blocking on a schedule, limiting, or interrupting an open — and are on the US App Store today. Parental-control suites and hardware blockers are out of scope.
Questions
What is the best Opal alternative?
The main Opal alternatives on iPhone are Cortex app (a pause with an intention question and a daily score, $14.99 a year), ScreenZen (free, with strict blocking too), one sec (a pause, $19.99 a year), Jomo (limits and schedules across Apple devices) and Clearspace. If Opal’s price is the problem, all five are cheaper; if its blocking is the problem, the first three replace the wall with a pause.
Is there a free Opal alternative?
ScreenZen — free with optional tips, and it includes strict blocking. Cortex app’s free tier covers one app with the full pause.
Is Opal worth $99.99 a year?
If you need a block you cannot talk yourself out of, it is the most complete one on iPhone. If your problem is opening apps on autopilot, a $15–20 pause app does the job.
Which alternatives work on iOS 17?
All five. Opal itself requires iOS 18 or later.
5.0 ★ on the App Store · iOS 17+