{"id":7745,"date":"2026-09-27T10:23:32","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T10:23:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=7745"},"modified":"2026-09-27T10:23:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T10:23:32","slug":"you-dont-need-to-pay-for-distraction-blocking-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=7745","title":{"rendered":"You Don\u2019t Need to Pay for Distraction-Blocking Software"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Wish you looked<\/span> at your phone less? Then you\u2019ve probably heard of Brick<\/a>, a $59 device that claims to help you block distractions<\/a>. You tap your phone against the Brick when you want to avoid distractions\u2014the bundled software stops you from opening whichever apps you\u2019ve decided you need to stop doomscrolling<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The idea is to add a physical barrier between you and apps like Instagram<\/a>\u2014if you want to scroll, you need to physically get up, find the Brick, and tap it. It\u2019s a good idea, and implemented in a way that makes it easy to get started. But what if you don\u2019t want to buy a chunk of plastic?<\/p>\n

Good news: the Brick is basically just an NFC chip, not that different from the one in your credit card or passport. You can buy a blank NFC chip for a dollar. Even better, free applications can use these chips to block distractions, exactly like the Brick. Or, if you prefer, these apps also support QR codes, meaning all you need is a printer<\/a>. Here are two free distraction-blocking apps\u2014complete with physical barriers\u2014for iPhone<\/a> or Android<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Best for iPhones: Foqos<\/h2>\n
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\"Image<\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n

Photograph: Justin Pot<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

The oddly named Foqos<\/a> is a free, open source app<\/a> for iOS by Canadian developer Ali Waseem<\/a>. Many open source apps lack polish, but not this one\u2014it\u2019s easy to configure the necessary permissions, set up a profile, and start blocking distractions.<\/p>\n

While creating a new profile, you first choose which physical object you want to use to start and stop your blocking sessions. The two most popular options are NFC tags (there\u2019s a handy link to buy some in the app) or a QR code. But you can also block using a daily schedule, if you prefer, or by scanning any barcode. The barcode option is nice because you don\u2019t need to buy or print anything\u2014scan the code on your favorite book, beverage, or anything else you keep around the house.<\/p>\n

Foqos can block you from managing apps while a profile is running. This means you can\u2019t just delete Foqos to get around a block you set up, which is exactly what someone fighting against their own urges needs. You can allow a limited number of breaks, if you want.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been using this to break my Reddit habit and can report that it works. I keep a printed QR code inside a cabinet, far from the couch where I tend to scroll. It creates just enough friction that I can finish reading a book instead. The application has an excellent privacy policy<\/a>\u2014no data leaves your device.<\/p>\n

Best for Android: Switchly<\/h2>\n
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\"Image<\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n

Photograph: Justin Pot<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Foqos is sadly iOS-exclusive, and I couldn\u2019t find an Android equivalent that\u2019s quite as polished. But Switchly<\/a>, by Vienna-based developer Saltyy<\/a>, stands out as one of the more feature-complete apps I tested. You will need to spend some time fiddling to get it set up, granted, but once you do, you\u2019ll find it every bit as flexible as Foqos.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wish you looked at your phone less? Then you\u2019ve probably heard of Brick, a $59 device that claims to help you block distractions. You tap your phone against the Brick when you want to avoid distractions\u2014the bundled software stops you from opening whichever apps you\u2019ve decided you need to stop doomscrolling. The idea is to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7746,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[77,951,86,847,32,120,121,118,424],"class_list":["post-7745","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-gadgets","tag-android","tag-app-store","tag-apps","tag-distractions","tag-google","tag-ios","tag-iphone","tag-phones","tag-smartphones"],"yoast_head":"\nYou Don\u2019t Need to Pay for Distraction-Blocking Software - Silvybrand Lifestyle Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"These free iOS and Android apps create the physical friction you need to put down your phone.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=7745\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"You Don\u2019t Need to Pay for Distraction-Blocking Software - 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