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Best App Blocker for Android in 2026: 8 Apps, From Free to "My Friend Has the Key"

Eight Android app blockers compared on price, free tier and how hard each is to cheat, plus how to block a single app for free. Every price dated.

By Engineer Foodie Desk · updated ✓ Sources checked Oct 23, 2026

12 min read

Prices re-checked Oct 23, 2026 on each app’s official site or Google Play listing (ScreenZen and FriendLock Oct 22, one sec’s euro prices Oct 17; every date is in the Sources list). No affiliate links on this page. Disclosure: the team behind this site has a stake in FriendLock (how we work).

The best app blocker for Android depends on one question: at 1 AM, what actually stops you? If a pause does, the free options are good. If you tap past pauses, you want a strict mode. If you’d switch that off too, you need another person holding the key.

We haven’t tested these head to head, so this is prices, free tiers and what each company says its app does to stop you cheating.

TL;DR: the best app blocker for Android, by situation

How to block an app on Android for free (2 minutes)

No download needed. Google’s own steps, verified Oct 23, 2026 on Android Help:

  1. Open your device’s Settings app.
  2. Tap Digital Wellbeing, then App timers.
  3. Next to the app you want to limit, tap Set timer.
  4. Choose how much time you get.
  5. Tap OK.

“When you run out of time, the app closes and its icon dims.” “Some of these steps may vary based on your device.”

New since our last check, an App limits PIN: “To set app limits on a device that only you can change, you can set a PIN” (4 digits, under Settings › Digital Wellbeing › App limits › App limits PIN). The catch: if you pick it, you know it. Let someone else pick it.

When that’s not enough, because you keep deleting timers, you need a strict mode or a lock someone else holds. That’s the rest of this list, and why app blockers don’t work explains why willpower loses.

Start with the free one you already have: Digital Wellbeing

Beyond timers, Digital Wellbeing has Focus mode, Bedtime mode and site timers for Chrome (Android Help, verified Oct 23, 2026). Fine on a good day. On a bad day, there’s a design problem.

Google’s own help page explains that “App timers reset at midnight”, and then adds: “To use the app again before midnight, follow steps 1–4 above and delete the app timer.” Focus mode, meanwhile, has a “Take a break” button. A diet plan with the fridge key taped to page one. Gremlins had one rule about midnight. Google’s rule is anything goes before it.

Source: Android Help, "Manage how you spend time on your Android phone with Digital Wellbeing", verified Oct 23, 2026

Android app blockers compared

All prices USD unless shown in €, verified Oct 23, 2026 unless the Sources list says otherwise. “Check current price” means we couldn’t read a published price, so open the link.

AppPriceFree tierMethodBypass (vendor)Source
Digital WellbeingFree, built inYes, everythingApp timers, Focus mode, Bedtime mode, App limits PINGoogle’s help page tells you how to delete a timersupport.google.com
ScreenZenFree, donation-supportedYes, everythingPause before opening, scroll interruptions, daily limitsWait time “can increase with each use”screenzen.co
one secEssentials free; Pro 3.99 €/mo, 14.99 €/yr or 99.99 € lifetime (prices vary by region)Yes, “Essentials”Breathing pause, schedules, time limits, Reels/Shorts blockerPorn blocker setting can be locked “so you can’t switch it off on a whim”one-sec.app
AppBlockFree; Premium $4.99/mo, $29.99/yr or $89.99 lifetimeYes, with limits (3 apps + 3 sites in Quick Block, 30 min/day usage limit)Quick Block, schedules, usage limits, Strict ModeStrict Mode up to 24 hours free, unlimited on Premiumappblock.app
Stay FocusedFree to download; Premium: check current priceYes (contains ads)Blocklists, schedules, daily limits, location, Reels/ShortsStrict Mode: “no quick way to switch them off”stayfocused.me
FriendLockFree; Pro: check current priceYes, up to 3 apps (may show ads, never on the lock screen)Friend approves unlocks or reads you a 6-digit code“A commitment device, not an unbreakable lock”Google Play
FreedomFree; Premium $8.99/mo or $3.33/mo billed yearly on freedom.to ($39.99/yr on Google Play); Forever $99.50 one-timeYesBlock sessions synced across devicesLocked Mode “prevents quitting” (Premium only)freedom.to
ForestFree; Plus: check current price (varies by region)Yes, app blocking included (occasional ads, never during focus sessions)Focus timer grows a tree; Deep Focus; Time Guard“The only way out is to give up”forestapp.cc

The 8 apps

Digital Wellbeing (Google, built in)

How it blocks: App timers, Focus mode and Bedtime mode in Settings, plus the new App limits PIN. How hard to bypass: Easy, by Google’s own instructions (see above). The PIN helps only if someone else sets it. Price (verified Oct 23, 2026): Free. Its Play listing shows no “Contains ads” label. The catch: Built for nudges, not for the you who knows where the delete button is.

ScreenZen

How it blocks: A pause before a distracting app opens, with a wait that “can increase with each use”, plus scroll interruptions and daily goals that can block the app. Websites are blocked through Android’s Accessibility permission (Google Play). How hard to bypass: It’s a pause; you can wait it out. That’s the design. Price (verified Oct 22, 2026): Free and donation-supported, on Android, iOS, macOS and Windows (screenzen.co). Feature details are from its Play listing (checked Oct 15, 2026). See ScreenZen alternatives and Opal vs ScreenZen. The catch: No hard lock.

one sec

How it blocks: A breathing pause before the app opens, plus schedules, time limits, a Shorts and Reels blocker that keeps the rest of the app, and a desktop browser extension (Google Play). How hard to bypass: Mostly friction. Its porn blocker can be locked so you “can’t switch it off on a whim”. Price: “Essentials are free” and it’s “Pay once, use on all your devices” (one-sec.app, verified Oct 23, 2026). Free covers one app. one sec lists Pro at 3.99 €/month, 14.99 €/year or 99.99 € lifetime and says “prices differ by region” (verified Oct 17, 2026). No USD price is published, so check yours at checkout. More in one sec vs Opal. The catch: You see Premium’s price only after installing.

AppBlock

How it blocks: Quick Block, schedules, launch-count and usage limits, an allowlist mode, and Strict Mode to “prevent bypassing set restrictions” (appblock.app). How hard to bypass: On Android, free Strict Mode runs up to 24 hours; Premium removes the cap (AppBlock Premium). Price (verified Oct 23, 2026): Free with limits, then Premium at $4.99/month, $29.99/year (“$2.50/month”, with 1 week free for new users) or $89.99 lifetime (AppBlock Premium). Checkout localises prices, so yours may differ. The catch: A small free tier: 3 apps plus 3 websites or keywords in Quick Block, 3 schedules and a 30-minute daily usage limit (verified Oct 23, 2026).

Stay Focused

How it blocks: Blocklists, schedules, daily limits, location and keyword blocking, and a Reels/Shorts/Stories blocker (stayfocused.me). How hard to bypass: Strict Mode will “Lock your blocks until the timer runs out, so there is no quick way to switch them off.” Its FAQ admits one exit: in Safe mode, “Android turns off every app you installed, including Stay Focused”. Price (verified Oct 23, 2026): “Free to download”, with ads and in-app purchases of $0.49–$99.99 per item on its Play listing.

Stay Focused Premium: what it adds and what it costs. Stay Focused’s site, FAQ and Play description don’t say, as of Oct 23, 2026, so check current price in the app. The FAQ does say subscriptions are tied to your Play account and “Legacy One-time purchases cannot be restored”. It’s a golden ticket in reverse: unwrap the chocolate first, find out what the ticket costs later. The catch: Ads, in an app about reclaiming your attention.

FriendLock

Disclosure: the team behind this site has a stake in FriendLock. (How we work)

What it is: An app blocker where someone else holds the key (Google Play). How it blocks: A blocked app opens only when your friend, partner or parent approves it with one tap or reads you a 6-digit code, and access is temporary. It can block just Reels, Shorts or Snapchat Spotlight, block websites in six browsers, and set lock hours and a daily allowance. No friend handy? It matches you with a buddy (Google Play). How hard to bypass: Its listing says it plainly: “FriendLock is a commitment device, not an unbreakable lock. On a normal Android phone the device owner can still bypass restrictions.” Tamper alerts tell your partner if protection goes off. Price (verified Oct 22, 2026): Free blocks up to 3 apps and may show ads on in-app screens, never the lock screen. Pro adds unlimited apps and custom lock styles, removes ads, and has a 7-day free trial. Pro isn’t priced on the listing; it’s shown in the app. The catch: Android only, and it works only if your friend answers at 1 AM without saying yes just to make you stop texting.

Freedom

How it blocks: Block sessions for apps and websites, synced across Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and Chromebook (freedom.to). On Chromebook, app blocking is “Not Included”. How hard to bypass: Locked Mode “prevents quitting so you stay committed”. Premium only. Price (verified Oct 23, 2026): Free. Premium is $8.99/mo, or $3.33/mo billed yearly, with a 7-day trial; Freedom’s Play listing shows $39.99 per year. Forever is $99.50, shown as “50% OFF” $199. The catch: The feature that actually stops you is behind the paywall.

Forest

How it blocks: A tree grows while you focus. Deep Focus blocks chosen apps during a session, Time Guard schedules blocks, and in group mode, “If anyone gives up, the whole forest falls” (forestapp.cc). How hard to bypass: “The only way out is to give up,” which costs you the tree. Price (verified Oct 23, 2026): Free includes Deep Focus app blocking and Time Guard for 1 app or site. “The free tier shows occasional ads (never during active focus sessions).” Forest says Plus “pricing varies by region and platform”, so check current price on Google Play. And “Forest Pro is no longer available for purchase on any platform”; existing owners keep it. The catch: The business model is emotional blackmail by a cartoon tree, and group mode lets your friends kill it too. Killing the pay-once option is a sad call for an app built on patience.

Free vs paid: what you actually give up

ScreenZen and Digital Wellbeing are free all the way through. Elsewhere, paying makes the block harder to undo: no Locked Mode on free Freedom, a 24-hour Strict Mode cap on free AppBlock, three apps on free FriendLock. You pay extra for less control over your own phone, so do it only if a pause isn’t enough. (We track work-tool prices the same way on our pricing pages.)

How hard is each one to cheat?

  • A pause you can wait out: ScreenZen, one sec, Digital Wellbeing.
  • A lock until the timer ends: Freedom Locked Mode (Premium), AppBlock and Stay Focused Strict Mode, Forest’s Deep Focus.
  • A lock someone else opens: FriendLock.

Those are vendor claims, not our measurements. On Android the phone’s owner can usually get around any of them, as FriendLock’s listing admits. The real test is whether cheating is annoying enough that you don’t bother.

What about Opal?

Opal is on Google Play too. Its pricing page lists a free tier, then $19.99/month, or $99.99 billed annually (shown as $8.29/month), and Lifetime at $399 “One Time Payment” (verified Oct 23, 2026). Paid plans add Hard Mode: “No way out. You can’t turn Opal off.” That’s $399 to help you use your phone less. Prefer hardware? Brick is a $59.00 physical blocker that works with Android 12.0 or later. New: Brick Night, a $129.00 Bluetooth sleep-zone blocker (verified Oct 23, 2026).

Weighing Opal against cheaper picks? See our Opal alternatives list, and for blockers that also track usage, the best screen time apps roundup.

Which one should you pick?

Here’s what I’d do. Start with a Digital Wellbeing timer. If you keep deleting it, install ScreenZen or one sec and let friction work for free. If you blow through the pause too, move to a strict mode: AppBlock or Stay Focused for the phone, or Freedom Premium if your laptop is part of the problem. And if you cheat on yourself and you’re honest about it, hand the key to a friend. That’s FriendLock.

More in Focus & Productivity.

Prefer code you can read? Open source app blockers for Android lists the ones with a public repo, a real licence and recent releases.

FAQ

What is the best free app blocker for Android? ScreenZen (fully free, donation-supported) and Digital Wellbeing (built in) are the best free picks; Forest, Freedom, AppBlock, one sec and FriendLock have free tiers with limits.

Can I block apps on Android without an app? Yes, set an app timer in Settings › Digital Wellbeing › App timers, and add an App limits PIN that someone else chooses.

Does Android have a built-in app blocker? Yes, Digital Wellbeing’s app timers, Focus mode and App limits PIN, though Google’s help page also shows you how to delete a timer or take a break.

How much is Stay Focused Premium? Stay Focused doesn’t publish Premium’s price or contents (Oct 23, 2026), so check current price in the app.

Which app blocker can’t you turn off? Freedom’s Locked Mode (Premium), AppBlock and Stay Focused Strict Mode, and FriendLock’s friend-held key come closest, but on Android the phone’s owner can usually still get around any of them.

Can I block just Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts on Android? Yes, one sec, Stay Focused and FriendLock all list Reels and Shorts blocking that leaves the rest of the app working.

How much does Freedom cost on Android? Free, or Premium at $8.99/mo or $3.33/mo billed yearly on freedom.to ($39.99/yr on Google Play), or Forever at $99.50 one-time (shown as 50% off $199), per freedom.to and Google Play on Oct 23, 2026.

Is Opal available on Android? Yes, on Google Play, with paid plans at $19.99/mo or $99.99/yr and Lifetime at $399, per opalapp.com on Oct 23, 2026.

Sources

  1. Android Help, Digital Wellbeing: https://support.google.com/android/answer/9346420 (verified 2026-10-23)
  2. Digital Wellbeing on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.wellbeing (verified 2026-10-23)
  3. ScreenZen: https://screenzen.co/ (verified 2026-10-22)
  4. ScreenZen on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.screenzen (features checked 2026-10-15; in-app purchase range verified 2026-10-23)
  5. one sec: https://one-sec.app/ (verified 2026-10-23; euro prices verified 2026-10-17) and FAQ https://one-sec.app/faq/ (checked 2026-10-15)
  6. one sec on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=wtf.riedel.onesec (verified 2026-10-23)
  7. AppBlock: https://appblock.app/ (checked 2026-10-15)
  8. AppBlock Premium: https://appblock.app/premium/ (verified 2026-10-23)
  9. Stay Focused: https://www.stayfocused.me/ and FAQ https://www.stayfocused.me/faq (verified 2026-10-23)
  10. Stay Focused on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stayfocused (verified 2026-10-23)
  11. FriendLock on Google Play: https://link.sayne.design/friendlock (verified 2026-10-22)
  12. Freedom pricing: https://freedom.to/pricing (verified 2026-10-23)
  13. Freedom on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=to.freedom.android2 (verified 2026-10-23)
  14. Forest: https://www.forestapp.cc/ (verified 2026-10-23)
  15. Forest on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cc.forestapp (verified 2026-10-23)
  16. Opal pricing: https://www.opalapp.com/pricing (verified 2026-10-23)
  17. Opal on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.withopal.opal (verified 2026-10-23)
  18. Brick: https://getbrick.com/ (verified 2026-10-23)

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