In short
Choose Freedom if you need one blocklist across phone, Mac and PC. Choose one sec if you want a mindful pause before opening an app. Choose Opal for scheduled focus sessions and gamified stats. Choose ReclaimOn if you want blocking that switches on by place and time, and progress that counts the minutes you put in.
At a glance
| App | Core idea | Blocks by | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReclaimOn | Anchor a habit to real life | Place and time (geofence + schedule) | Minutes you put into a goal |
| Opal | Focus sessions + stats | Schedules & sessions | Screen time saved & focus score |
| Freedom | Block everywhere at once | Schedules, across devices | Sessions & blocked time |
| one sec | A pause before you open | Friction on app launch | Interruptions & attempts |
Positioning as generally described at the time of writing. Competitor features change often — always check each app's current App Store listing.
Where they each shine
Freedom is the veteran of cross-platform blocking. If your distraction lives as much on your laptop as your phone, one synced blocklist across every device is genuinely useful, and hard to match.
one sec popularised the "mindful pause": take a breath, and often the urge to open the app is gone before the screen even loads. It's elegant and effective for reflexive pick-ups.
Opal leans into focus sessions and a polished dashboard of stats and streaks. If you're motivated by a focus score climbing, it's satisfying to use.
Where ReclaimOn is different
The others mostly answer "how do I block this app?" ReclaimOn answers a different question: "what am I trying to do instead, and when and where does it happen?"
1. It blocks by place as well as time. A Habit Anchor ties one goal to a real place and a real window. Arrive at home at 9pm and reading mode switches on by itself; leave, and it switches off. You don't start a session — the place and clock do.
2. It counts the time you put in, not the time you saved. Instead of a shrinking screen-time bar, the number on your home screen is the minutes you invested in a goal — climbing toward a weekly target.
3. It asks for honest feedback, not flattery. After a session it asks how it left you and how hard it was to stay. "Drained" and "Nearly quit" are valid answers, and they turn into insights about which anchors are set at the wrong hour.
4. It keeps everything on your device. No account, no server, no analytics. Read more on the privacy page.
Try the approach for yourself.
Free for 21 days — no card, no account. Keep 1 goal and 2 anchors free for good.
Get notified at launchWhich should you pick?
If you split your day across laptop and phone, Freedom's reach is the deciding factor. If your problem is the reflexive unlock-and-scroll, one sec's pause is a clean fix. If a rising focus score keeps you going, Opal will feel good. And if your distraction is tied to specific moments — the evening you meant to read, the morning you meant to move — ReclaimOn's place-and-time anchors are built exactly for that, and they show you the life you're building instead of the feed you avoided.
FAQ
Is ReclaimOn a good Opal or Freedom alternative?
Yes — especially if you want blocking that starts automatically by place and time, and progress that measures the minutes you invest rather than the screen time you saved.
Does ReclaimOn block on Mac and Windows too?
No. ReclaimOn is focused on iPhone and iPad. If cross-device blocking is essential, Freedom is the stronger choice there.
Is ReclaimOn free?
The full app is free for 21 days with no card or account, then keeps a free-forever tier with 1 goal and 2 anchors. ReclaimOn+ is $5.99/month or $29.99/year.