Brick alternative without the device
Brick is a $59 device: you tap your phone on it to block apps and tap it again to unblock. You can get the same effect without buying hardware. In blokr, you write your own NFC sticker or save a QR code, keep it in another room, and scan it to unblock. That unlock is free. We make blokr, and prices were checked on 7 November 2026.
- Decide what you want: a ready-made device (Brick) or a key you make yourself.
- For a key you make: install blokr and start a block in Light mode.
- Choose NFC tag or QR code as the way the block ends.
- Write the tag or save the QR code, then put it in another room.
- Scan it when you want your apps back.
Brick is a small device that locks your apps until you tap your phone on it again. It works because the off switch isn’t on the phone you’re trying to put down. You can get the same thing without buying hardware: an NFC sticker or a printed QR code, kept in another room.
We make blokr, so read this with that in mind. Brick facts come from getbrick.com, its FAQ and its App Store listing. blokr prices come from blokr’s App Store listing. Everything was checked on 7 November 2026.
How Brick works
You tap your phone on the Brick to start a session, and your chosen apps are blocked. To unblock, you tap the Brick again. Leave the Brick in the kitchen and the only way back to Instagram is a walk.
You can also start a session from anywhere by holding the button in the app. Ending it still needs the Brick. Strict Mode stops you deleting the app or changing settings to get out.
If you lose the Brick or need your apps urgently, you get 5 Emergency Unbricks. Brick’s FAQ says you can email support to ask for more.
What Brick costs
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Brick | $59 |
| Brick Night (Bluetooth, blocks apps when you get into bed) | $129 |
| Brick + Brick Night bundle | $169 |
| Brick app | Free, no subscription listed |
Brick lists free shipping on orders over $75 and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You pay once, and the app is included.
The same idea, without the device
What makes Brick work is the walk, not the device. Any key you keep somewhere else does the same job.
In blokr, you choose how each block ends. Pick NFC tag and you write your own key to a blank NFC sticker from inside the app. Pick QR code and you save a code you can print. Put the key in another room, by the front door or at your desk at work. To unblock, you go and scan it.
- Install blokr and pick the apps to block.
- Start a block in Light mode.
- Choose NFC tag or QR code as the way it ends.
- Write the tag or save the QR code.
- Put the key somewhere you don’t want to walk to on impulse.
The NFC and QR unlock are free. A blank NFC sticker, such as an NTAG213, is enough. No sticker? Print the QR code.
Brick vs blokr
| Brick | blokr | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $59 device | Nothing, plus a blank NFC sticker if you want one |
| Ongoing cost | None listed | Free plan; Pro $3.99 a week or $39.99 a year |
| How a block ends | Tap the Brick | Scan your NFC tag or QR code (Light mode) |
| A block you can’t end early | Yes, the key is somewhere else | Deep focus: no stop button, no editing |
| Emergency exit | 5 Emergency Unbricks, more by email | One emergency unblock a week in Deep focus |
| Schedules | Yes, with up to 10 modes | Yes, plus daily limits |
| Devices | iPhone and Android | iPhone |
blokr Pro prices are from the US App Store on 7 November 2026. They change, so check before you buy.
Where Brick is the better pick
You want no subscription. Brick is a one-time purchase. blokr’s free plan covers a limited number of blocks, and Pro is a subscription.
You use Android. Brick works on both. blokr is iPhone only.
You like a physical object. Some people find a device on the shelf easier to keep using than a sticker.
You want blocks at bedtime without lifting a finger. Brick Night starts a session when you get into bed.
Where blokr is the better pick
You don’t want to buy and ship hardware. A sticker or a printed code works today.
You want more than one key. Print a second QR code for the office. Brick is one device in one place.
You want blocks you can’t end at all. Deep focus removes the stop button. You can’t edit or delete the block, or delete blokr, while it runs. One emergency unblock a week is the only way out. Deep focus has no NFC or QR unlock.
You want daily limits. Give an app 30 minutes a day, and it stays blocked once you hit it.
Other options without a device
Refocus has a Strict Mode where unblocking can cost a passcode, an NFC tag, a wait or a typing challenge. Its yearly plans were listed at $49.99 to $59.99 on 25 October 2026.
Screen Time with someone else’s passcode is free. Ask a partner or friend to set the Screen Time passcode, so you can’t approve more time yourself. It’s the closest built-in version of a key in another room. Our guide on why Ignore Limit makes Screen Time easy to skip shows how to set it up.
For the full list, see best app blockers for iPhone.
Before you pick
Test the walk. Start a 10-minute block, put the key in another room, and try to get your apps back. If the walk stops you, the key works. That holds for a Brick and for a sticker.
Plan your emergency exit. Know how many emergency unblocks you have before you need one.
Check the price on the day. Brick’s and blokr’s prices above are from 7 November 2026.
Brick is a trademark of its owner. blokr is not affiliated with or endorsed by Brick or Apple.
Questions, answered
Is there a Brick alternative without buying a device?
Yes. blokr lets you write your own NFC sticker or save a QR code as the key that ends a block. Keep it in another room and scan it to unblock. The NFC and QR unlock are free. Refocus also has an NFC tag option in its Strict Mode.
What NFC tag do I need for blokr?
A blank, writable NFC sticker or card that your iPhone can write to, such as an NTAG213 or NTAG215. You write it once from inside blokr. No tag at home? Save or print a QR code instead. It works the same way.
How much does Brick cost?
On 7 November 2026, getbrick.com listed Brick at $59 and Brick Night at $129, with a bundle of both at $169. The Brick app is free and has no subscription listed. Your purchase is the device.
What if I lose my Brick or my NFC tag?
Brick gives you 5 Emergency Unbricks, and its FAQ says you can email support to ask for more. In blokr, you can write a new tag or save a new QR code. Deep focus has one emergency unblock a week.
Does Brick work on Android?
Yes. Brick's FAQ lists Android 12 or later and iPhones on iOS 18 or later. blokr is an iPhone app only.