Opal

Opal is a focus app for Android, iOS, and macOS that helps users limit distractions with app blocking and timed sessions. Focus Rules block apps selected by the user on a phone or desktop, while the Focus Timer sets a duration for a locked focus session. Scheduled and recurring blocking are supported. Opal Score combines sleep, focus, and rest signals into a measure of how technology aligns with wellbeing, and Focus Gems mark focus milestones. The free plan includes one rule, basic timers and soundscapes, app blocking, and Opal Score for the current day. Pro adds Hard Mode, unlimited rules, advanced timers and soundscapes, Allow Only, and Opal Score history. Opal Pro Yearly costs $8.29 a month, billed $99.99 annually; Opal Pro Monthly costs $19.99 a month, billed 239 USD annually. A lifetime option costs $399 once, and a 7-day trial is available. Opal says detailed app-usage data processed through iOS Screen Time and Android services remains on the device.

Opal combines app blocking and timed sessions with focus and wellbeing indicators. The free plan has core tools, while Pro expands rules, timers, and score history.

Opal suits people who want to block selected apps, set locked focus sessions, and review wellbeing-related focus signals. Its free plan offers a starting point, while Pro adds more rules and features.

Overview

Opal pairs app and website blocking with timed focus sessions and indicators that connect technology use with wellbeing. It is best for people who want recurring limits across mobile and Mac, with more structure than a basic timer. Its free tier covers the essentials, but the one-rule cap makes Pro the better fit for multiple routines.

Key features

Focus Rules block selected apps, and Opal can also block websites on scheduled and recurring schedules. That lets users set restrictions to run as part of a routine rather than recreating them each time. Free allows one rule, which is restrictive if work hours, evenings, and breaks call for different limits; Pro removes that ceiling with unlimited rules and adds Allow Only and Hard Mode.

The Focus Timer locks a session until its chosen duration ends, giving users a defined commitment rather than a timer they can casually dismiss. Free includes basic timers and soundscapes; Pro adds advanced versions. Opal Score combines sleep, focus, and rest signals into a wellbeing measure. Free shows only today's score, while Pro preserves score history for people who want to track patterns. Focus Gems mark milestones, adding encouragement without changing the underlying blocking controls.

On iOS, Shortcuts can start a timer when Do Not Disturb turns on, when the user arrives at a location, or when a specified app opens. These automations suit people who want focus sessions triggered by existing routines. Opal says detailed app-usage data processed through iOS Screen Time and Android Accessibility Service and Usage Stats stays on-device. It also collects contact information and user identifiers, unlinked usage and diagnostic data, and optional social data such as daily aggregate screen time and friend connections, so its privacy approach is not the same as collecting no user data.

Support is available through in-app chat, initially with a chatbot; Opal says its human team aims to reply within two business days.

Pricing

Opal Free: free, billed free forever. It works on iOS, Android, and Mac, with one rule, basic timers and soundscapes, app blocking, and Opal Score for today only. It is a sensible starting point for a single routine, but not for users who need several schedules or score history.

Opal Pro Yearly: $8.29 a month, billed $99.99 billed annually. It includes Hard Mode, unlimited rules, advanced timers and soundscapes, Allow Only, and Opal Score with history. This is the lowest listed monthly rate, in exchange for annual billing.

Opal Pro Monthly: $19.99 a month, billed $239 billed annually. It includes the same Pro features; the listed billing term is annual despite the monthly plan name, so check the purchase terms before committing.

Opal Pro Lifetime: $399, paid once, billed One Time Payment, with the same Pro features. It avoids recurring billing but requires a substantially larger upfront payment.

Teams Pro: custom pricing. It includes everything in Opal Pro, a single invoice, advanced support and training, and an account manager, making it the organization-focused option. Students can receive up to 50% off Opal Pro. A 7-day trial is offered, and the pricing page gives a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee for Stripe purchases; Opal cannot directly refund iPhone app purchases.

Platforms

Opal supports Android, iOS, and macOS. Its blocking covers apps and websites, with scheduled and recurring blocking and locked sessions. The iOS Shortcuts integration is specific to iOS.

Who it's for

Opal fits people who want to make recurring focus boundaries across phone and Mac, and who value a wellbeing indicator alongside blocking. It is less compelling for someone who needs several distinct rules but wants to stay on the free plan, or who only wants a simple blocker without scores, rewards, or session structure.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Scheduled and recurring rules cover both apps and websites, useful for repeatable routines.
• Pro: iOS Shortcuts can tie timers to locations, Do Not Disturb, or opening an app, reducing reliance on manual starts.
• Pro: On-device processing of detailed app-usage data limits where that data is processed.
• Con: Free is limited to one rule and today's Opal Score, a meaningful constraint for users building multiple routines or tracking change.
• Con: The monthly plan's stated billing term is annual, while the yearly plan is the lowest listed monthly rate; readers should compare the full charges carefully.
• Con: Opal collects identifiers and diagnostic and usage data, with social data optional, so privacy-conscious users should weigh those categories alongside its on-device processing statement.

Alternatives

Freedom is worth considering for users who need broader platform coverage, including Linux, Windows, and web, with multi-device sync and custom blocklists on its free plan.

Jomo is an iOS and Mac alternative whose free plan is limited to one session, one action or limit, one screen-time budget, Squads, and reports; consider it if that particular mix suits your needs.

Phone-Free 2FA serves a different purpose: choose it for browser-based TOTP accounts when you do not need central recovery or sync.

Pluckeye is a free alternative for users seeking all features without a paid tier.

AppBlock is another freemium option for Android, iOS, and browser extension.

Focus Bear may suit users who want a free essentials tier with Pomodoro sessions capped at 25 minutes, up to five websites or apps, and limited habits and break activities.

Focus Fence is an iOS and Mac alternative with a free download and in-app purchases, plus listed monthly and annual plans.

LeechBlock NG is a free browser-extension option for users who need up to 30 block sets rather than a broader focus and wellbeing app.

Browse more options in Distraction Blocking Software and Screen Time Management Apps.

Verdict

Choose Opal if you want recurring app and website limits, locked sessions, and wellbeing signals in one cross-device tool; its strongest case is the combination of flexible Pro rules and iOS automations. Look elsewhere if one free rule is too limiting or if you want a simpler blocker without Opal's broader wellbeing and data-collection tradeoffs.