Most advice on cutting screen time points you to an app: Apple Screen Time, Digital Wellbeing, Opal, Forest. They help, but they share one weakness. They live on the same phone they're trying to control, and every limit can be dismissed with a tap.
Physical phone blockers fix that by putting the off switch somewhere else. Brick, Bloom and Unpluq are the names you'll see in most international reviews. This guide covers what each one actually costs and how easy it is to get in India, alongside the free options already on your phone.
Disclosure: this guide is written by the team that makes bloc (by Letsbloc). We've tried to describe every other product fairly and checked prices and availability in October 2026. They change often, so check each brand's own site before you buy.
Why App Limits Alone Usually Fail
App limits ask for willpower at exactly the moment you have the least of it: late at night, after a long day, with the phone already in your hand. The "ignore limit" or "one more minute" button is designed to be easy, and most people learn to tap it without thinking.
Physical blockers work as a commitment device. You decide what to block while you're calm, and acting against that decision later means getting up and walking somewhere. That small effort is often enough for the urge to pass.
Quick Comparison
| Option | What it is | Price | Getting it in India |
|---|---|---|---|
| bloc | NFC fridge magnet + free app | ₹1,699 (early bird) | Ships free in 3 to 5 days |
| Brick | NFC block + app | $59 in the US; ₹7,999 at an Indian reseller | Reseller, about 4 weeks |
| Bloom | Steel NFC card + app | About $40 | Import only |
| Unpluq | NFC tag + subscription app | Tag about $26 to $29, plus subscription | Import only |
| Blok | NFC card | About $29 | Import only |
| Screen Time / Digital Wellbeing | Built into your phone | Free | Already on your phone |
| Opal | Blocker app | Free basic, paid Pro | App store |
| Forest | Focus timer app | Free or low cost | App store |
| Greyscale | Phone display setting | Free | Already on your phone |
Physical Blockers
1. bloc: Best for Most People in India
What it is: A small NFC magnet for your fridge, plus a free app for iPhone (iOS 16.2 or later) and Android phones with NFC. Black or White.
How it works: You choose the apps to block. They stay locked until you walk to your fridge and tap your phone on bloc. Calls, messages, maps and any app you mark as essential are never blocked. If you'd rather not use the tap, the app's Shake, Typing and Bonkers modes add friction too.
Price: ₹1,699 early bird (MRP ₹2,499). Duo (2 devices) ₹3,199, Squad (5 devices) ₹7,499. Pay once, no subscription.
Getting it in India: Free shipping, 3 to 5 days, Indian support and a 30 day replacement guarantee.
Why we put it first: It does what Brick and Bloom do at a fraction of the landed price, it's on Android and older iPhones, and it arrives in days.
2. Brick
What it is: A battery free NFC block made by Brick LLC in the US. Tap your phone on it to block your chosen apps, tap again to unlock. You get a few emergency unbricks for when you can't reach it.
Phones: iOS 17 or later and Android 12 or later.
Price and availability: $59 in the US. In India we found it at ₹7,999 from a reseller (Mainstreet) with about four weeks' delivery, plus third party listings on Amazon.in at varying prices.
Verdict: A well made product that's widely reviewed in the US. In India, the price and wait are the drawbacks. See our full bloc vs Brick comparison and our guide to a Brick alternative in India.
3. Bloom
What it is: A steel NFC card that you keep away from your phone, plus an app that blocks your chosen apps until you tap the card. Works with iPhone and Android, with no subscription.
Price and availability: About $40 in the US. We didn't find an Indian retailer, so you'd be importing it and paying shipping and customs on top.
Verdict: A good option if you can get one easily. See bloc vs Bloom Card for the full comparison. Being card shaped means it fits in a wallet, which is handy but also makes it easy to carry around and defeat the point.
4. Unpluq
What it is: A Dutch app blocker that pairs a small NFC tag with its app. The app also has non tap ways to unlock, like shaking your phone.
Price and availability: The tag costs about $26 to $29, and the full app needs a paid subscription. No Indian retailer at the time of writing.
Verdict: Flexible, but the subscription makes it the most expensive option over a year or two.
5. Blok
What it is: An NFC card blocker, about $29. No relation to bloc despite the similar name.
Price and availability: Import only from India at the time of writing.
Free and Software Options
6. Apple Screen Time and Android Digital Wellbeing
Built into every iPhone (Settings > Screen Time) and most Android phones (Settings > Digital Wellbeing). Set daily app limits, downtime and content restrictions.
The catch: Every limit has a one tap override. They're great for seeing your numbers, weak as the main barrier. Start here to measure, then add something you can't dismiss as easily.
7. Opal
A blocker app with stricter focus sessions, scheduling and usage reports. The basic version is free; Pro is a paid subscription.
The catch: It's still on the phone you're trying to put down, so a determined thumb can get around it.
8. Forest
You plant a virtual tree that dies if you leave the app during a focus session. Free or low cost depending on your phone.
The catch: It works through guilt, not friction. Good as an extra, not as your main tool.
9. Greyscale Mode
On iPhone: Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Colour Filters > Greyscale. On most Android phones, look under Digital Wellbeing (Bedtime mode) or Accessibility > Colour correction.
Why it helps: Feeds are designed to be colourful. Draining the colour makes them less rewarding to scroll. One small study of college students found greyscale alone cut daily screen time.
The catch: It's easy to switch back. Use it alongside a blocker.
Our Picks by Situation
iPhone in India: bloc, plus greyscale. Screen Time for tracking.
Android in India: bloc (with an NFC phone), plus Digital Wellbeing for tracking. If your phone has no NFC, bloc's Shake, Typing and Bonkers modes still work.
You're in the US or already own one: Brick or Bloom are both solid.
Zero budget: Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing limits, greyscale, and charging your phone outside the bedroom.
What Changes Behaviour Long Term
Tools that rely on motivation (usage charts, guilt, streaks) tend to fade once the novelty wears off. Tools that change your environment keep working because they don't need you to feel motivated every day.
A simple setup that works for a lot of people:
- ·Measure first. Check Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing for your real daily average.
- ·Add physical friction. Block your two or three worst apps behind a tap.
- ·Turn on greyscale.
- ·Turn off social media notifications.
- ·Change your environment. Charge your phone outside the bedroom and use a physical alarm clock.
Each step helps on its own. Together they make the default "not scrolling" rather than "scrolling".
Why Price Matters More in India
Mobile data in India is among the cheapest in the world, so there's no cost to keep scrolling. And international blockers that cost $40 to $60 abroad end up far higher once shipping, customs and reseller margins are added.
bloc was built for this. At ₹1,699 with free delivery, price stops being the reason not to try.
bloc ships free across India. Starts at ₹1,699. Order here →