Apps to Stop Doomscrolling: 7 Options That Actually Work
By: John, ScreenBuddy Founder
The best apps to stop doomscrolling are One Sec, ScreenBuddy, Opal, Freedom, AppBlock, Forest, and No Scroll. These fall into three categories: friction apps that add a pause before social media opens, hard blockers that lock you out completely, and gamified apps that reward you for staying off your phone. The right choice depends on whether you need a gentle nudge or a hard stop.
KEY TAKEAWAYS: Apps to Stop Doomscrolling
One Sec (~$20/year): Adds a breathing exercise before apps open. Research shows 57% reduction in social media use.
ScreenBuddy ($40/year): 25-second pause + 45-minute daily budget. Always-on friction without scheduled sessions.
Opal (~$100/year): Hard blocking with Deep Focus mode. Polished interface with gamification features.
Freedom (~$40/year): Cross-device blocking for phone, tablet, and computer. Locked Mode prevents early cancellation.
AppBlock (~$30/year): Scheduling and location-based blocking. Strict Mode locks your settings.
Forest (Free / ~$4 one-time): Gamified focus app. Grow virtual trees by staying off your phone.
No Scroll (Free / ~$30/year): Specifically blocks Reels and Shorts feeds while keeping the rest of apps functional.
Why Doomscrolling Is Hard to Stop
Doomscrolling is the habit of endlessly scrolling through negative or addictive content, usually on social media or news apps. The problem isn't willpower. Apps like TikTok, Instagram, and X are engineered to keep you scrolling through infinite feeds, autoplay videos, and algorithmic recommendations tuned to your interests.
Apple's built-in Screen Time helps some people, but the "Ignore Limit" button makes it easy to bypass. If you've tried Screen Time and found yourself tapping through the warnings, you need something stronger. These seven apps offer different approaches to breaking the scroll.
Friction Apps (Pause Before Opening)
Friction apps don't block social media completely. Instead, they add a delay before apps open, giving you a moment to ask whether you actually want to scroll right now. This breaks the unconscious habit of opening apps without thinking.
One Sec
One Sec forces you to take a deep breath before opening social media. When you tap Instagram or TikTok, you see a breathing animation and a prompt asking if you still want to proceed. The delay is usually enough to break the autopilot behavior.
A peer-reviewed study with the Max Planck Institute found One Sec reduces social media use by 57% on average. Free for one app, around $20/year for unlimited.
Best for: People who want research-backed friction on a budget.
ScreenBuddy
ScreenBuddy uses a 25-second countdown instead of a breathing exercise. Every time you open a protected app, you wait 25 seconds before you can proceed. You also get a 45-minute daily "pause budget," so once you've used your allotted time, apps lock for the rest of the day.
The difference from One Sec: ScreenBuddy's protection is always on without needing to schedule sessions, and the daily budget adds a hard limit after your friction time runs out.
Best for: People who want all-day friction plus a daily time cap.
Hard Blockers (Complete Lockout)
Hard blockers completely prevent access to apps during scheduled sessions. You literally cannot open Instagram until the timer ends. These work well for focused work time but can feel restrictive for all-day use.
Opal
Opal creates "focus sessions" where you choose which apps to block and for how long. The interface is polished, and Deep Focus mode is genuinely hard to bypass. The app includes gamification features like focus scores and streaks.
Around $100/year for full features, making it the most expensive option. Free tier is limited to one recurring session.
Best for: People who want strict accountability with a premium experience.
Freedom
Freedom's main advantage is cross-device blocking. Start a session on your iPhone, and it also blocks distractions on your Mac, Windows PC, and browser. If you switch devices when one is blocked, Freedom closes that loophole.
Locked Mode prevents ending sessions early. Around $40/year or $199 lifetime.
Best for: People who doomscroll on multiple devices, not just their phone.
AppBlock
AppBlock offers scheduling, location-based blocking, and Strict Mode that prevents changing settings during a block. You can set different rules for work, home, and other locations.
Around $30/year. The Android version is stronger than iPhone, but both work.
Best for: People who want location-aware blocking or use both iPhone and Android.
Gamified and Specialty Apps
These apps take different approaches beyond blocking or friction.
Forest
Forest gamifies focus by letting you grow virtual trees. Start a timer, and a tree begins growing. If you leave the app to check social media, your tree dies. Over time, you build a forest representing your focused time.
The approach works well for people motivated by visual progress and streaks. Free with ads, or around $4 for the paid version.
Best for: People who respond to gamification and want a gentler approach than blocking.
No Scroll
No Scroll specifically targets Reels, Shorts, and TikTok-style feeds rather than blocking entire apps. You can still use Instagram for messaging or browsing profiles, but the endless video feed is blocked.
This is useful if you need social apps for legitimate purposes but lose hours specifically to short-form video. Free tier available, premium around $30/year.
Best for: People whose doomscrolling problem is specifically Reels and Shorts, not social media in general.
What to Watch Out For
Starting too aggressive: If you hard-block everything on day one, you'll probably delete the app within a week. Start with friction or moderate limits and tighten over time.
Browser workarounds: Most app blockers don't block social media websites in Safari by default. If you catch yourself using Instagram through the browser, add those URLs to your blocklist.
The replacement trap: When I blocked Instagram, I started scrolling LinkedIn instead. Pay attention to what you migrate to and add those apps to your block list too.
Bottom Line
For research-backed friction, One Sec is the budget-friendly choice. For always-on friction with a daily budget, ScreenBuddy offers a different model. For strict accountability, Opal or Freedom with Locked Mode will keep you honest. For a gentler approach, Forest gamifies the process.
Start with friction before jumping to hard blocking. Most people do better with a pause that breaks the habit than a lock that feels like punishment. For more strategies beyond apps, see our complete guide on how to stop doomscrolling.
