Opal App Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
By John, ScreenBuddy Founder
Opal is one of the better screen time apps for iPhone. It may be the most popular and rightfully so. The UI is polished, the blocking is robust, and the analytics give you more insight than Apple's built-in Screen Time. The main downsides are the price ($100/year for full features) and the sheer number of features that can feel like overkill if you just want something simple.
I tried Opal before building ScreenBuddy. Here's my honest take.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Opal has a beautiful interface and comprehensive usage data
Deep Focus mode (premium only) is genuinely hard to bypass
Gamification features like gems, streaks, and leaderboards aren't for everyone
Pricing is steep at $100/year for full access
Best for power users who want maximum data and strict accountability
Simpler alternatives exist if you just want basic friction-based blocking
What Opal Does Well
The UI is genuinely beautiful. Opal looks and feels premium. The animations are smooth, the colors are well-chosen, and using the app feels intentional rather than clinical. This matters more than you'd think. If you're going to interact with a screen time app daily, it shouldn't feel like a chore.
The analytics are comprehensive. Opal tracks pickups, app usage, time offline, and breaks everything down by productive vs. distracting categories. You can customize which apps fall into which category. The data goes deeper than Screen Time's basic reports and helps you actually understand your patterns.
Deep Focus mode works. This is Opal's signature feature (premium only). When you start a Deep Focus session, you genuinely cannot access blocked apps until the timer runs out. Deleting the app doesn't remove the block. It's the closest thing to truly locking yourself out that exists on iOS. For people who need strict accountability, this is the selling point.
It blocks web versions too. If you block Instagram, Opal also blocks instagram.com in Safari. This closes the workaround that defeats most app blockers. They also have a Chrome extension for Mac users.
Flexible session types. Opal offers three difficulty levels: Normal (you can cancel anytime), Timeout (increasing delays before you can snooze), and Deep Focus (no way out). This lets you match the restriction level to your needs.
What Opal Doesn't Do Well
The gamification feels like bloat. Opal has gems, streaks, focus scores, leaderboards, and social features. I get why they built it this way. Engagement drives retention. But when I tried the app, I kept thinking: the goal is to spend less time on my phone, not more time in another app.
The social features particularly miss the mark for me. I understand social accountability for something like Strava where you're proud of your runs. But screen time? Most people are embarrassed about their phone habits. They don't want friends seeing their struggles on a leaderboard.
It's expensive. Opal Pro costs $100/year, $20/month, or $400 for lifetime access. Deep Focus, the feature that actually makes Opal hard to bypass, is locked behind the premium tier. The free version exists, but without Deep Focus, you can still override sessions pretty easily.
It's not foolproof. Even with all its features, Opal can be bypassed by going to Settings > Screen Time and toggling off Opal's access. Deep Focus makes this harder but not impossible if you're determined. Some users in forums report bugs where notifications still come through or blocking is inconsistent.
iOS and Mac only. If you use Android or Windows, Opal isn't an option.
Who Opal Is Best For
Opal works best for people who want maximum data, strict accountability, and don't mind paying premium prices. If you've tried simpler solutions and failed, and you need something that genuinely locks you out, Deep Focus mode might be worth the $100/year.
It's also good for people who enjoy gamification. If streaks and focus scores motivate you rather than annoy you, Opal leans into that heavily.
Opal is less ideal for:
People who want something simple without bells and whistles
Anyone on a budget
Users who find gamification gimmicky
People who've never tried an app blocker before and don't know what approach works for them
Alternatives to Consider
ScreenBuddy uses friction instead of hard blocking. Your selected apps are locked by default. When you tap one, you get a 25-second countdown before it unlocks. You also set a custom daily limit for how much access you get. It's simpler, cheaper, and designed for people who want to reduce screen time without feeling controlled. I built it after finding other blockers either too strict or too easy to bypass.
One Sec takes a similar friction-based approach with a breathing exercise before apps open. Research with the Max Planck Institute found it reduced social media use by 57%. Free for one app, around $50/year for unlimited.
Freedom blocks apps and websites across all your devices, including iPhone, Mac, Windows, and Android. If you tend to switch devices when one is blocked, Freedom closes that loophole. Around $40/year.
Bottom Line
Opal is a well-made app with genuine strengths. The UI is polished, the data is comprehensive, and Deep Focus mode actually works. But the price is steep, the gamification isn't for everyone, and simpler options exist.
If you want strict accountability and don't mind the cost, Opal is worth trying. If you want something simpler that just adds friction without all the extras, check out our guide to blocking apps on iPhone for more options.
