Overview

Opal is a focus and screen-time app for blocking selected apps and websites, with timed sessions and wellbeing signals. It is best suited to people who want recurring limits across a phone and Mac, rather than a desktop-only blocker. The free plan covers basic blocking, while Pro adds the flexibility and history that make Opal more useful for sustained routines.

Key features

Focus Rules block chosen apps on a phone or desktop, and Opal can block websites on scheduled and recurring schedules. That makes it a practical fit for people who want restrictions to run automatically instead of setting up each session from scratch. Free allows one rule, so users with separate work, rest, or evening routines will likely run into its ceiling.

The Focus Timer locks users into a chosen focus duration. This supports deliberate, time-bounded work, while Pro's Hard Mode gives paid users a stronger option when ordinary blocking is too easy to dismiss. Advanced timers and soundscapes and Allow Only are also Pro features; the free tier sticks to basic timers and soundscapes.

Opal Score brings sleep, focus, and rest signals together to indicate how technology aligns with wellbeing. Free shows the score for today only; Pro keeps its history, making the paid plan more useful for users who want to follow patterns over time. Focus Gems mark focus milestones, adding a reward for consistency rather than another blocking control.

iOS Shortcuts can start a timer when Do Not Disturb is enabled, when the user arrives at a location, or when a specified app opens. These automations suit people who want focus sessions connected to existing routines. Opal says detailed app-usage data processed through iOS Screen Time and Android Accessibility Service and Usage Stats stays on the 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. Users weighing privacy should consider that collection alongside the on-device processing claim.

Pricing

Opal Free costs 0.00 USD per free, forever, and supports iOS, Android, and Mac. It includes one rule, basic timers and soundscapes, app blocking, and Opal Score for today. It is a useful way to start, but the one-rule cap and lack of score history make it a limited choice for people with several routines or longer-term tracking needs.

Opal Pro Yearly costs 8.29 USD per month, billed $99.99 billed annually. It adds Hard Mode, unlimited rules, advanced timers and soundscapes, Allow Only, and Opal Score with history. This is the lowest-cost paid option for users who need flexible rules and ongoing score history. Opal Pro Monthly costs 19.99 USD per month, billed $239 billed annually, with the same features; it costs more over the stated annual billing term, so the yearly plan is the clearer fit for users ready to commit.

Opal Pro Lifetime costs 399.00 USD per once, billed One Time Payment, and includes the same Pro features without recurring billing. It suits users who prefer a single payment, though the upfront cost is substantial. Teams Pro has custom pricing and includes everything in Pro, a single invoice, advanced support and training, and an account manager, making it the relevant option for teams that want centralized billing and service.

Opal offers a 7-day trial and students can receive up to 50% off Opal Pro. Its pricing page offers a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee for Stripe purchases; Opal says it cannot directly refund iPhone app purchases, so purchase channel matters if refund handling is important.

Platforms

Opal supports Android, iOS, and macOS. iOS users can also connect focus sessions to Shortcuts automations. Teams or individuals who need Windows or Linux support should look at a different option.

Who it's for

Opal is a strong fit for people who want blocking, locked focus sessions, and wellbeing signals in one product, especially when recurring schedules or iOS automations matter. It is less compelling for users who need many rules without paying, require Windows or Linux, or want to avoid sharing contact and identifier data.

Pros and cons

Pro: Recurring schedules, locked sessions, and app and website blocking combine into a useful routine-based control set.
Pro: On-device processing of detailed app-usage data limits where that detailed data is handled, according to Opal.
Pro: Pro includes unlimited rules and Opal Score history, addressing the main constraints of the free plan.
Con: Free permits only one rule and shows Opal Score for today only, limiting more complex routines and trend tracking.
Con: Contact information, user identifiers, diagnostics, and optional social data are collected, which may not suit privacy-minimizing users.
Con: Refund handling differs by purchase route: Opal cannot directly refund iPhone app purchases.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse Distraction Blocking Software or Screen Time Management Apps.

Phone-Free 2FA is a free option for TOTP accounts across browser extension and major mobile and desktop platforms, but its free plan has no central recovery or sync.
AppBlock is another freemium option, available on Android, iOS, and browser extension.
Cold Turkey Blocker suits users seeking website blocking, exceptions, timed blocks, and statistics on macOS, Windows, or through an extension, with a free plan and trial.
Focus Bear is worth considering for users who want routines and habits across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows; its free Essentials plan limits Pomodoro sessions to 25 minutes, blocks no AI, and caps websites/apps and routine activities.
Focus Fence is an iOS and macOS alternative with a free download and paid options, including a 4.99 USD per month subscription.
Focuser is a free, open-source blocker for extension, Linux, macOS, and Windows.
FocusLock is a free, account-free, GPL-3.0 open-source option for macOS and Windows.
Freedom is a broader freemium choice across mobile, desktop, and web, with limited free blocking and multi-device sync.

Verdict

Choose Opal if you want scheduled, locked app and website blocking paired with wellbeing signals on Android, iOS, and Mac. Its free tier is a sensible starting point, but unlimited rules, stronger controls, and score history make Pro the better fit for regular use. Look elsewhere if you need Windows or Linux support, or if Opal's data collection and iPhone refund handling are deal-breakers.

	Opal	ScreenTimeTrack
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	$8.29/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, iOS, macOS	iOS
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Supported platforms	—	iOS/iPadOS
Usage reports	—	Yes
Application limits	—	Yes
Scheduled limits	—	Yes
Focus sessions	—	No

Opal vs ScreenTimeTrack

Opal

ScreenTimeTrack