TLDR
Most people quit Freedom for one of two reasons: it conflicts with other VPNs and slows internet, or it's easily bypassed by turning off Screen Time permissions on iOS.
Freedom vs Opal vs Brick vs One Sec: compared according to reddit users
Gets in the way when you need it 1 = Didn't notice · 2 = Mildly annoying · 3 = Noticeable · 4 = Frustrating · 5 = Made me want to quit
Reduction strength 1 = No real change (~0-10%) · 2 = Slight decrease (~10-30%) · 3 = Moderate decrease (~30-60%) · 4 = Large decrease (~60-90%) · 5 = Total reduction (100%)
The Unscroll hypothesis (dotted circle): Unscroll is new and doesn't have independent Reddit data yet. Read more on the transparency of this research and the weaknesses of this approach below.
How these scores are chosen
Both axes are 1-5 scores averaged from real Reddit users' answers to a fixed-choice question — see the answer-dictionary legend for exactly what each answer means. Hover any point for how many people are behind each score, and a verbatim quote from the median-scoring one of them. 874 unique Reddit users are behind the scores; the per-tool counts add up to more because some people discussed more than one tool.
15 of 16 solutions here have both axes directly measured from real Reddit users. Unscroll's dotted circle is a hypothesis rather than a Reddit measurement (see the note above).
The quote shown for each axis is the median-scoring user of everyone found for that solution, not the most quotable one, so it represents the score rather than the extreme. Axes with a borrowed or manually seeded score have no quote, by design.
Gets in the way (X)
Gets in the way — how much the tool disrupted the user in the moment (a blend of how often and how intensely it did, judged as a single gut-feel answer rather than two separate scores, since either factor alone can dominate the felt experience)
Reduction strength (Y)
Reduction strength — impact on scrolling screen time
Show all 16 tools and their evidence
The rare person who can give up a smartphone entirely.
"the hardest part for me has been everyone else in the world. … statements such as "how am i supposed to get ahold of you?"...."what if there's an emergency?", etc. … you will feel out of place."
"I actually didn't have a smart phone my first 3 years in Accounting. I did have to buy a tablet for an authenticator app to log into work since I WFH, but otherwise it was never an issue."
People who want a set break, like a weekend or a week, rather than a permanent change.
"The first day was the most relaxing I'd had in a long time. Time dilated and I felt like one day was 48 hours instead of 24… Around this day everything became way easier: the frequency of randomly picking up my phone to check it reduced greatly."
"I managed to almost complete the challenge but I lost my job and needed a place to vent so I redownloaded reddit. […] I’m so glad I did the detox. I rediscovered my love for art and started reading again."
People willing to carry a classic feature phone for calls and texts and give up smartphone apps.
"I bought one a few weeks ago. My thoughts… Pros: light/slim… looks cool… cheap. Cons: had issue with phone calls dropping… sent texts would be sent, but i couldn’t see them on my screen… battery barely lasted a day."
"I use the tracfone version of it (2760), and the browser is SO laggy and barely loads a lot of sites... I got mine to break my doomscrolling addiction, and it’s genuinely helped so much. I can barely even load reddit on it."
People ready to go cold turkey on specific apps, who can still use the browser version when they truly need it.
"The best thing I ever did was delete the Instagram app and start using the instagram.com mobile site. It still gives me the dopamine hit and I’m still up to date but because the mobile version is a bit more clunky than the app it makes me scroll less."
"Heck yes!!! I love that app SO MUCH. I frequently put full blocks on super strict mode for a month at a time. Just got back on reddit on the 1st of this month. Ready to delete it again LMAO."
People who want a phone with calls, texts and, on most models, maps, but no social media feeds.
"The screen is definitely small. And I’ve noticed that I don’t really feel like installing new apps or special apps on the phone because using them is more tedious than on a normal smartphone. But when I actually need something, everything has worked for me so far except Revolut."
"since i'm working mostly in front of PC, is nothing more change other than i reduce my screentime significantly and more focus on my work… I also do more journaling these days, it really feels good to write with my hand instead of typing on my social media like i used to."
People who want a physical tag they have to tap to unblock, so unblocking takes a deliberate trip.
"I bought the ‘Brick’ blocker. … Deleting the app won't let you open your phone—you have to get up and walk to wherever the device is to ‘un-brick’. That's enough ‘friction’ for me to make better choices."
"The brick is pricey and it doesn't take a genius to bypass some things, even in Strict Mode, but, man, it's so effective for me. One on the fridge, one in the office. I'm more present at home and don't doom scroll while commuting. Highly recommend!"
The Unscroll hypothesis — our target, not yet tested against independent Reddit data. That's why it's a dotted circle.
iPhone users who need their feeds for work or social life and want to see how long they've been scrolling while they scroll, without hard blocks.
Unscroll is too new for organic Reddit discussion. Its reduction-strength placement ('Moderate decrease') is a hypothesis supported by real but limited internal data: across all users, scrolling time fell by a weighted average of 52% versus their own pre-Unscroll estimate (aggregated app data, self-reported baseline, not peer reviewed; unscroll.io/results). Its gets-in-the-way placement ('Mildly annoying') is a design goal only: there is no measured figure for it yet.
iPhone users who want scheduled app blocking and will lock its settings with a Screen Time passcode someone else holds.
"I started keeping social media (and any distracting apps) blocked at all times... it’s super annoying, I kept opening reddit and instagram to find it blocked, but over a few weeks I got used to it and my screen time went way down."
"Been using Opal for a little while now, and my screen time has been cut almost in half, down to about 3 hours a day. It’s made staying focused and off my phone way easier."
People who want a short pause before opening chosen apps, to break the automatic open-and-scroll habit without losing access. On iPhone and Android.
"Every time I try to open Instagram, I get redirected to the one sec app where I’m forced to wait 10 seconds. This is just long enough for me to think about what I'm doing… Since I started using the one sec app in December, I've saved a whopping 16 hours of time."
"I use the free version of ‘one sec’, it has its drawbacks (ex. no app switching in the free plan, stuff like that) and setting it up feels slightly clunky but they do a good job walking you through it and overall it has been a boon to me!"
People who want a plainer, text-only home screen on the phone they already own.
"The best part is you can ‘hide’ apps, which makes it really annoying to get to... Then I realized the BEST BEST part... You can set each app to open with a delay... If I try to open instagram, it asks ‘are you sure?’ and doesn't let me reply for like 10 seconds... This has worked SO much."
"After my stint with the LP2, i got a qwerty smartphone, put a minimal launcher on it, set it to greyscale+darkmode, only install utility apps, and its the best phone experience ive ever had."
People who want to earn app time with push-ups, or pass a short pause, before opening chosen apps.
"The biggest difference this time for me, maybe was ClearSpace. It does cost money and there’s a lot of apps with similar features that do the same thing, its just the one I’ve ended up using. I think I’ve found that having to wait 30 seconds even though it doesn’t sound like a lot was too much effort so I just won’t bother using it."
"Those few seconds of pause before accessing an app felt like an eternity, but they made me more conscious of my actions. Gradually, I noticed a change. I started reaching for my phone less and engaging more with the world around me."
Android users who want free, built-in daily app timers and a scheduled Focus mode.
"I’m currently preparing for job interviews, and the ‘Focus Mode’ is nice for adding a little bit of friction for when my mind wanders and I pick up the phone to reflexively check the news or see what’s on the Reddit front page."
"If anyone else is trying to decrease their phone use, I'd recommend the Digital Wellbeing app… You can see your total phone use time, and set time limits for certain apps. Putting a 30 minute daily limit on Reddit helped cut my screen time significantly."
People who want a free setting that makes the phone less rewarding to look at.
"I had some luck on my iphone by using slightly less than full grayscale. There was a slider that allowed some color, which made navigation easier, but not the full throbbing vibrant eye-catching palette."
"Setting my phone to greyscale helped me stop using it so much. Then, I deleted everything except my music app and a couple games like sudoku and tetris."
People who want a free, built-in app limit and won't tap 'Ignore Limit', or who let someone else set the Screen Time passcode.
"My wife held the Screen Time passcode; I got to keep essential iPhone features and keep my problem apps down to a collective hour a day. Sometimes I picked up the phone, found the dopamine-heavy apps locked, and put it back."
"I had this problem so I had my son pick a screentime password for me. When my time is up (45 min total on FB, Instagram and Reddit) I can’t do 15 more minutes because I don’t know the password."
People who would rather earn scrolling time with push-ups or squats than face a plain block.
"sometimes when i spend 5 hours doomscrolling on my phone and my app (pushscroll) blocks it i’ll go on my laptop and cant stop. i really liked pushscroll cause it made me RECORD me doing something else to get out of that brain rot cycle so it helps a lot. i pay about 35/year for it. got my screen time down about 2 hours"
"Hey you can try out this app called PushScroll. It makes you do pushups if you want to doomscroll. So kills two birds with one stone. Get gains and reduce scroll time."
People who want the same scheduled blocks on their phone and their computer.
"Freedom is very annoying from my experience, the VPN will get in the way of some apps even if they are not in the block list. I found I was constantly having to delete the app to use a train ticket app…"
Surprising findings about Freedom
Freedom reduces scrolling no more than iOS's free Screen Time limits.
Why this is surprising One would expect a paid, dedicated app with a reputation for strict lockdown mode to outperform a free built-in feature, but the measured reduction is essentially the same.
Evidence Freedom averages 2.26/5 on reduction strength (27 users) vs iOS Screen Time limits at 2.34/5 (71 users); Freedom gets in the way at 3.43/5 (23 users) vs 3.36/5 (53 users).
Deleting the apps entirely cuts scrolling more effectively than using Freedom, while being no more disruptive.
Why this is surprising Users assume that a sophisticated blocker with lockdown mode provides superior results to the simple act of deletion, but the data shows deletion yields better reduction with less annoyance.
Evidence Freedom gets in the way 3.43/5 (23 users) and reduces scrolling 2.26/5 (27 users); Deleting the apps gets in the way 3.33/5 (67 users) and reduces scrolling 3.37/5 (137 users).
The real reasons people leave Freedom
VPN conflicts
Freedom's VPN-based blocking conflicts with other VPNs and degrades internet speed and app functionality, a problem that recurs across multiple OS updates.
Screen Time bypass
On iOS, blocks can be instantly bypassed by disabling Freedom's Screen Time permission in Settings, making the app trivial to circumvent without technical skill.
Is Freedom worth it, according to app store reviews?
Users find Freedom reliably blocks distracting apps and websites, with strong lockdown settings that prevent them from bypassing blocks during focus sessions. Many credit it with transformative improvements in productivity, attention, and well-being.
Users report that Freedom's VPN-based blocking often causes frequent disconnections and conflicts with other VPNs, disrupting normal internet use. Additionally, on iOS, the app can be easily bypassed by disabling its Screen Time permission in system settings, making blocks ineffective for some users.
"This app is the perfect way to reduce your screen time."
"I've tried many. This is the first app that actually delivers on iOS app control."
"It's a true block without workarounds"
"This app isn't just a minor help. It changes lives."
"I got more focused computer work done than in the last year and half."
"This is the only app I've found that truly makes it impossible to override the safeguards you've put up for yourself."
"It has settings that prevent you from getting out of a focus session once you're in one."
"The only screen time control I've found without an override"
"Ever since downloading it, the VPN has been constantly disconnecting and reconnecting."
"This new update keeps turning on and off my VPN internet especially when connected on demand"
"If you use a VPN on your devices and don't want to compromise your privacy, this app is not for you."
"All you have to do is go to settings and disable screen time permission."
"On iOS, it's very easy to simply turn off Freedom's Screen Time access during a session and regain access to blocked apps."
"With new IOS upgrades I can simply go into setting and screen time and toggle it off."
What the research says about Freedom's mechanism
Research on enforced non-use of specific apps, the mechanism Freedom uses, largely draws from digital detox and abstinence studies, which offer mixed evidence.
In a preregistered randomised trial (Castelo et al., 2025, 467 people), two weeks of blocking all mobile internet with Freedom improved well-being (effect size 0.45, moderate), mental health and sustained attention; 91% improved on at least one. Participants blocked the whole mobile internet, not a few apps, and the trial ran two weeks.
For mild cases, moderation and reduction interventions deliver small-to-moderate short-term benefits, and abstinence is not clearly superior to limitation, suggesting that Freedom's hard-blocking approach may not outperform more flexible tools for the typical user.
Short-term social media abstinence shows no reliable effect on positive affect, negative affect, or life satisfaction in a meta-analysis, with substantial between-study heterogeneity indicating that outcomes vary widely depending on context and person.
Meta-analyses of digital detox interventions (enforced non-use akin to hard blocking) find inconsistent effects: some studies report null results or even increased craving and boredom, and long-term persistence of any benefits remains unknown.
Who does Freedom actually work for?
Works best for users who won't exploit the Screen Time bypass and can tolerate VPN conflicts.
Freedom is a good fit for disciplined users on Android, or iOS users who commit to not disabling the Screen Time permission. It also requires that you do not need an active VPN for other services during focus sessions.
- Willing to avoid bypassing Screen Time permissions
- Not reliant on other VPNs during blocking sessions
- Comfortable with occasional app slowdowns from VPN routing
- Looking for hard blocks rather than gentle reminders
Why does Freedom fail long term?
The mechanism: why Freedom works the way it does
Freedom blocks apps and sites by routing traffic through a VPN, which is strict but can conflict with other VPNs and slow some apps. On iOS its blocks also depend on a Screen Time permission that can be switched off in Settings, so the lock is only as strong as that setting.
Best alternatives to Freedom that work differently
Pause-based awareness
The pause only happens as an app opens and can be dismissed, so it does nothing once you're already scrolling.
One Sec adds a pause before an app opens instead of routing traffic through a VPN, so there's no VPN to conflict with others.
- VPN conflicts
- Only intervenes at the moment of opening an app; does nothing once you are already scrolling inside the app.
- Its pause can be switched off by turning off its Shortcuts automation or Screen Time access, unless those are locked.
One Sec
People who want a short pause before opening chosen apps, to break the automatic open-and-scroll habit without losing access. On iPhone and Android.
Field study, 280 people (Grüning et al., 2023, PNAS): attempts to open target apps fell 37% over six weeks. Co-authored by the app's developer.
Live screen time
It never blocks anything, so it relies on you acting on what you see, and it's weaker than a hard block for people who need one. iPhone only.
Unscroll's low-friction checkpoints provide little incentive to find the Screen Time bypass, since the interruptions are dismissible rather than blocking. It does not use a VPN, avoiding VPN conflicts.
- Screen Time bypass
- VPN conflicts
- Still technically relies on the Screen Time API, so a determined user could disable it, though the low friction reduces motivation.
Unscroll
iPhone users who need their feeds for work or social life and want to see how long they've been scrolling while they scroll, without hard blocks.
Internal data, not peer reviewed: across all users, scrolling time fell 52% on a weighted average versus their own pre-Unscroll estimate (unscroll.io/results).
Small hacks
Free and quick to set up, but just as quick to switch off, and the effect is modest: it changes how the phone looks, not what you can open.
Grayscale is a purely visual change at the OS level; there is no blocking system to bypass, and no VPN involved.
- Screen Time bypass
- VPN conflicts
- Reduces time per session but does not reduce how often you pick up the phone; can be turned off instantly.
Grayscale mode
People who want a free setting that makes the phone less rewarding to look at.
Field study, 84 people (Dekker & Baumgartner, 2024): one week of grayscale cut phone time by about 20 minutes a day; how often people unlocked the phone didn't change.
Abstinence
You lose the useful parts of the apps along with the scrolling, and nothing stops you reinstalling them or picking the phone back up.
By removing the app entirely or for a set period, there is no blocker to bypass and no VPN to conflict with other services.
- Screen Time bypass
- VPN conflicts
- Relapse is common, reinstalling apps or ending a detox ends the intervention; browser access still exists, may lead to replacement behavior.
Deleting the apps
People ready to go cold turkey on specific apps, who can still use the browser version when they truly need it.
No study of deleting apps itself. The closest, a 4-week Facebook deactivation experiment (Allcott et al., 2020), found use stayed lower after it ended.
Temporary digital detox
People who want a set break, like a weekend or a week, rather than a permanent change.
Randomised trial, 467 people (Castelo et al., 2025): after a two-week block on all mobile internet, 91% improved on at least one of well-being, mental health or attention.
Dumbphone
New hardware to buy and carry. A feature phone like a Nokia keeps calls and texts but loses maps, messaging apps like WhatsApp, banking and most authenticator apps; a dumb touchscreen phone usually keeps maps and sometimes a messaging app, depending on the model.
Replaces the smartphone entirely with a device that lacks feed apps, so there are no blockers to bypass and no VPN dependencies.
- Screen Time bypass
- VPN conflicts
- Losing everyday apps: a feature phone drops maps, WhatsApp and banking apps; a dumb touchscreen phone keeps some of them, depending on the model.
Dumb touchscreen phone
People who want a phone with calls, texts and, on most models, maps, but no social media feeds.
No study of dumb touchscreen phones specifically.
Nokia (feature phone)
People willing to carry a classic feature phone for calls and texts and give up smartphone apps.
No study of feature phones specifically.
About the author
Sources (90)
90 sources directly shaped the analysis above; 322 were reviewed in total during research.
Research & studies 33
App Store review data 1
Reddit threads 4
Changelog & product docs 52
Additional sources reviewed 138
Reddit threads (15)
Review sites (1)
Web & press (121)
Other sources (1)
Try Unscroll