Best apps to stop scrolling at night on iPhone (2026)

I make Valo Sleep, so I have a bias. But before I built my own app, I tried iPhone Screen Time and other apps. Each tool is good for a different kind of person. So in this guide I will tell you who each app is best for, including when it is not mine.

All prices are US prices, checked on October 9, 2026. Prices change, so check the App Store before you buy.

Quick comparison

How to choose the right app for you

Before you look at the list, answer these questions. They matter more than any feature list.

• Do you skip limits when you set them yourself? If yes, you need either a pause that makes you stop and think, or a lock that is really hard to open.
• Is your problem only at night, or all day? Some apps are built for focus during the day. Others are built for bedtime.
• Does your mind get loud when the phone goes away? Then blocking alone may not be enough. You may need something calm to replace the phone.
• Does it need to be free? Two options are fully free. Some others have a limited free version.
• Do you also use Android or a computer? Some apps work on many devices. Valo Sleep is made for iPhone.

1. Apple Screen Time (built in)

Best for: people who want something free that is already on their iPhone, and who can either respect a soft limit or give the passcode to someone they trust.

Screen Time lets you set a schedule when only some apps work, and daily time limits for apps. In iOS 27 these are called Screen Time Schedule and Time Allowances. In iOS 26 and earlier they were called Downtime and App Limits.

• Good: free, private, and part of iPhone settings.
• Not so good: by default, you can ignore a limit when you reach it. To make it strict, you need a Screen Time passcode, and if you know the passcode, you can still type it at midnight.

I wrote a full guide on how to stop tapping "Ignore Limit" if you want to make Screen Time work better first.

2. ScreenZen

Best for: people who want strong, flexible blocking at no cost.

ScreenZen adds a waiting time before a chosen app opens, and that wait can get longer each time you open it. You can also block apps strictly for set times of day. Everything is free, and the only purchases are optional tips.

• Good: completely free, many settings, a lock mode that protects against common tricks, and no account for the main app. It has 4.9 stars from more than 51,000 ratings.
• Not so good: it is a general screen time tool, so you build your own night setup. There is no help for falling asleep beyond short activities while you wait.

3. one sec

Best for: people who respond better to a short, calm pause than to a hard block.

When you open a chosen app, one sec shows a short breathing animation first. Often that pause is enough to make you close the app. You can also set repeating blocks, for example every night, and a morning block after you wake up. Strict blocks that you cannot end early are part of Pro.

• Good: gentle, works all day, low price, and an option to block apps in the morning.
• Not so good: the free version covers one app, and a pause is easy to ignore when you are very tired.

4. Opal

Best for: people who want a well-made focus system for the whole day, with a strict paid mode and sleep audio.

Opal lets you create schedules, including overnight ones, plus time limits and focus timers. With Pro, Hard Mode can stop you from ending a block early, although there is still one emergency pass per week. Opal also has soundscapes, sleep stories and meditations. It announced a special "Opal Sleep" feature in January 2026, but its separate Sleep tab was removed in a big update in mid-2026. I explain what changed in my Opal vs Valo Sleep comparison.

• Good: strong blocking, lots of features, works on iPhone, Mac and Android.
• Not so good: the most expensive option at $99.99 a year, and it needs an account.

5. Brick

Best for: people who need a physical barrier and do not want a subscription.

Brick is a small device. You tap your phone on it to block apps, and you must tap it again to unblock them. If you leave the Brick in another room, getting out of bed becomes the barrier. It also supports schedules, for example a Sleep mode that starts before bed.

• Good: very hard to skip, a one-time price of $59, and no monthly fee. It also gives you 5 emergency unbricks.
• Not so good: you must buy and keep a device, it needs an account, and it has no sleep audio or breathing of its own.

6. Valo Sleep

Best for: people whose main problem is scrolling at bedtime, who want the lock to run by itself every night, and who also want help calming their mind.

This is the app I built. It is not a general screen time tool. It is a bedtime routine. The apps you choose lock about one hour before bed and open about one hour after you wake up, every night, without you starting anything. Then it gives you something calm to do instead: Brain Dump to say or type your thoughts, voice-guided breathing, and sleep sounds.

• Good: made only for bedtime, automatic every night, a calm 16-second breathing pause for a short 15-minute break, one planned skip night per week, and no account.
• Sleep help: Brain Dump for a busy mind, voice-guided breathing and meditations, and many different sleep sounds, from ocean waves and thunderstorms to brown noise, white noise, campfire and soft piano. They can play all night or stop with a timer.
• Good to know: Valo Sleep is built only for your nights, so everything in it is about bedtime and the first hour of your morning.

Questions people ask