Brick review: what it does well, where it falls short, and the alternatives
We make a competitor to Brick, so take this with that in mind. We have tried to write the review we would want to read: what Brick is, what it gets right, what we think it gets wrong, and what else exists. Every fact below comes from Brick's own site, help centre or App Store listing, checked on 11 November 2026.
What Brick is
Brick is a small magnetic puck and a free app, made by Brick LLC. You choose the apps you want blocked, tap your phone on the Brick, and they stay blocked until you tap it again. The puck has no battery and never needs charging. It costs $59 with no subscription, and Brick ships worldwide with a 30-day guarantee. (Brick FAQ)
It works on iPhone (iOS 18 or later) and Android (version 12 or later). You get up to 10 modes, schedules, and a Strict Mode that stops you deleting the app during a session.
What Brick does well
It is simple. One object, one gesture. That is the reason this whole category exists.
It works on Android. Most rivals, ours included, are iPhone only.
People like it. The iPhone app holds a 4.9 rating from roughly 60,000 ratings on the App Store. You do not get there with a bad product.
No subscription. You pay once.
Where it falls short
Any Brick unlocks any phone. Brick's support site says so directly: "One phone can work with any Brick device in the world." (Brick support) That makes sharing one Brick easy. It also means a second Brick in a drawer, a friend's Brick, or the one at the office ends your session. If your puck is meant to be the only key, it is not.
Emergency access means asking. You get five Emergency Unbricks. Many reviews call these "five for life", which is not quite right: when you run out, you can ask Brick to reset them, and Brick says that takes one to two business days. (Emergency Unbricks) It works, but it is a support request.
Schedules have documented limits. Brick's own troubleshooting article lists them: a schedule that runs past midnight may not end on time unless you split it in two, only one schedule can be active at once, and ending a session by hand during a schedule ends that schedule. (Schedule troubleshooting) Some App Store reviewers report schedules failing to start. Given the overall rating, that is a minority experience.
It is a solo product. A household can share a Brick, each with their own settings, but there is nothing they do together: no shared session, no way to see who is in.
The loophole every blocker has. On iPhone, Brick relies on Apple's Screen Time, as every app of this kind does. Switching off the app's Screen Time access in Settings removes the block. Brick suggests setting a Screen Time passcode to close that door. The same is true of our product. We explain the mechanics in how NFC phone blockers work.
Brick Night
In October 2026 Brick released a second product, Brick Night, at $129. It is a Bluetooth beacon for the bedside table. You set a space and a time window, and your chosen apps stay blocked while you are in that space during those hours. Walk out of the room and they unblock. It is automatic, which suits bedtime, and the exit is easier than with the puck. (Brick Night)
The alternatives
| Product | What it is | Price | Subscription |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloom | Steel NFC card or magnetic pod, iPhone and Android | Card $39, Pod $59 | None |
| Foqos | Free open source iPhone app for any NFC tag or QR code | Free | None |
| Blok | NFC card or a product barcode | Card $29 | Optional. Emergency unlocks cost $4.99 |
| Unpluq | Keychain NFC tag | $80 a year with tag | Required |
| ScreenZen | Free app that adds a pause before apps open | Free | None |
| Opal | Software blocker with analytics | $99.99 a year | Yes |
| moss | NFC puck (the moss stone) and iPhone app, with household features as a paid add-on | See the shop | None to lock |
A few words on each.
Bloom is the closest to Brick. The card is cheaper, it gives you three emergency exits plus one more every month, and it has 5-minute breaks. The card lives in your wallet, which is convenient and also the weakness: the key is always with you.
Foqos is the one to try if you like to tinker. It is free, the code is public, and a blank NFC tag costs very little. A profile can be tied to one specific tag, which fixes the "any tag unlocks" problem. There is no emergency unlock.
Blok is the cheapest way in. Be aware that emergency unlocks are sold: $4.99 each.
Unpluq needs a paid subscription for its tag to work, and lets you swap the tag for a task such as shaking your phone. It is friction more than a lock.
ScreenZen and Opal have no hardware. ScreenZen is free and slows you down. Opal is polished and costs $99.99 a year for the full version.
moss is ours. It works the way Brick does, with three differences: only your own stone and sprigs unlock your phone, emergency unlocks refill every month without a request, and people who live together can lock at the same time and see who is in. It is iPhone only, so if anyone in your home uses Android, look at Brick or Bloom.
We keep a longer, sourced page on each of these under comparisons, and a full moss vs Brick page.
Verdict
Brick is a good product, and it is the safe choice if you want the most established puck or you use Android. Look elsewhere if the shared-key design bothers you, if you want something cheaper, or if what you want is for the people you live with to put their phones down at the same time.