Brick is a small battery-free device (about $59, no subscription). You tap your phone on it to block your chosen apps, and you have to tap it again to unblock. Since the Brick usually stays at home, that physical step is the whole point, and it's very effective. ARCO is an iPhone app: it plans your day and blocks apps on a schedule, with no extra hardware.
At a glance
| Brick | ||
|---|---|---|
| How you unblock | Window or timer ends; counted breaks | Tap the physical Brick |
| Scheduled blocking | Blocked Hours, several windows | Yes |
| Can't-end-early mode | Strict mode | Strict Mode + emergency unbricks |
| Extra hardware | None | Brick device |
| Day planner / timeline | Yes | No |
| Habits & wake-up alarms | Yes | No |
| Platforms | iPhone | iPhone, Android |
| Price | 14 days free, then one subscription | $59 device, no subscription |
Details about other apps come from their App Store listings and help pages as of October 2026 and may change. Check the App Store for current prices in your country.
Where Brick wins
- Real-world friction: you can't unblock from the couch. For many people, nothing beats that.
- No subscription: a one-time hardware price, free app.
- iPhone and Android.
Where Brick can get in the way
- You need the device to unblock. Leave the house without it and your apps stay blocked until you're back, except for a few emergency unbricks.
- It's a blocker only: no planner, habits or alarms.
- Some App Store reviews mention schedules not starting or ending reliably; the developer says it's working on it.
Where ARCO is different
- Blocking on a schedule, wherever you are: Blocked Hours turn on and off by themselves, at work, at the library or at home.
- Strict when you mean it: strict focus sessions can't be ended early. Breaks are counted, then the block returns.
- The rest of your day: timeline, tasks, habits, widgets and wake-up alarms.
Which one should you pick?
Pick Brick if you've tried every app and still talk yourself out of them, and you mostly need to unplug at home.
Pick ARCO if you want blocking that follows a planned day, at work and on the go, without carrying or forgetting a device.
Want to see how scheduled blocking works on iPhone? Read how to block Instagram and TikTok without deleting them.