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The best Brick alternatives in 2026
Published July 9, 2026
Brick is a clever little device. You tap your phone to a small NFC puck and your distracting apps lock, tap again and they unlock. For a lot of people that physical tap is exactly the friction they needed.
Most people who look for a Brick alternative want one of three things: to spend less than $59 on a proprietary gadget, a tag they can carry or hide more easily, or a blocker that does more than a single tap. Here is how the tap to block options compare, and where Parkbench fits.
What to look for in a tap to block device
The things that separate one tap to block product from the next:
Is the tag proprietary? Some blockers only work with the branded device they sell you. Others, like Parkbench, work with any generic NFC tag.
What does it cost in total? Weigh the device, any app or subscription, and how long you will use it. The tag itself matters less than what the app can do.
Does it do more than tap? A tag is one kind of friction. Schedules, limits, and app groups cover the times you forget to tap.
How hard is it to bypass? The point of a physical tag is that the block lives on an object you can leave in another room.
Your platform. Some are iPhone only, some cover Android too.
What each one costs to start
The one time cost of the hardware. Parkbench uses any blank tag you already own or buy for pennies, so there is no proprietary device to purchase.
Any generic one. No proprietary device.
Device prices are one time unless noted. Unpluq adds a yearly subscription after the first year. Prices may change.
Tap to bench, with any tag
With Parkbench you link any blank NFC tag once, then tap it to start or end a bench. No proprietary puck, no card to buy. Here is the flow.
A closer look
The chart shows what each costs. Here is what you are actually getting.
Parkbench
Best for: someone who wants the tap without buying a proprietary device.
Parkbench gives you the same physical friction as a Brick, without the puck. Link any blank NFC tag once, a generic one costs under a dollar, then tap it to start or end a bench. Leave the tag in another room and the block stays put.
It is also a full blocker, not a single tap gadget. Schedules protect the hours you choose, limits bench an app once you have spent enough time in it today, and app groups let you bench a whole set at once. The tag is just one of the ways in.
You bench an app and a calm park meets you instead, filling with wildlife the longer you stay away. There are 151 creatures to spot, log, and call regulars, so focus becomes something you can see and collect.
It uses Apple Screen Time, so your list never leaves your iPhone. Free to start, then $27.99 a year or $84.99 once for life, and it works with a tag you buy for under a dollar rather than a device you buy from us.
The honest catch. It is iOS for now. If you specifically want a beautifully made physical object to tap, the branded devices below lean into that.
Bloom
Best for: the cheapest branded device, in a card you can pocket.
Bloom is a stainless steel NFC card, about the size of a credit card, that you tap to lock and unlock apps. The app is free and the card is $39 once. It has schedules and up to three short breaks per session, and it runs on iOS and Android.
It is the most affordable of the branded devices, and the card shape slips into a wallet. Like the others, it only works with its own card.
BLOCC
Best for: a one time tag that also blocks websites.
BLOCC is an NFC tag you tap to start a focus session, or you can run it on a timer. It is a one time purchase, around $43, and it blocks both apps and websites.
Like the others, the tag only works with BLOCC, and it is iPhone only.
Unpluq
Best for: a carry-everywhere keychain tag.
Unpluq is an NFC tag on a small keychain, designed to be carried, with schedules and up to seven barriers. It is the most complete of the devices.
It is also the most expensive by a wide margin. It starts at around $79, which includes the first year, then it becomes an ongoing yearly subscription after that. On iPhone it caps you at 49 apps.
So which should you pick?
A full blocker, not just a tap, with the friction on a cheap generic tag: Parkbench.
The cheapest branded device: Bloom.
A tag that also blocks websites: BLOCC.
A carry-everywhere keychain: Unpluq.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to buy a special device to tap to block?
No. Parkbench works with any generic NTAG213 or NFC Type 5 tag, the kind you can find online for under a dollar. The branded devices only work with their own hardware.
Is a generic tag as good as a dedicated device?
Yes. A generic NTAG213 or NFC Type 5 tag uses the same NFC standard the branded devices do. The tag is only a trigger; the blocking is done by the app, so the tap works the same.
Is Brick worth it?
Brick is well made, and $59 buys it outright. The main reason to look elsewhere is that you are paying for a proprietary puck that only does one thing, where a generic NFC tag with Parkbench gives you the same tap plus a full blocker.
What is the cheapest Brick alternative?
Parkbench. Because it works with any generic NFC tag instead of a proprietary device, the tag can cost less than a dollar, versus up to $79 for a branded one.
Keep comparing
See how Parkbench compares to OpalParkbench is a gentler app blocker, and among the most affordable.