A free Opal alternative that turns screen time into water breaks
Opal is a polished screen time app, but its strongest features sit behind Opal Pro, reported at about $99.99 a year. If you want something free that still has teeth, here's how Waterbreak compares, plus a few other free options.
Updated October 17, 2026
Opal vs Waterbreak
| Opal | Waterbreak | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free tier with limits; Opal Pro reported at $99.99/year | Free, no ads |
| Platforms | iPhone, Android, Mac | iPhone, Android |
| How you get back in | Wait out a timer or end a session | Drink water on camera for a few seconds |
| What it builds | Less screen time, focus sessions | Less mindless scrolling and a daily water habit |
| Extras | Focus score and reports | Streaks, leaderboards, collectable sea monsters |
Why a drink instead of a timer?
Timers and hard blocks work until the day you really need the app, and then you turn the blocker off. Waterbreak never fully locks you out: a few seconds of drinking always gets you back in. That small, healthy cost is enough to break the automatic open-scroll loop, and you finish the day with your water drunk instead of a list of times you overrode your blocker.
When Opal is the better choice
- You want detailed screen time reports and a focus score.
- You need blocking on a Mac.
- You want long, strict focus sessions with no way back in.
If that's you, Opal's paid plan is a good product. If you want something free that cuts down scrolling and builds a habit at the same time, try Waterbreak.
Other free options
- ScreenZen (iPhone and Android): adds a pause before an app opens, so you have to choose to continue.
- one sec (iPhone and Android): a breathing pause before an app opens. The free version covers one app.
- Screen Time (built into iPhone) and Digital Wellbeing (built into Android): free app limits, but you can tap past them in a second.
How Waterbreak works
- Pick the apps that eat your day. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, games, anything. Waterbreak locks them on a rhythm you set, for example every 45 minutes.
- Take a sip on camera. When they lock, open Waterbreak and drink for a few seconds. The camera checks that it's a real drink, with your face and a bottle in view, entirely on your phone.
- Get back to it. Your apps unlock for a while, and every bottle you finish counts toward your daily goal. Once you hit the goal, they stay open for the rest of the day.
Questions people ask
Is Opal free?
Opal has a free tier with limited blocking. Most of its features, including its strictest mode, need Opal Pro.
Is there an Opal app for Android?
Yes, Opal is on Google Play. Waterbreak is also on both iPhone and Android, for free.
What is the best free app blocker?
It depends on what you want. ScreenZen and one sec add a pause before apps open. Waterbreak locks apps until you drink water, which also builds a hydration habit. All have free versions on iPhone and Android.
Keep reading
Get Waterbreak
The apps you can't put down stay locked until you drink. Free on iPhone and Android, in 13 languages.