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Detach vs Opal: Which Focus App Is Actually Worth It in 2026?
Eric Factor
Opal is polished and popular, and $99.99 a year, with its best mode locked behind the paywall. Detach is free. Here's the honest breakdown.
The Short Answer
"Both Detach and Opal use Apple's Screen Time API for real, system-level blocking. The difference is price and philosophy: Opal costs $99.99 a year with its strongest mode behind a paywall, while Detach is free, needs no account, and is built around a commitment lock that is hard to bypass. If you want strong blocking without a subscription, Detach is the better value. If you want deep analytics and don't mind paying, Opal is well-made."
Opal is one of the most popular focus apps on the market, with millions of downloads and a genuinely polished design. But it is also one of the most expensive, and many people searching for an Opal alternative are asking the same question: do I really need to pay $100 a year to stop scrolling?
Here is an honest, side-by-side look at how Detach and Opal actually compare in 2026.
The Quick Verdict
Detach - Free
Best for: anyone who wants strong, hard-to-bypass blocking without paying a subscription.
Detach is a free app blocker that uses the same Apple Screen Time API as Opal, so the blocking is just as real. Its focus is bypass resistance: a commitment lock removes the override option for a set period, and an optional physical NFC card adds a real-world unlock step. No account, no subscription, set up in five minutes.
Opal - $99.99/year
Best for: heavy users who want detailed analytics and polished design, and don't mind paying premium.
Opal is well-built with excellent scheduling and genuinely useful focus analytics. The catch: its strongest mode, Deep Focus, sits behind the paywall, so the free tier feels closer to a trial. At $99.99 a year, it is two to three times the price of most competitors.
Side by Side: What Actually Matters
| Feature | Detach | Opal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $99.99/year |
| Best mode behind paywall | ✔ No — all free | ✘ Deep Focus is paid |
| System-level blocking | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Commitment lock | ✔ Yes | Paid mode only |
| Physical NFC option | ✔ Yes | ✘ No |
| No account required | ✔ Yes | ✘ Account needed |
| Detailed analytics | Basic | ✔ Advanced |
The best focus app is not the one with the most analytics. It's the one whose block actually holds without charging you $100 a year for the version that works.
Where Opal Wins
Credit where it's due. Opal's analytics are the best in the category: detailed breakdowns of your focus sessions, trends over time, and progress tracking that some users find genuinely motivating. Its design is polished and enjoyable to use, and its scheduling is flexible. If you respond well to data and visual feedback, and the price isn't a barrier, Opal delivers a premium experience.
Where Detach Wins
Detach wins on the two things that matter most to people who have tried and failed with blockers before: price and bypass resistance.
On price, it's simple: Detach is free, and its strongest feature isn't locked behind a paywall. With Opal, the Deep Focus mode that makes blocking genuinely strict requires the $99.99 subscription, so the free tier works more like an extended trial.
On bypass resistance, Detach is built around it. One of the most common complaints about Opal is that outside Deep Focus mode, sessions are easy to end, which defeats the purpose in the exact moment you need the block to hold. Detach's commitment lock removes the override entirely for the set period, and the optional NFC card means unblocking requires physically tapping a card. If your problem is that you always find a way to turn blockers off, that difference is everything.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Detach if you want real, hard-to-bypass blocking for free, no account, and no subscriptions, especially if you've overridden other blockers when motivation dipped. The commitment lock and NFC option are designed for exactly that failure point.
Choose Opal if detailed analytics and a polished, gamified experience matter more to you than price, and you're comfortable paying $99.99 a year to unlock its strongest mode.
Get Opal's Core Benefit for Free
Detach delivers strong, hard-to-bypass blocking with no subscription and no account. Try it before you pay $100 a year for a blocker.
Get Detach Free → getdetach.appFrequently Asked Questions
Is Detach a good alternative to Opal?
Yes, especially on price. Both use Apple's Screen Time API for real blocking, but Opal costs $99.99 a year with its best mode behind a paywall, while Detach is free and includes a commitment lock. For most users who want strong blocking without a subscription, Detach is the better value.
How much does Opal cost in 2026?
Opal Pro costs $99.99 per year, $19.99 per month, or $399 for a lifetime license. Its free tier is limited, and its strongest mode, Deep Focus, sits behind the paywall, so the free version works more like a trial.
What is the main difference between Detach and Opal?
Price and philosophy. Opal is a polished premium app with detailed analytics for paying users. Detach is free, needs no account, and focuses on making blocks genuinely hard to bypass with a commitment lock and an optional NFC card.
Is there a free app blocker as good as Opal?
Yes. Detach offers scheduled blocking and a commitment lock for free, using the same Screen Time API as Opal. You lose Opal's advanced analytics, but the core blocking that keeps you off distracting apps is fully available at no cost.
Which is harder to bypass, Detach or Opal?
Detach is designed around bypass resistance with its commitment lock and optional physical NFC card. Opal's sessions are easy to end outside its paid Deep Focus mode, which is one of the most common complaints from users.
