Opal: Screen Time for Focus Reviews

by Hiddentrack

While this effectively blocked certain apps for about 30 minutes, I began getting social media notifications and messages while the VPN was supposedly on, so Opal does not work. I used the option to block the internet entirely, rather than selecting specific apps, and I was still able to freely use Safari to web browse. In fact, I am able to post this review while this app’s VPN is supposedly on and “blocking my Internet”. It’s very unclear to me why Opal or service would cost $90 a year when the iPhone allows you in the settings to set restrictions on apps and block certain websites on Safari entirely...alternatively Forest is another app which seems to do most of the same things (including providing those badges if they incentivize you at all...) which has a one time upfront cost far lower than the this app subscription. I would’ve left 0 stars if possible.

by WashingtonMomOf2

I have never taken the time to write an app review, but I have been so consistently enraged by this app that I felt obliged. I really wanted to like it. I have ADHD and it could have been very useful for me. I have downloaded it with hope and subsequently rage deleted it 3 times now in the past 6 months BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT FIXED THE VPN. The VPN IS GARBAGE. I work on the road and I have to use my hotspot for work. I close the this app app when I’m working in the field, but the VPN WILL NOT TURN OFF EVER. This stupid VPN overrides my hotspot every freaking time no matter how many times I turn it off, it will turn itself back on within 6 seconds and I can’t use my hotspot because it’s blocked by the VPN!!! EVEN THOUGH I HAVE CLOSED this app my laptop says I need this app’s VPN network security key to access MY OWN WIFI HOTSPOT. I have never been so enraged by an app. Never again. Don’t get Opal if you ever want to use your phone hotspot, ever.

by Splintercat

Just in case someone doesn’t know, a lot of Opal blocking functionality in this app is available in your phone already through the Screen Time settings. I am going to try using those because this app does not do what I need it to do.

this app adds a lot of encouragement and goal setting. I like that a lot. The interface is cute and I like the little articles about setting intentions. Goals and social functions help a lot with changing habits.

There are major drawbacks, however. (1) It doesn’t block games, which are my main app distractions and doesn’t seem to allow customizing the list. (2) It works through a VPN which is a definite security concern. That means all your internet traffic is going through them. Plus, I often use my own VPN on my phone for work reasons or privacy reasons. (3) The price is quite high and Opal only gives a yearly option.

If you are mainly struggling with blocking social apps or reading too much news and you need moral support etc not available in the iPhone’s native Screen Time settings, give the trial period a shot.

by Catbelly4eva

I want to like Opal but it seems really buggy and inconsistent. I have it set to block all messaging apps and social media. But I’m still getting messages on FB messenger from one person, though I’m unable to message anyone else. Why??? Also FB and IG still sometimes work with no issue when I’m in 30+ minutes into a block session. Frustrating that this is so unreliable. And I see loads of similar reviews going back months and the company always responds that the issue was fixed in the latest update. Doesn’t seem to be the case if users are still experiencing the same problem weeks later. I’m in the trial period and will not be purchasing Opal at this point due to all these bugs, even though I was really hopeful about it initially.

by Jgsgugkf

I really like the idea of Opal, but I haven’t found it the most practical for my needs. My biggest issue is spending hours both scrolling through social media AND wasting too much of my time on web browsers. I have ADHD and my urges to google everything that pops into my head is out of control. I’m not able to block many of the apps/websites that are my biggest distractions, so I instead have to block internet access completely. This is really frustrating because sometimes I still need to do basic things like check the weather or see if a prescription is ready on a pharmacy app. If there was an option where we could block all internet access except for a few apps, this would be perfect for me.

by Xxxkimmyb00xx

I absolutely love Opal. My addiction to social media and mindless scrolling had me like a lab rat constantly looking for easy dopamine hits from my phone and it was RUINING MY LIFE. I know I’m not alone in this and I was feeling very hopeless for a while because I was addicted to something I basically need at this point to get by in modern society- so what is there to do? Download this app! I’ve tried the built in app-blocking features that come with apple products, but they were too easy to bypass. this app has a feature that actually blocks apps and makes them completely unusable for the time period you set. Absolute lifesaver and game changer! I recommend this to everyone! Only complaint is that there are sometimes bugs that allow me to still get notifications/messages on snapchat and instagram.

by Thecommamaster

Overall, I love this app! It’s really helping me stay on task during my assignments, and I think that the UI is absolutely gorgeous. This is really smart! One thing I wish Opal did was disconnect the VPN when it’s not actively blocking apps and only connect to it when this app is turned on, it’s a little bit of a privacy concern having the VPN connected when it’s not doing anything. It would be much better for privacy if the VPN was only connected when this app is on, instead of having to scroll down to the bottom of the settings page to disconnect the VPN. At the very least, move the disconnect VPN button to somewhere more accessible (the main home screen would be best). I get that it’s necessary for the scheduling to work, but maybe instead there could simply be a pop-up warning the user that disabling the VPN will turn off scheduling (if there’s any enabled schedules) when you hit the disconnect button, instead of hiding it away. he amount of features you can use with the free tier is really great, too! They don’t force you to upgrade to the Pro plan to use Opal , all the main functionalities are available for free and the other paid ones (like Scheduling and Focus Timer) let you try them out to see how it works.

by KellyJx0

As someone who is trying to limit my own screen time, Opal is perfect compared to others that are more geared towards parental controls. Cute and easy interface that actually does encourage you to be mindful of how you’re spending your time. However, I wish the apps I can block were more customizable and reflective of the apps I have on my phone rather than just the general categories and apps offered. There are random apps that distract me that don’t fall under the listed apps, and why aren’t games on there?? Seems like a no-brained. Not everyone is distracted by the same apps but half the apps that are blocked aren’t even downloaded on my phone! Would be 5 stars if the i could block apps from a list of what I have on my phone or at least have a category for games. I still have the subscription because I forgot to cancel and will continue using with hopes that it keeps improving.

by Tprizzice

Opal has been such a blessing. For years, I have tried being self-controlled about my phone use. In the end, i just haven’t changed my habits. this app has essentially allowed me to deactivate much of my phone for when I am at work and when I am with my family. My favorite aspect is that I can’t change my mind while Opal is in use. There is no password or override to get on my social media or scroll the internet. That is a good thing. My daily phone usage has gone from over 7 hours to under 3. Seriously. Whatever Opal costs me financially — it is better than what NOT having Opal has cost me in productivity and with my family. If you are addicted to your phone — get this app.

by Estacjs

get Opal , go to the shortcut block option in the settings, block EVERY app you want to avoid using and then start a session that you cannot cancel. Voila. If you’re really struggling with social media addiction this is the best app I could personally find. It’s expensive for the yearly membership but what’s a mere 60$ for more focused days and 2xs the productivity? Please try the free trial and atleast test out my setup, I feel like Opal will speak for itself at that point. BUT… you must be disciplined with this, like all things in life. If u really want to make the change, Opal will help you start to get control over your phone usage.

by MonkeyGurl.XD

Opal has helped me tremendously in terms of helping me stay on track with my tasks and not getting distracted my apps on my phone. I high highly recommend everyone to get it, because it will truly help you become more productive since Opal actually blocks distracting apps and incentivized mindful usage only. this app encourages you to stop procrastinating with a direct solution, unlike most other apps.

There is one slight improvement I would recommend, however. For the list of distracting apps, it currently only gives the categories but it would be really helpful if it allows us to select/deselect specific apps. For instance, Reddit is considered social media and I blocked social media, but I use Reddit as a source of news. The category of apps can sometimes be subjective, so adding this specific option would be very nice!

by Nojanv

I was skeptical of how good Opal with work at first. However, it’s been a few days and wow. I hardly use my phone except for when I absolutely need to. It really feels like the days are just much longer because I’m not staring at my screen all day when I don’t have to. I am definitely going to keep using this app indefinitely. Keep up the great work team. One comment I do have: I would love to try the premium subscription without committing to a whole year. I know there’s a week trial, but I’d like to be able to buy a months worth of subscription or other options like that. Thanks for everything!

by Oxford Comma Supporter

I never write app reviews, but I really wanted to share just how great this app worked for me! I had a really bad phone addiction, I would spend 8-10 hours on my phone and it really messed everything up for me— from being unable to focus on my classes to my mental state. I tried getting a burner cell, deleting all the distracting apps, yet it never lasted long. tbh, I didn’t think this app would work as well (after all, it’s just an app, right?). But, after downloading my screen time went down to 5-6 hours and I feel much better now. I think a part of it is just how seamless this app is at stopping all of the distractions. The apps seem like they work, yet they don’t refresh so u can be saved from hours of “mindless scrolling” but still get the effect of being connected to the world.
All in all, I think Opal is pretty genius and I’m very thankful to everyone who worked on it bc it is truly amazing!

by KG0271

I originally left a bad review, but their team quickly reached out to me and came out with an update that fixed the issue I was having with the scheduled sessions. If your phone addiction is severe and the Apple focus times aren’t restrictive enough for you, Opal will solve that.

I use the scheduled sessions throughout the day when I need to be productive. If you’re like me and have zero willpower when it comes to breaking your phone addiction, you’ll need to use the deep focus mode during the schedules so Opal doesn’t allow you to take breaks from the session. After the recent update, you can no longer edit your scheduled session time while the session is running as a way to “cheat” your way out of it. This is exactly what I needed, so I’m happy with Opal now.

I really like the learning section that has educational content on things like focusing, digital wellness, and healthy habits.

by Fishandfiddlesticks

This is my first time writing a review and I’m doing it because Opal team is so prompt with their responses and updates. I had an issue with Opal and I reached out and within 2 days they pushed out an update fixing it. (I don’t know if it was because of me, or they would have anyway) but it was awesome. I have no self control with social media and Opal works wonders in blocking everything with no workaround! I paid for it and it’s so worth it for me. Otherwise I’d be spending 6 hours a day on TikTok or something.

by Pizzasong

At first I was like, “This is silly. I’m not paying for self-control.” But in the week trial, I finished 2 books, something I haven’t been able to do in years. For some very serious reasons, I struggle with mindfulness and disassociating by scrolling on my phone. this app’s focus on maintaining mindfulness really helped me in a way I didn’t anticipate. I appreciated the easy, friendly interface, and I love the option to allow yourself to pause from using this app or set your app to not allow you to override it until the timer is up. It’s been really helpful.

It’s been 6 days and I believe I’ve only taken about 2 hours total to get back to focusing on either reading or errands or simply breaking the momentum with my phone, but those 2 hours were so valuable to me.

You can either beat yourself up for not having the self-control, or you can understand yourself and give yourself the grace and handicap where you might need them. I love this app!

by BrookeLjay

I am so thankful for Opal. It’s the only productivity app I’ve used that actually works to help reduce my screen time and fix my internet addition. The timers are super customizable and I have multiple set based on my needs for the day. I can see myself using this app as long as I have a smartphone!! 10/10 app.

If there was anything I could change, I wish there were app timers, so that even if you don’t have a schedule set, if you hit a certain set time limit on an app, the VPN blocks you out.

Thanks again this app :)

by Eupraxsophy

Like many, I was initially a little skeptical about paying, but I was desperate to kick my phone addiction, especially with so much studying to do. After the free trial, I was sold on trying it, and I’m glad I did. Opal works great and the few bugs I have are quickly and politely addressed through the built in tech support. I have been trained not bother checking my phone, and even when I slip up I ultimately think better of it. I also like the flexibility of choosing what to block, whether to allow a pause, etc. It beats putting away the phone or locking it in a safe, since most of us want to be on call in case of emergencies, or for work, etc. All in all a great and balanced set of features, with many more being tested all the time—have never known a tech company to always invite users to speak directly to staff about their experience, feedback, or to even try and judge new ideas. P.S. — The mascot is so adorable that it honestly pulls at my heartstrings not to disappoint it by losing focus! 😂❤️

by Anandita_b

I’m about a week and a half into using this and it’s helped me stay off social media and get work done for school. It’s also useful for helping me not to waste an hour in bed every morning just scrolling through my apps. I will say I go to crazy lengths to procrastinate though (+social media has successfully taken all of my brain cells) so I sometimes find myself scrolling through the apps even when nothing new is loading. Also, I wish it could block other apps like google photos.

by Fbgjuhaioga

I’m not sure why, but no other screen blocker app has worked for me as well as this app. It’s quite expensive and hard to digest the yearly fee, but when I think about how many hours I’ve saved from my phone, it’s worth it to me. The high fee is also the “cost of privacy” as (to my understanding) this app doesn’t sell and profit off of my data. Overall I’m happy with Opal, if not a little disappointed that my phone habit got so out of hand in the first place 😂

by Marquebear

I went to read the privacy policy and the page it redirected me to stated the page either doesn’t exist or has been moved, but I have been unable to find it anywhere.... for obvious reasons, I like to read the privacy policies before using applications that want access to my data. This makes me nervous. If this changes, I will update my rating.

by Mayalanz

Opal is great! It is super helpful. It blocks all of my distracting apps! Would highly recommend! The reason why I gave it 4 stars is because the max time you can set the timer for is 10 minutes and then you have to set it again. It would be easier if they at least made a 30 minute one.

by NYStateTrooperSurgeon

this app helps me relax when I am home with my family. I am a physician and I have been working tirelessly over the last many months. When I get home I am usually exhausted and before having this app I would choose to surf Facebook, and my timeline would be full of concerning updates related to COVID-19. After a long day of work, this was not how I wanted to spend my time.

by Good App .. Jfken

Opal makes life easier for people who find themselves wasting a lot of time on their phones when they’re supposed to be productive/working. I know it helped me a lot with that while I was studying for finals! I would recommend this to anyone who’s been trying to lower their screen time recently. Great place to start!

by Randallcp

A great tool not just for productivity, but also for overall happiness and mental health! this app has helped me spend a lot less time on my phone and more in the real world and for that I am grateful. I am much happier spending less time looking at screens and I will never go back to the insane screen times I have had in the past.

by 123abcdvshr

I am giving Opal 5 stars because I honestly didnt realize how many times i attempt picking up my phone each day without even thinking about it, prior to downloading this app. It's great that this app is helping me stay focused during finals and be more present with my girlfriend.

by French_Pinkhas

I used to constantly be interrupted with notifications or to find myself checking a social app for 5 minutes and finishing 1h later down the rabbit hole. this app has enabled me to focus better and to free my time to do better things outside of my phone!

by Bahvdjsnebebdjdj

This is my first time writing an app store review, and its kinda ironic because Opal helps me save A LOT of time from being wasted away on other apps people consider "great". In fact the this app app even estimates how much time it saved me, and its averaging about 2.5 a day for me! 5/5

by Twellingtom

been using this app for at least a month now in the beta testing, it's been incredibly useful in using my phone the way I want to rather than the other way around! Thanks this app team!

by Utley1237

I am a student athlete and although I have always considered myself disciplined and focused, I have spent wayy to much time on my phone over the last few months while my campus is shut down due to Covid. this app is helping me get out of this and im very grateful for it:)

by LaurelyDeffieux

this app helps me focus on my work by not getting distracted from social apps. Very useful, especially during WFH! Highly recommend it! You can play with the settings and set it up as you wish ✨

by Scottlutt

In an era of tech companies competing for and taking advantage of our attention spans, Opal serves as a great tool to get back to our lives. As a product designer, I was impressed by how the company makes clear my digital wellbeing is their priority

by Jbaybay 123

Opal works very well for its intended purpose. I wish there was a way to disconnect all apps like the games on my phone and not just social media and video apps. Opal still works well to keep me focused.

by Schlaf5555

As an entrepreneur and a coach, I’m always looking to save time and focus. this app is the first app I’ve used that lets me do both. I highly recommend.

by Cecil827

this app is extremely helpful in making me realize how often I go on social media during “breaks” in my day. I use it during the school year and finals, and specifically, lock time allows me to stay focused for longer. this app is intuitive and easy to use, and is an easy way to start controlling your phone and social media usage.