OffKit – an iOS app blocker that adds friction

Hi HN,

I built OffKit after noticing something about app blockers: they fail the moment unblocking is too easy.

Most blockers rely on willpower. But the apps they block (Instagram, TikTok, etc.) are engineered by teams optimizing retention with massive resources. That’s not a symmetric fight.

So instead of “motivation”, I experimented with friction.

OffKit lets you: • Select apps to block (social media, games, etc.) • Add a forced countdown when disabling the block (e.g. 30 seconds where you just have to wait) • Generate a QR code that must be scanned to block/unblock apps

The QR code part is interesting: You can print it and put it somewhere physical — another room, your office, a drawer.

Now unblocking isn’t: tap → dopamine

It becomes: stand up → walk → scan → wait 30 seconds → reconsider

That small layer of friction changes behavior more than I expected. The delay gives your “rational” brain time to catch up to the impulse.

Technically, it’s built as a straightforward iOS app using Apple’s Screen Time / Family Controls APIs. No VPN tricks, no device management profiles.

Some observations so far: • Even 10–30 seconds of forced delay drastically reduces impulsive unlocks. • Physical distance (QR in another room) works better than purely digital barriers. • Users don’t want extreme lockdown — they want lightweight boundaries.

Curious what HN thinks about “friction design” vs. pure self-control tools.

Open to feedback on the concept and implementation.

App Store link: https://apps.apple.com/app/offkit-app-blocker/id6758268708