Bloom vs Brick

Bloom

• People who keep dismissing software-only screen time limits
• Keeping social apps locked at work or in the bedroom by leaving the card elsewhere
• Parents who want a physical key to the apps on a child's phone
• Buyers who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription

Brick

• People who override app-based blockers and want a physical barrier
• Households sharing one device across several phones
• Leaving distractions in another room during work, meals or sleep

Bloom

• There is no free plan: the app is a free download, but the site sells its features as part of a card purchase from $39.
• Without the card, apps unlock only through Emergency Exits: three to begin with, plus one more each month.
• Phone only for now: the FAQ says MacBook and iPad versions are still in development. The iPhone app needs iOS 17.6 or later.
• Blocking of adult content, in-app purchases and app installs is listed as iOS only.

Brick

• Unblocking needs the physical Brick; if it is lost, the app offers five Emergency Unbricks and more only on request.
• On iPhone it blocks any app except Phone, but only selected Safari sites from Apple's approved list.
• It needs iOS 17.0 or later or Android 12.0 or later; the App Store lists the app for iPhone only, and no desktop version is offered.
• Cases at $39 and the Brick Mount at $15 are sold separately from the $59 device.

Bloom

Tap to lock and unlock

Pick the distracting apps and websites in the app, then tap the phone to the card to start a focus session. They stay locked until the card is tapped again. The card has no battery to charge.

Schedules and breaks

Focus periods can be scheduled to start and stop automatically, and 5-minute breaks allow limited access, with settings for how often and how long breaks run.

Emergency Exits

All apps can be unblocked without the card up to three times, and the FAQ says one more Emergency Exit is added every month.

Strict Mode

By default, deleting Bloom unblocks everything. Strict Mode is an optional setting that prevents apps from being deleted while a focus session is running.

Website and content blocking

Websites can be blocked as well as apps. On iOS, blocking an app also blocks its website in Safari, and adult content, in-app purchases and app installs can be blocked too.

Child Mode

Parents can lock a child's apps and websites so that only the parent's card changes the settings. It prevents app deletion, turns off Emergency Exits and locks schedules.

Brick

Tap to block, tap to unblock

Tapping the phone against the Brick blocks the chosen apps, and only another tap on the device restores them. It has no battery and needs no Wi-Fi.

Custom modes

Up to 10 modes, such as work, family, sleep or gym, each blocking its own set of apps. A mode can instead allow only chosen apps and block the rest.

Remote start

Holding the virtual Brick in the app for 5 seconds starts a session from anywhere. The physical device is still needed to end it.

Strict Mode

Closes common loopholes by preventing the app from being deleted or its settings changed in order to unblock.

Emergency Unbricks

The app includes five Emergency Unbricks that unblock every app if the device is lost. More can be requested from support by email.

Schedules and analytics

The site lists schedules and analytics alongside modes, and a focus timer starts with each session to record distraction-free time.

Bloom

• Bloom Card$39

  one-time purchase per card

  One stainless steel NFC keycard with lifetime access to every feature of the iPhone and Android apps. Sold with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

• Bloom Pod$59

  one-time purchase

  A magnetic pod for a desk, nightstand or fridge that locks apps with a tap of the phone, listed at $59 on its own product page.

• Bloom Set$59

  one-time purchase, 1 Pod + 1 Card

  One Bloom Pod and one Bloom Card together, shown at $59 with $98 crossed out and labelled as a 40% saving.

Brick

• Brick$59

  one-time purchase per device

  One Brick device, used with the free companion app and any number of phones. Sold with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Bloom

• Other savings

  25% off two cards, 35% off three

  The Buy Now page prices 2 Cards at $59 instead of $78 and 3 Cards at $75 instead of $117, and adds free shipping on the three-card bundle.

• Education

  20% discount for college students

  Bloom's student discount page says its founders, two UCLA students, give all college students 20% off, claimed through a link on that page.

Brick

• Other savings

  10% off two or more Bricks

  The product page prices two Bricks at $106.20 instead of $118, a 10% saving, and adds free shipping on orders of two or more.

• Other savings

  20% off for military, teachers and medics

  US military, first responders, teachers and medical professionals who verify through ID.me get 20% off a Brick. It applies to new customers and to the device only.

• Education

  Student discount

  Brick's site links a Student Discount page for unlocking a discount. The page text does not show the amount.