Opal vs Regain

Opal

• Phone users who want distracting apps blocked automatically by rule
• People who want a block that cannot be switched off once it starts
• Students, who can apply for half-price yearly Pro

Regain

• Students preparing for exams who study with a phone nearby
• People who want YouTube limited to chosen study channels
• Friends who want to compete on focus time in a group

Opal

• The free plan allows 1 rule and shows the Opal Score for the current day only.
• Hard Mode, Allow Only, unlimited rules and score history all require Pro.
• No Windows, Linux or web version is listed, and the App Store lists the iOS app for iPhone only.
• Opal's Mac page lists app limits and sync with the iPhone app as still to come on Mac.

Regain

• The US App Store lists Regain Pro at three monthly and seven annual amounts and does not say which one a new subscriber pays.
• The vendor's refund policy quotes Android prices in rupees only: INR 199 a month or INR 999 a year, lower during offers.
• On iOS, Pomodoro, Strict Mode, premium themes and focus music all need Pro, and the app requires iOS 26 or later.
• YouTube Study Mode, Reels and Shorts blocking and focus groups are described for Android; there is no desktop or web version.

Opal

Focus Rules

Rules block chosen apps automatically on a schedule, after a time limit or after a set number of opens. The free plan allows 1 rule and Pro removes the cap.

Focus Timer

Pick what to work on, set a duration and stay locked in until the timer runs out. Advanced timers and soundscapes are part of Pro.

Hard Mode

A Pro setting under which Opal cannot be turned off while a block is active.

Opal Score

A single daily score built from sleep, focus and rest signals. Free accounts see today's score; the history needs Pro.

Mac app

Sessions block distracting websites and apps on macOS 13 or later, with the same Normal, Timeout and Deep Focus levels as the iOS app.

Opal for Schools

A separate school program in which administrators block set apps during school hours and follow usage on a dashboard.

Regain

Focus sessions that block apps

Starting a session blocks the apps you picked until the timer ends. On iPhone this runs through Apple's Screen Time, so Regain does not see the names of the apps you block.

Strict Mode

With Strict Mode on, a session cannot be ended early, and on Android the app cannot be uninstalled until the focus time is over. On iOS Strict Mode is a Pro feature.

YouTube Study Mode

On Android, choose the channels you study from and everything else on YouTube, including Shorts, stays blocked during a session.

Website, Reels and Shorts blocking

Blocks distracting and adult websites, and can block Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat Spotlight and Facebook Reels while the rest of each app stays usable.

Pomodoro timer and focus music

Timer, Stopwatch and Pomodoro modes with adjustable focus and break lengths, sessions tagged by subject, and sounds such as lo-fi, rain, white noise and binaural tracks.

Focus Groups

Join a group with friends or other students preparing for the same exam, focus at the same time and compare totals on a leaderboard.

Opal

• Free$0

  App blocking with 1 rule, basic timers and soundscapes, and the Opal Score for the current day.

• Opal Pro (yearly)$8.29

  per month, billed annually ($99.99)

  Unlimited rules, Hard Mode, Allow Only, advanced timers and soundscapes, and Opal Score history.

• Opal Pro (monthly)$19.99

  per month, billed monthly

  The same Pro features paid month to month; the pricing page puts the cost at $239 over a year.

• Opal Pro (lifetime)$399

  one-time purchase

  Pro features for a single payment with no subscription.

• Opal Teams ProCustom

  Everything in Opal Pro with a single invoice, advanced support and training, and an account manager.

Regain

• Free$0

  Unlimited focus sessions, a stopwatch, app blocking during sessions and focus stats.

• Regain Pro (monthly)$9.99 to $19.99

  per month, US App Store; three amounts listed

  Monthly purchases appear at $9.99, $14.99 and $19.99. The listing does not say which one a new subscriber is offered.

• Regain Pro (annual)$29.99 to $149.99

  per year, US App Store; seven amounts listed

  Annual purchases run from $29.99, labelled Yearly Discount, through $39.99, $49.99, $59.99, $79.99 and $99.99 to $149.99.

Opal

• Annual discount

  Yearly billing costs about 58% less than monthly

  Opal Pro is $99.99 billed annually ($8.29 a month) against $19.99 billed monthly, which the pricing page totals at $239 a year.

• Education

  Student discount: 50% off Opal Pro

  Students can apply for 50% off the yearly Opal Pro plan, shown as $49.99 billed annually ($4.19 a month).

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime Opal Pro for a one-time payment

  The pricing page lists a lifetime Opal Pro option at $399, paid once.

Regain

No public discounts listed.