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The Foqos Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Foqos in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Foqos

The Insider’s Guide

Free open-source iPhone app blocker using NFC tags or QR codes

Foqos, as pictured on foqos.app

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among focus apps, read from Foqos’s own pages.

Made by Ambition Software Inc. · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com

3.2GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Foqos’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Foqos’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

3.2

GPA, above 59 of the 65 other focus apps we grade

Foqos is a free, open-source app blocker for iPhone that uses Apple's Screen Time APIs to block the apps and websites you choose. A blocking session can be started or stopped in the app, by tapping an NFC tag, by scanning a QR code or barcode, or on a timer, so the way out can be a physical object kept somewhere else. It needs no account, shows no ads, and keeps profiles and session history on the phone.

To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Foqos, taken from its own pages and our grades.

The site says there are no in-app purchases, yet the App Store lists tips.
From our report card of Foqos
  1. 1

    Best for blocking iPhone apps with a tag or code, for free

    It's iPhone only, NFC tags are yours to buy, and the Mac companion only mirrors the phone's website blocks.

  2. 2

    It is free

    Foqos has no paid plan at all. Free on the App Store with no subscription, ads or account. The listing shows three optional tips for the developer, at $1.99, $4.99 and $9.99.

  3. 3

    It runs on 2 platforms

    iOS and macOS.

  4. 4

    App and website blocking

    Profiles for work, study or bedtime each block a chosen set of apps, app categories and website domains through Apple's Screen Time APIs. Adult content and app installs can be blocked too.

  5. 5

    NFC tags and QR codes

    Tap a standard NFC tag such as an NTAG213, or scan a QR code or barcode, to start or stop a session. A profile can be set so that only an approved tag or code will stop it.

  6. 6

    Twelve blocking strategies

    The README lists twelve strategies that combine manual, NFC, QR, timer, pause-timer and temporary-access rules, for example starting in the app but stopping only with a tag.

  7. 7

    A 3.2 GPA, above 59 of 65

    That is against the other focus apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  8. 8

    Keep it

    Foqos is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

Foqos at a glance

Pricing
Free
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
macOS, iOS
Made by
Ambition Software Inc.
Category
Focus Apps
Our grade
3.2 GPA, very good
Store rating
4.9 on the App Store, 5,164 ratings

The report card

Best for blocking iPhone apps with a tag or code, for free

Foqos is a free, open-source iPhone blocker: your chosen apps stay blocked until you tap an NFC tag or scan a QR code, and there's no account or ads. It's iPhone only, NFC tags are yours to buy, and the Mac companion only mirrors the phone's website blocks. The site says there are no in-app purchases, yet the App Store lists tips.

ToolGPA report cardFoqosGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyAFree on the App Store, no subscription, no ads, no account, in a category where paid plans start at $2.99 a month. The only purchases are optional tips for the developer at $1.99, $4.99 and $9.99.
Free plan and trialAAll of it is free: blocking, the twelve strategies, timers, breaks, widgets, insights and the Mac companion. Nothing is held back and there's nothing to sign up to.
FeaturesCProfiles block apps, app categories and websites, and twelve strategies mix manual, NFC, QR and timer rules, so you can start in the app but only stop with a tag. It does iPhone blocking fully, and that's the smaller job: the Mac companion only mirrors the website blocks from your phone.
Ease of useA4.9 from about 5,200 App Store ratings, and no account to make. Tag strategies need NFC tags you buy yourself, but a QR code or the plain timer needs no hardware.
Platforms and integrationsCiPhone on iOS 17.6 or later, plus a Mac companion that only blocks websites synced from the phone. Apple alone, then, and the site sends Android users elsewhere. Siri and Shortcuts are in there.
Grade point averageVery good, out of 4.03.2

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who Foqos is for

  • Fits if you want the way out of a block to be a tag or printed code kept in another room
  • Works for people who want an iPhone blocker with no account, no ads and no fee

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you're on Android, as it's made for iPhone and the site sends Android users elsewhere
  • Not for you if you want a full blocker on your Mac, since the Mac app only blocks websites synced from the iPhone
  • Not for you if your devices are on older software, because it needs iOS 17.6, and the Mac app macOS 14
  • Watch out: NFC strategies need an iPhone with NFC and tags you buy yourself
  • Watch out: the FAQ says there are no in-app purchases, but the App Store lists tips at $1.99, $4.99 and $9.99

Good to know

Good for

  • iPhone users who want a free alternative to hardware app blockers
  • Tying a block to a tag or printed code kept in another room
  • People who want a blocker with no account, ads or tracking

Worth knowing

  • The App Store lists it as iPhone only, needing iOS 17.6 or later. The site says it is made for iPhone and points Android users to other apps.
  • Foqos for Mac is a companion, not a standalone blocker: it blocks websites synced from iPhone profiles and needs macOS 14 or later and the same iCloud account.
  • NFC strategies need an iPhone with NFC and tags you buy yourself; QR codes and the manual and timer strategies need no hardware.
  • The App Store listing shows optional tip purchases of $1.99, $4.99 and $9.99, although the site's FAQ says there are no in-app purchases.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

Free

No paid plan at all

Foqos is free to use.

All of it is free: blocking, the twelve strategies, timers, breaks, widgets, insights and the Mac companion.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Foqos

    $0

    The full iPhone app and the Mac companion: app and website blocking, NFC and QR strategies, timers, breaks, widgets and insights.

The free plan

Free on the App Store with no subscription, ads or account. The listing shows three optional tips for the developer, at $1.99, $4.99 and $9.99.

Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 9, 2026.

What the app costs elsewhere

Each country’s App Store price for “Tip for developer”, against $1.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.

CountryPrice thereIn dollarsAgainst the US
Turkey₺99,99$2.03about the same
Philippines₱ 129.00$2.05about the same
India₹ 199$2.06about the same
Australia$2.99$2.09about the same
Germany1,99 €$2.2312% more
South AfricaR39.99$2.4222% more
BrazilR$ 12,90$2.5830% more
United Kingdom£1.99$2.6332% more

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

2

Places it runs: macOS and iOS

Free open-source iPhone app blocker using NFC tags or QR codes. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, works offline, local-first, site & app blocker.

It does iPhone blocking fully, and that's the smaller job: the Mac companion only mirrors the website blocks from your phone.
From our grade for features
App and website blocking
Profiles for work, study or bedtime each block a chosen set of apps, app categories and website domains through Apple's Screen Time APIs. Adult content and app installs can be blocked too.
NFC tags and QR codes
Tap a standard NFC tag such as an NTAG213, or scan a QR code or barcode, to start or stop a session. A profile can be set so that only an approved tag or code will stop it.
Twelve blocking strategies
The README lists twelve strategies that combine manual, NFC, QR, timer, pause-timer and temporary-access rules, for example starting in the app but stopping only with a tag.
Breaks and temporary access
A profile can carry a break allowance that is split across several breaks, a short pause before blocking resumes, or a set number of brief opens that do not end the session.
Siri, Shortcuts and widgets
Sessions respond to Siri phrases and iOS Shortcuts actions, widgets (Control Center ones included) give quicker profile control, and a Live Activity shows status on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island.
Foqos for Mac
A companion app for macOS 14 or later takes a profile's blocked websites from the iPhone through iCloud and blocks them on the Mac during focus sessions.

Where it runs

  • macOS
  • iOS

What it works with

  • Apple Shortcuts
  • Siri
  • iCloud

Who makes Foqos

Foqos is an open-source iPhone app blocker from Ambition Software Inc., a one-person studio run by Ali Waseem. The app is free, has no subscription and carries no ads or tracking; the site asks only for optional donations through Buy Me a Coffee.

Ownership
Privately held. Ambition Software Inc. describes itself on its own site as the maker of Foqos, and Ali Waseem's GitHub profile, which the Foqos repository belongs to, calls him the founder of the company.ambitionsoftware.dev
Founders and leaders
Lately
Follow

Read on Oct 18, 2026 from the company’s own pages and from news reports. What is not stated there is left out.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

59/65

Other focus apps it is graded above

Foqos's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 59 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 5.

It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 53 of 65) and worst on features (C, above 3).

Foqos has no paid plan.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 66 focus apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Foqos’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 40 of 65
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 53 of 65
  • CFeaturesAbove 3 of 65
  • AEase of useAbove 45 of 65
  • CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 8 of 65

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 56 focus apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Foqos is the marked dot.

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$0.5$1$2$5$10$20$50More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessFoqosScreenZenForestEndelCavedayFlow Club

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

Foqos is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 59 of the 65 other focus apps we grade.

What you could not

  • Blocking that reaches every browser and app and is hard to switch off.
  • Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
  • A physical object that comes with it.
  • Hooks into the device itself: widgets, Siri, Shortcuts and Live Activities.

What this rests on. Foqos’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

Brick, Unpluq, Bloom, Opal and ScreenZen

The 5 tools Foqos is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 2.2GPA

    Brick

    From $59 one-time

    Physical device you tap to block distracting phone apps.

    • Foqos has a free plan. Brick does not.
    • Only Foqos lists a macOS app.
    • Only Brick lists an Android app.
    Foqos and Brick compared in full
  • 2.2GPA

    Unpluq

    Free plan · from $6.99/mo

    Phone app blocker with an optional NFC key fob.

    • Only Foqos lists a macOS app.
    • Only Unpluq lists an Android app.
    • Foqos is open source, according to its own site.
    Foqos and Unpluq compared in full
  • 2.4GPA

    Bloom

    From $39 one-time

    Metal NFC keycard you tap to lock distracting phone apps.

    • Foqos has a free plan. Bloom does not.
    • Only Foqos lists a macOS app.
    • Only Bloom lists an Android app.
    Foqos and Bloom compared in full
  • 2.8GPA

    Opal

    Free plan · from $8.29/mo

    Screen time app that blocks distracting apps on phone and Mac.

    • Only Opal lists an Android app.
    • Foqos is open source, according to its own site.
    • Opal can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    Foqos and Opal compared in full
  • 3.6GPA

    ScreenZen

    Free

    Free app that delays and blocks distracting apps and sites.

    • Only ScreenZen lists Android and Windows apps.
    • Foqos is open source, according to its own site.
    • ScreenZen also covers time tracking.
    Foqos and ScreenZen compared in full

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

14

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is Foqos free?

Yes. Foqos is free to use.

How much does Foqos cost?

Foqos lists one plan. Foqos: $0.

What platforms does Foqos work on?

Foqos is available on iOS and macOS.

How is Foqos rated?

Foqos's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.9 out of 5 from 5,164 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 9, 2026.

Does Foqos have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Foqos is listed for iOS and macOS.

Does Foqos have a Windows app?

No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Foqos is listed for iOS and macOS.

Is Foqos open source?

Yes. Foqos is open source, according to its own site.

Does Foqos work offline?

Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.

What does Foqos integrate with?

Foqos's listing names Apple Shortcuts, Siri and iCloud. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.

Who makes Foqos?

Foqos is made by Ambition Software Inc. Ambition Software Inc. describes itself on its own site as the maker of Foqos, and Ali Waseem's GitHub profile, which the Foqos repository belongs to, calls him the founder of the company.

What are the alternatives to Foqos?

The closest alternatives to Foqos in our directory are Brick, Unpluq, Bloom, Opal and ScreenZen.

How does Foqos compare with other focus apps?

Foqos's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 59 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 5.

Is Foqos good value for money?

ToolGPA grades Foqos A for value for money. Foqos has no paid plan.

Could I make my own version of Foqos?

Foqos is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Foqos’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Foqos's own pages on 9 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-23.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Ambition Software Inc. Prices change, so check foqos.app before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 3,189

    tools graded

  • 94

    categories

  • 426

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "Foqos: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/foqos

Know someone choosing between focus apps?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/foqos/guide

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See our other guides

The best-graded focus apps after Foqos, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Foqos’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Foqos is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Ambition Software Inc. Prices and plans change: check foqos.app before you buy.