The Unpluq Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Unpluq 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.
Unpluq
The Insider’s Guide
Phone app blocker with an optional NFC key fob
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among focus apps, read from Unpluq’s own pages.
Made by Unplug Technology B.V. · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Unpluq’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Unpluq’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
2.2
GPA, above 5 of the 65 other focus apps we grade
Unpluq is an app for iPhone and Android that blocks the apps you choose on schedules you set, then asks for a small task, which it calls a distraction barrier, before a blocked app will open. The optional Unpluq Tag, an NFC key fob the company sells, works as a physical key for unlocking. A free version blocks two apps, Premium removes the limits, and a Family edition applies the same approach to a child's phone.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Unpluq, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Setting it up is three choices: the apps, the hours, the barrier.
- 1
Best for putting a small chore between you and an app
Unpluq blocks the apps you pick on a schedule, then makes you do a small chore, like shaking the phone, before one opens; the optional Tag, an NFC key fob, means going to find your keys.
- 2
Paid plans start at $5 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $6.99 / month, or $59.99 / year (US App Store).
- 3
There is a free plan
Unpluq Free on iPhone and Android: block 2 apps on 1 schedule, with 2 distraction barriers (tapping buttons or shaking the phone).
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
iOS and Android.
- 5
Scheduled app blocking
Pick the apps to block and the hours they stay locked, such as work time, evenings or weekends. Premium allows unlimited schedules, each with its own set of up to 49 apps.
- 6
Distraction barriers
Opening a blocked app means completing a task first: shaking the phone, tapping a pattern of buttons, scrolling, scanning a QR code or a random pick. Android adds a walking barrier.
- 7
Unpluq Tag
A keychain-sized NFC fob that unlocks blocked apps when tapped against the phone. It needs Premium and works with iPhone 8 or later and Android phones that have NFC.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 5 of 65
That is against the other focus apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Unpluq you could make: time tracking. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Unpluq at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $6.99 / month, or $59.99 / year (US App Store)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial of Premium, as stated on the Google Play listing
- Runs on
- iOS, Android
- Made by
- Unplug Technology B.V.
- Category
- Focus Apps
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.8 on the App Store, 923 ratings
The report card
Best for putting a small chore between you and an app
Unpluq blocks the apps you pick on a schedule, then makes you do a small chore, like shaking the phone, before one opens; the optional Tag, an NFC key fob, means going to find your keys. Free stops at 2 apps and 1 schedule, the $26.50 Tag only works with Premium, website blocking is Safari on iPhone only, and there's no desktop app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $6.99 a month or $59.99 a year, which sits between this category's middle of $3.99 and its dearer quarter at $8.33. Middle of the pack, in other words. The Tag is another $26.50 and stops working if you stop subscribing. |
| Free plan and trial | C | The free version caps you at 2 blocked apps, 1 schedule and 2 barrier types. You'll hit that in a week. Premium has a 7-day trial, going by the Google Play listing. |
| Features | C | On apps: schedules of up to 49 apps each, barriers from shaking the phone to scanning a QR code, screen time stats, a once-a-day Emergency Mode. But websites are half-done. The FAQ says site blocking works only on iPhone and only in Safari, and Android can't do it at all. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.8 on the App Store, but from about 923 ratings, just short of the 1,000 we want behind a top mark. Setting it up is three choices: the apps, the hours, the barrier. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Phones only. No desktop app, no web, no integrations listed, and the App Store listing is iPhone-only. The Tag needs an iPhone 8 or later, or an Android phone with NFC. |
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 Unpluq is for
- Fits if you want a physical step between you and your social apps
- Works for parents, as with the Family edition you keep the Tag that unlocks a child's apps
Who it is not for
- Tight if you're staying free, because it stops at 2 apps, 1 schedule and 2 barriers
- Skip it if you want to buy a gadget once and be done, as the Tag only works with a Premium subscription
- Not for you if websites are your weak spot on Android, since it can't block them there yet; on iPhone it's Safari only
- Not for you if your distractions are on a laptop, because there's no desktop app
- Watch out: the web store sets prices by country, and its 3-month $29 term is called a summer offer
Good to know
Good for
- People who want a physical step between themselves and social apps
- Locking a set of apps during work hours, evenings or weekends
- Parents setting app limits on a child's iPhone or Android phone
Worth knowing
- The free version stops at 2 blocked apps, 1 schedule and 2 barrier types.
- The Unpluq Tag only works with a Premium subscription, so the hardware price comes on top of one.
- Website blocking works only on iPhone and only in Safari; the FAQ says Android cannot block websites yet.
- Phone only: the App Store listing is iPhone-only, there is no desktop app, and the web store sets prices by country.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$5
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Unpluq has a free plan. Paid plans start at $6.99 / month, or $59.99 / year (US App Store).
Unpluq Free
$0
Blocks 2 apps on 1 schedule, with 2 barriers to choose from: tapping buttons or shaking the phone.
Premium Monthly
$6.99
per month, US App Store in-app purchase
Unlimited blocked apps (up to 49 per schedule), unlimited schedules, every barrier type and Tag support. One subscription covers one phone and one tablet.
Unpluq Tag
$26.50
one-time purchase, hardware only (US web store)
The NFC key fob on its own, for people who already subscribe. It only works with Unpluq Premium.
Premium Subscription (web store)
$29
per 3 months, prepaid on unpluq.com (US web store)
Prepaid Premium by activation code: $29 for 3 months, $42 for 6 or $76 for 12 without a Tag; $29, $46 or $81 with a Tag. The homepage calls the 3-month term a summer offer.
Premium Yearly
$59.99
per year, US App Store in-app purchase
The same Premium features billed once a year through the App Store. Google Play lists its in-app items at $6.99 to $59.99.
Unpluq Family
$79.95
per year for Lite, up to 3 phones (US web store)
One Tag plus a 1-year Family subscription that renews automatically. Full, at $99.95, covers unlimited phones.
The free plan
Unpluq Free on iPhone and Android: block 2 apps on 1 schedule, with 2 distraction barriers (tapping buttons or shaking the phone).
Trying it first
7-day free trial of Premium, as stated on the Google Play listing
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Yearly Premium costs about 28% less than monthly
The US App Store lists Unpluq Premium Yearly at $59.99 against Premium Monthly at $6.99, which comes to $83.88 over twelve months.
Stated on apps.apple.comEducation
40% off for university and college students
Non-dependent students at accredited universities and colleges get 40% off the Unpluq Tag with a 6 or 12 month subscription after emailing proof of enrollment.
Stated on unpluq.comOther savings
30% off for military service members
Unpluq's FAQ offers 30% off to active or former military service members who send proof of their veteran or active duty status to its support team.
Stated on unpluq.com
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Unpluq Premium Yearly”, against $59.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺1.499,99 | $30.50 | 49% less |
| Indonesia | Rp 799ribu | $44.69 | 26% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 2,990.00 | $47.60 | 21% less |
| Canada | $69.99 | $49.20 | 18% less |
| Australia | $79.99 | $55.84 | 7% less |
| South Africa | R999.99 | $60.48 | about the same |
| Germany | 54,99 € | $61.62 | about the same |
| United Kingdom | £49.99 | $66.09 | 10% 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: iOS and Android
Phone app blocker with an optional NFC key fob. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: site & app blocker, time tracking.
The FAQ says site blocking works only on iPhone and only in Safari, and Android can't do it at all.
- Scheduled app blocking
- Pick the apps to block and the hours they stay locked, such as work time, evenings or weekends. Premium allows unlimited schedules, each with its own set of up to 49 apps.
- Distraction barriers
- Opening a blocked app means completing a task first: shaking the phone, tapping a pattern of buttons, scrolling, scanning a QR code or a random pick. Android adds a walking barrier.
- Unpluq Tag
- A keychain-sized NFC fob that unlocks blocked apps when tapped against the phone. It needs Premium and works with iPhone 8 or later and Android phones that have NFC.
- Screen time statistics
- The app shows screen time stats so you can follow your progress, and the subscription page mentions tracking the time you have saved.
- Emergency Mode
- Once a day, Emergency Mode opens full access for 5 minutes so schedules can be changed without the Tag. It can be switched off entirely.
- Unpluq Family
- A parental-control edition: the parent chooses which apps a child can open and when, and keeps the Tag that unlocks the restricted ones. Lite covers up to 3 phones.
Where it runs
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Unpluq is made by Unplug Technology B.V.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
5/65
Other focus apps it is graded above
Unpluq's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 5 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 12.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 17 of 65) and worst on features (C, above 3).
Its paid plans start at $5 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.82 for the category: 30 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 24 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 66 focus apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Unpluq’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 8 of 65
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 65
- CFeaturesAbove 3 of 65
- BEase of useAbove 17 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. Unpluq is the marked dot.
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
The plain part of Unpluq you could make: time tracking. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 48 of the 65 other focus apps grade higher. It costs $59.99 a year.
What you could make
- Time tracking: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Blocking that reaches every browser and app and is hard to switch off.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- A physical object that comes with it.
What this rests on. Unpluq’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, Opal, one sec, Clearspace and Foqos
The 5 tools Unpluq 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.
- Unpluq has a free plan. Brick does not.
- Brick can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Unpluq also covers time tracking.
- 2.8GPA
Opal
Free plan · from $8.29/mo
Screen time app that blocks distracting apps on phone and Mac.
- Only Opal lists a macOS app.
- Opal can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Unpluq also covers time tracking.
- 3.0GPA
one sec
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
Screen time app that adds a pause before distracting apps open.
- Only one sec lists a macOS app.
- Only one sec lists a browser extension.
- one sec can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.6GPA
Clearspace
Free plan · from $6.99/mo
Screen time app that adds a pause and a time limit to distracting apps.
- Only Clearspace lists a browser extension.
- 3.2GPA
Foqos
Free
Free open-source iPhone app blocker using NFC tags or QR codes.
- Only Unpluq lists an Android app.
- Only Foqos lists a macOS app.
- Foqos is open source, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
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 Unpluq free?
Unpluq has a free plan. Unpluq Free on iPhone and Android: block 2 apps on 1 schedule, with 2 distraction barriers (tapping buttons or shaking the phone).
How much does Unpluq cost?
Unpluq lists 6 plans. Unpluq Free: $0.
What platforms does Unpluq work on?
Unpluq is available on iOS and Android.
Does Unpluq offer any discounts?
Unpluq publicly lists the following: Yearly Premium costs about 28% less than monthly; 40% off for university and college students; 30% off for military service members.
How is Unpluq rated?
Unpluq's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 923 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does Unpluq have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Unpluq is listed for iOS and Android.
Does Unpluq have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Unpluq is listed for iOS and Android.
Is Unpluq open source?
Unpluq is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does Unpluq have a student discount?
40% off for university and college students. Non-dependent students at accredited universities and colleges get 40% off the Unpluq Tag with a 6 or 12 month subscription after emailing proof of enrollment.
Does Unpluq have a free trial?
Yes. 7-day free trial of Premium, as stated on the Google Play listing.
Who makes Unpluq?
Unpluq is made by Unplug Technology B.V.
What are the alternatives to Unpluq?
The closest alternatives to Unpluq in our directory are Brick, Opal, one sec, Clearspace and Foqos.
How does Unpluq compare with other focus apps?
Unpluq's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 5 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 12.
Is Unpluq good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Unpluq C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $5 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.82 for the category: 30 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Unpluq?
The plain part of Unpluq you could make: time tracking. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Unpluq’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 Unpluq's own pages on 9 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-09.
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 Unplug Technology B.V. Prices change, so check unpluq.com before you buy.
- unpluq.com/
- unpluq.com/products/premium-subscription?country=US
- unpluq.com/products/unpluq-tag-only?country=US
- unpluq.com/pages/family?country=US
- unpluq.com/pages/faq
- unpluq.com/pages/about
- apps.apple.com/us/app/unpluq-reduce-screen-time/id1673743726
- play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.unpluq.beta&hl=en_US&gl=US
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
- Unpluq, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/unpluq
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
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, "Unpluq: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/unpluq
Know someone choosing between focus apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/unpluq/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded focus apps after Unpluq, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Focus Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 66 focus apps we grade, compared
- ScreenZen Insider's GuideFree app that delays and blocks distracting apps and sites3.6 GPA
- Flora Insider's GuideFree focus timer that grows trees, alone or with friends3.2 GPA
- Flow Insider's GuideMinimal Pomodoro timer for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Unpluq’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. Unpluq is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Unplug Technology B.V. Prices and plans change: check unpluq.com before you buy.