Nothing vs Opal
Opal is a serious app-blocker dressed as a productivity tool — deep-work sessions, blocked apps, focus scores. Nothing uses the same blocking, but frames it as rest, not output.
OpalFocus blocker$100/year
Pick Nothing if
- You don't want blocking framed as productivity
- You want the unlock to be rest, not a pomodoro
- One quiet minute fits your day better than a long session
- You want a free core to start
Pick Opal if
- You want heavy-duty blocking and schedules
- You like deep-work sessions and focus scores
- You want detailed screen-time analytics
- You'll pay ~$100/year for it
Nothing and Opal, side by side.
The frame
Nothing
Blocking as rest. Unlock by doing a minute of nothing.
Opal
Blocking as productivity. Sessions of deep work.
The unlock
Nothing
A single quiet minute.
Opal
A timed focus session or a fixed schedule.
Depth of blocking
Nothing
Enough to seal the apps until you pause.
Opal
Extensive — schedules, allow-lists, deep controls.
Money
Nothing
Free core; optional paid app-lock and calendar.
Opal
Around $100/year.
Pressure
Nothing
No score, no streak.
Opal
Focus scores and gamified progress.
The feature read.
●yes · ◐ partial · ○ no
| Feature | Nothing | Opal |
|---|---|---|
| One-tap to start | Nothing: Yes | Opal: Yes |
| Free core, no subscription required | Nothing: Yes | Opal: Partial |
| No streaks, points, or trees | Nothing: Yes | Opal: No |
| Blocks distracting apps | Nothing: Yes | Opal: Yes |
| No guru voice, no guided audio | Nothing: Yes | Opal: Yes |
| Mood reflection after a session | Nothing: Yes | Opal: No |
| 1-minute minimum entry | Nothing: Yes | Opal: No |
| Unlock locked apps by doing nothing | Nothing: Yes | Opal: No |
| Open-ended — you decide what nothing means | Nothing: Yes | Opal: No |
Where Opal wins.
No shade. Opalis good at what it does — it just doesn’t do this one specific thing.
- Far more powerful, configurable blocking
- Rich screen-time analytics and schedules
- Built for serious deep-work routines
Nothing vs Opal
- Nothing vs Opal — which is the better app blocker?
- Opal, on raw blocking power — schedules, allow-lists, deep controls. Nothing's blocking is simpler and tied to a single quiet minute that unlocks it. If you want a productivity-grade wall, Opal; if you want blocking that doubles as rest, Nothing.
- Is Nothing a cheaper alternative to Opal?
- Nothing's core is free, and its app-blocking is an optional paid upgrade — meaningfully less than Opal's ~$100/year. But it does less: Nothing pairs a light lock with a deliberate minute of rest, where Opal is a full screen-time control suite.
- Does Nothing track screen time like Opal?
- No. Opal is built around screen-time analytics; Nothing tracks the opposite — hours of stillness and quiet days on a calendar, not minutes on a screen. Different scoreboard entirely.
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One Minute.
Even one minute a day can change your life.
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