Brick Review: good, but this alternative is better and $10 cheaper

You sit down to answer one message. Somehow, you end up twenty minutes deep in reels you never meant to open.

That’s the moment Brick is built for. It gives you a physical object you can leave across the room, so opening a distracting app takes more than tapping a button.

It’s a smart idea, and Brick deserves credit for making physical app blockers familiar to more people. But if you’re about to spend $59, the useful question is: What kind of help will you actually use every day?

This review compares Brick with Scrolly, a $49 physical app blocker made by a European brand. We’ll give Brick its due and explain where the two feel different.

How does Brick work?

Brick lets you choose which apps to block, tap your phone against the device to start a session, and tap it again to end one. You can leave the device somewhere inconvenient while keeping useful apps available.

That physical step is the point. If your usual screen limit lasts only until you press “Ignore,” having to get up and find an object can give you a moment to reconsider.

Brick also offers custom modes, schedules, analytics, and emergency unlocks. It works with compatible iPhones and Android phones, so it’s much more than a simple timer. See Brick’s features and compatibility.

What’s good about Brick?

Brick’s strength is its simplicity. You choose what to block, tap, and get on with your day.

There’s no need to turn focus into a game if that doesn’t appeal to you. For someone who wants a physical boundary with a quiet, minimal feel, Brick makes a strong case.

Its schedules are useful, too. You can set a block to begin and end at chosen times, which helps when you know exactly when scrolling tends to take over. Brick explains how schedules work.

Where does Scrolly feel different?

Scrolly uses the same basic idea: choose distracting apps, tap a physical device to block them, and keep the apps you need. The difference is what happens around the focus session.

Scrolly adds Focus Coins you can earn while focusing and use to customize your Scrolly character. Outfits and accessories give your progress a playful reward, while leaderboards add a social reason to keep showing up.

Those features won’t matter to everyone. But if you’ve downloaded a blocker, used it enthusiastically for three days, and forgotten about it by Friday, they may be the part that helps the habit stick. See Scrolly’s focus features.

Scrolly also has reminders and focus statistics. You can set schedules for moments such as work or bedtime, then see how your routine develops over time.

Brick vs. Scrolly: which should you choose?

Both devices put a physical step between you and distracting apps. Both support iPhone and Android, and both offer schedules.

Is Brick worth $59?

Yes, if you like the device and want focus to stay simple. Its physical barrier is useful, and its schedules and analytics cover more than the basics.

Scrolly is worth a closer look if motivation is your sticking point. It costs $10 less at the prices above and adds rewards, customization, and leaderboards to the physical blocking routine.

Neither device can decide what deserves your attention. The better purchase is the one you can picture using on an ordinary Tuesday, after the excitement of buying it has worn off.

Looking at the Bigger Picture

If you're still exploring your options and want to see how Brick, Scrolly, and other popular tools like Unpluq, Opal, and Bloom compare side by side, we've put together a full breakdown: Scrolly vs Brick, Unpluq, Opal & Bloom: Smarter Alternatives to Reduce Phone Addiction.

It's the most thorough comparison of physical and software-based focus tools available right now - worth a read before you buy anything.

Next steps

Start by choosing the two or three apps you open without thinking. Leave maps, messages, and anything else you genuinely need available.

Then pick one repeatable moment to protect: the first hour of work, dinner, or the stretch before bed. If a simple physical boundary sounds right, look at Brick. If you’d enjoy seeing your focus turn into progress and rewards, see how Scrolly works.