one sec | screen time + focus 4+

This app is brilliant. I have it on all my iOS devices. I feel like most screen time reducing apps come and go, as half baked ideas put together over a weekend. This one is different. It feels as put together, or even more so, than Apple’s own screen time controls. It’s obvious the creator of this app made this for themselves as it applies to users’ real uses very well. I’m someone who uses various ways to make my devices more “dumb” or minimal. I mix this with feed blockers, screen time settings, greyscale, and not having social media apps on my phone. This is a very important piece of my already pretty elaborate puzzle.

This app can probably do more than I can grasp right now. I just use it to slow load apps and make them get progressively slower overtime. As my dopamine rush gets slower every time I wait for an app to load, I could just delete this app out of frustration. But I don’t. I feel like a kid knowing maybe it’s best if only mom can open the cookie jar. I also use the app for app blocking which is super cool.

My only request is if I could set a timer for app blocking. What I mean: set timer and in 25 minutes all apps on the list will be blocked. That way maybe when I need or want to go down the rabbit hole, there is going to be a hard cutoff upcoming that I can’t stop. Otherwise I’ll just willingly not stop and go down a binge, which I unfortunately too often do.

Never in my life have I written a review for an app but I’ve tried every single thing to stop using Instagram (but still wanted to have it in my phone so I can use once in a while) and nothing worked. I deleted the app then used it on Safari (terrible interface so assumed I couldn’t possibly get addicted) and then used it sm I had to block the website on my phone. If I ever redownloaded Instagram I’d once more use it so so much.

With One Sec, the little number of times opened in 24hrs and the x hours since last opened have an insane grip on me like I don’t want to see that number over like 1-2 times ever. So then I started like being more conscious about when I opened the app bc I don’t want to ‘waste’ my app opens (ex if Im switching between apps or have to leave the house in 5 mins not worth it).

Now I’m opening Instagram just a couple times a week and just don’t feel the need to go on it much more. Anyways rant but so so good at least give it a try if you’ve ever wanted to use any app less you have nothing to lose.

I have loved this app since I began using it 6 months ago. It even inspired me to purchase my cousin an iPhone, knowing that I would be able to restrict their screen time and break the dopamine-induced doom scrolling that social media and games can oftentimes induce. When I was going to sign up for the family plan, I saw the price had increased from $25 to $40. For reference, the individual plan is $20. Honestly, if I only intended to add one additional user to the subscription, what incentive is there in not receiving a discount? Look at it this way: 2x individual plans = $40; 2x users on family plan = $40. What's the difference? This is really shortsighted and selfish of the developer, in my opinion, and it makes me want to not even renew the individual subscription. $40 is too much. The app is good and well thought out, but it isn't actually providing that grand of a solution to justify that price, even for multiple users. $25 actually motivated me to add users to the app, given it was only a $5 increase from what I was paying. Doubling the price only frustrates me and makes me want to protest the developer's greed, and it shows that their intent isn't to actually provide a solution and make that accessible to more people, but to squeeze every dollar from their user base. What a careless decision towards users. I'll be deleting the app.