Zenmo vs Opal
Opal is a focus app built around blocking sessions, schedules, and a Pro-only Hard Mode you can't turn off, with Pro priced at $99.99 a year. Zenmo is a free Android app that adds a short pause at your daily limit and always lets you through on purpose—choose Opal if you need a hard stop on iPhone, Android, or Mac, and Zenmo if you want friction instead of a lock at no cost.
As of . Competitor facts are from the sources listed at the bottom of this page.
Side by side
| Opal | Zenmo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan with one rule. Pro is $99.99 a year, $19.99 a month, or $399 for lifetime access.[2] | Free. No subscriptions, stakes, or in-app payments. |
| Platforms | iPhone, Android, and Mac.[1][2] | Android, on Google Play. The iPhone app is built and waiting on Apple's Screen Time approval. |
| When it steps in | Blocks chosen apps during focus sessions and recurring schedules, and when a daily app limit runs out.[3] | At your daily limit: a short pause showing time used and opens today, then one question—what brings you here? |
| Getting through | Hard Mode (Pro) has "no way out": you can't turn Opal off during a session.[1][2] | Always possible, on purpose: finish a quick exercise or use one of your 15-minute weekly breaks. Closing the app counts as a win. |
| Focus tools | Focus timer with soundscapes, Pomodoro timer, Opal Score, streaks, and milestone rewards.[1][3] | Deep Work: scheduled focus windows or a Pomodoro, with rest intervals, plus Detox for 1 day, 3 days, or a week. |
| Privacy | Google Play data-safety section: may collect personal info and app activity, and may share location with third parties.[3] | Detailed activity stays on your phone. Analytics are off unless you opt in. |
| Audience | Individuals and students, with plans for schools and teams; the Android listing also offers parental control.[1][2][3] | Adults 18+ managing their own phone. Not parental control. |
Where Opal is better
- A true hard stop. If you need a session you cannot end early, Opal's Hard Mode does that; Zenmo is bypassable by design.[1][2]
- More devices. Opal runs on iPhone, Android, and Mac today.[1][2]
- More focus tooling: soundscapes, a daily Opal Score, streaks, and milestone rewards for people who find those motivating.[1][3]
- Plans for schools and teams, and parental control on Android, if you need more than self-control.[1][2][3]
- An established track record: 500K+ downloads and a 4.7-star rating from about 10,000 reviews on Google Play.[3]
Where Zenmo is different
- Free with every feature included: no rule limit, no Pro tier, no trial.
- Friction instead of a lock. The pause is meant to interrupt a habit, and you can always choose to get through.
- Tightening a limit applies instantly, but raising one waits 24 hours, so even without a hard lock, an impulse can't undo your rules.
- No streaks to break. Progress is measured against your own first week, and choosing not to open an app counts as a win.
- Built only for adults managing their own phone—no parental-control features.
Which one should you pick?
Choose Opal if you want blocks you cannot end early, need iPhone or Mac support, or like scores and streaks, and are happy to pay for Pro.
Choose Zenmo if you are on Android, want to change a habit without fighting a lock, and don't want to pay.
Questions
Is Zenmo a free alternative to Opal?
Yes, on Android. Zenmo is free with no paid tier. Opal has a free plan with one rule; Hard Mode and unlimited rules need Opal Pro.
Does Zenmo have a Hard Mode like Opal?
No, by design. Zenmo's pause can always be passed on purpose. Instead, it makes loosening a limit wait 24 hours, and Detox keeps listed apps closed until its end time.
How much does Opal cost?
Opal's pricing page lists Pro at $99.99 a year, $19.99 a month, or $399 for lifetime access, alongside a free plan with one rule.
Which works on iPhone?
Opal does, and on Mac. Zenmo's iPhone app is waiting on Apple's Screen Time approval, so Zenmo is Android first.
Sources
- Opal website — opalapp.com/, checked
- Opal pricing — opalapp.com/pricing, checked
- Opal on Google Play — play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.withopal.opal, checked
Zenmo facts come from this website's homepage and privacy policy.