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Opal or NIX Scoreboard?
Opal blocks the apps you choose, on a schedule, after a daily limit or during a focus timer, with a free plan and Opal Pro at $99.99 a year as of 4 October 2026. NIX Scoreboard is free forever: Focus blocks every app when you need it, and your friends compete with you on one board. Lowest score wins.
Side by side
| Opal | NIX Scoreboard | |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks the apps you choose | Yes Any app, game or website you pick. | No Focus blocks every app at once. |
| Blocks on a schedule | Yes At a set time of day, through the week. | No You start Focus when you want it. |
| Blocks apps on demand, for a set time | Yes A focus timer: set the length and lock in until it runs out. | Yes Focus blocks every app for 5 to 120 minutes. Phone, Messages, FaceTime, Maps and your Always Allowed list stay open. |
| Compete with friends | Its App Store listing mentions a leaderboard; its help center says the newest version doesn't have friends or a leaderboard yet, and that Opal aims to bring social features back | Yes A daily board with your friends. Lowest score wins. |
| Group competitions | Its For Schools page describes a leaderboard among classmates; its help center says the newest version doesn't have a leaderboard yet | Yes Each group has its own board, run weekly, monthly, or as a race of up to 30 days. |
| One session, one end time for everyone | Not stated on their site | Yes Phones down: one code, one end time for everyone, up to 20 people. |
| Adult websites | Yes Never Allowed blocks adult websites 24/7; Hard Mode for it is on Opal Pro. | Yes Blocks adult websites. |
| Price (checked 4 October 2026) | Free plan: 1 rule per its pricing page; its help center says three. Opal Pro: $99.99 a year, $19.99 a month, or $399 once | Free forever. No ads, nothing to buy. |
| Devices | iPhone (iOS 18.0 or later), Mac and Android | iPhone only (iOS 16.4 or later). |
| Blocks apps after a daily limit | Yes Daily limits on apps and websites block them automatically. | No |
| An app block you can't cancel | Yes Hard Mode, on Opal Pro. | No |
Why pick Scoreboard
Scoreboard is free forever, with no ads and nothing to buy, and it's built around your friends: a daily board, groups, and Phones down when you're together.
If you want specific apps blocked on a schedule or after a daily limit, or a block you can't cancel, Opal fits better.
FAQ
Is Opal free?
Opal's pricing page lists a free plan with 1 rule; its help center says three. Opal Pro costs $99.99 a year, $19.99 a month or $399 once, according to Opal's pricing page on 4 October 2026.
Is NIX Scoreboard a free Opal alternative?
Scoreboard is free forever, with no ads and nothing to buy. It blocks differently: Focus blocks every app at once, for 5 to 120 minutes, when you start it, rather than chosen apps on a schedule. And it adds your friends: your screen time becomes a score they can see, and lowest score wins.
Do Opal and Scoreboard both use Apple's Screen Time?
Yes. Opal's App Store listing says it uses Apple's Screen Time API. Scoreboard counts your minutes with Apple's Screen Time, on your iPhone. The raw numbers stay there. Your phone sends minutes per category, never which apps and never what's on your screen.
New to Scoreboard? The setup guide walks you from download to your first board.
Opal is a trademark of Opal OS Corporation. NIX Scoreboard is not affiliated with or endorsed by Opal OS Corporation. Facts about Opal were read on Opal's own pages on 4 October 2026.
Find out where you'd rank.
Free on the App Store · iPhone, iOS 16.4+ · No ads, nothing to buy