---
title: "one sec Alternative for iPhone: Unlockr vs one sec (2026)"
source: https://unlockr.space/compare/one-sec-alternative
---

Unlockr vs one sec · An honest comparison
vs
# Looking for a one sec alternative?
Unlockr is a one sec alternative for when a breathing pause is too easy to wave through. Instead of a few seconds before each open, you do 20 squats, a plank or a quick Math round and earn a block of minutes that only count down while you use the app. Both are free for one app.
Try Unlockr freeSee the comparison ↓ TT
Full disclosure: I make Unlockr, so I'm not neutral. I think one sec is a genuinely good app, and this comparison plays it straight. Where one sec is the better pick, I say so.
Tin, maker of Unlockr
## Unlockr vs one sec at a glance
| Feature | Unlockr | one sec |
| Free plan | 1 rule protecting 1 app | 1 app |
| Paid plans | $34.99/yr, $5.99/mo, $2.99/wk or $69.99 once | Annual, monthly or lifetime (shown in app) |
| What you do to get in | Squats, push-ups, a plank, Math or Memory | A few seconds of breathing |
| Long sessions | Earned minutes run out, then the app locks | Re-Intervention after a set time |
| Exercise to unlock | Yes, counted on device | No |
| Websites | Yes (Premium) | Yes (free Safari extension) |
| Published research | No | Yes (PNAS, 2023) |
Pricing and features checked November 2026. Sources: one sec on the App Store · Grüning et al. (2023), PNAS.
## What one sec does well
- It is backed by research: a field study published in PNAS found a short pause plus an easy way out cut app openings by 57% after six weeks.
- It is the lightest possible nudge. A breath, not a workout, so it is easy to live with every day.
- A free Safari extension brings the same pause to websites.
- Loved by its users: 4.8 stars from more than 23,000 ratings on the US App Store.
### When one sec is the better choice
If a short pause is enough to break your autopilot, one sec is the better pick: it asks less of you and it is the better-studied approach. Unlockr is for the moment you notice yourself breathing through the pause and opening the app anyway, and you want the price of opening to be higher.
## Why try Unlockr
- Effort, not willpower — a set of squats, push-ups or a plank, or a Math or Memory round, stands between you and the app. Much harder to tap past on autopilot.
- Time that only counts while you use it — earned minutes tick down only while the app is open, so locking your phone never wastes them. They reset at midnight.
- Rules that follow your day — up to 8 rules for work hours, evenings or your own schedule, each with its own apps, challenge and reward.
- The camera stays on your iPhone — reps are counted on device. No frame is saved or uploaded, and Math, Memory and Breathe don't need the camera at all.
- Built and answered by one developer — Unlockr is made by Tin in Da Nang, Vietnam. When you email support, he answers.
## Frequently asked questions
**Q:** Is one sec or Unlockr better backed by research?
one sec. Its pause was tested in a field study published in PNAS. Unlockr builds on the same idea, that friction before an app reduces automatic opens, but has not been tested in its own trial.
**Q:** Does Unlockr have a breathing pause like one sec?
Unlockr has Daily Breathe, a one-minute guided session on Home that adds 5 minutes once a day. Rules themselves use movement, Math or Memory.
**Q:** Which is cheaper?
Both are free for one app. one sec shows its Pro prices in the app; Unlockr Premium is $34.99 a year, $5.99 a month, $2.99 a week or $69.99 once.
## What people say about Unlockr.
★★★★★
> Really help me reduce screen time 🥹
★★★★★
> Very helpful app. Should use this to improve your health and reduce using your phone every day.
★★★★★
> This app is very useful. It offers different ways to improve your health, and it also helps curb overusing your phone for entertainment.
★★★★★
> Really suited to helping cut down daily phone use.
## Pricing
Free
$0
Free forever
Download free
- 1 rule protecting 1 app
- Every challenge, with your own target and reward
- Schedules, streak and stats
- Daily Breathe bonus
Premium Best value: yearly
$34.99/year
3-day free trial for eligible users · or $5.99/month, $2.99/week, $69.99 once
Start free trial
- Multiple apps, whole categories and websites
- Up to 8 rules for different times of day
- Everything in Free
- If Premium ends, your rules stay saved
Prices in US dollars. The App Store shows your local price before you buy.
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## Ready to earn your screen time?
Start free with one protected app. It takes a minute to set up.
Download on theApp Store