Fitlock vs one sec: a one sec alternative built around movement
one sec pauses you with a breathing exercise before you open an app. Fitlock is a one sec alternative that keeps the app blocked until you have moved.
The short answer
one sec slows you down rather than stopping you: before a flagged app opens, it shows a short pause, like a breathing exercise, and then lets you carry on or close the app. It runs on iPhone, Android and in the browser. Fitlock is a harder stop. The app stays blocked until you've moved, with steps, a workout or push-ups, and there's no carry-on button.
Choose Fitlock if
- You tap through a pause without thinking about it
- You want a real block, on a schedule you set, that only lifts once you've moved
- You'd like to block more than one app for free
Choose one sec if
- A moment to stop and think is all you need
- Most of your distraction happens on Android or a computer
- You'd rather not have to exercise to use your phone
Fitlock vs one sec at a glance
| Feature | Fitlock | one sec |
|---|---|---|
| What unlocks your apps | Hitting a daily goal you set, confirmed by Apple Health, the camera or your location. A rule can unlock apps outright or earn you extra time | Waiting through a short pause, like a breathing exercise, then choosing to carry on |
| What counts | Steps, workouts, stand time, cycling, meditation, time outside, arriving at a place like the gym, wheelchair pushes, and push-ups or squats counted by the camera | Nothing. one sec adds friction, not exercise |
| When blocking is on | Schedules you set: recurring or one-off, on the days and times you choose, with an optional allowance before the locks start | Every time you open a flagged app. Scheduled block sessions need one sec pro |
| Free plan | Yes, with no time limit: one schedule, two apps or sites and one goal | Yes: one app |
| Paid plans (US App Store) | $2.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $49.99 once | $6.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $99.99 once (one sec pro) |
| Runs on | iPhone (iOS 17 or later) | iPhone, Android and browser extensions |
| Getting round the block | Breaks, each one longer than the last. Strict Mode (Pro) removes them | The pause is meant to be passed. one sec pro adds strict block sessions |
one sec and Fitlock both interrupt the automatic, thoughtless tap that opens a distracting app. They just do it in different ways, which is what makes Fitlock worth a look as a one sec alternative.
How one sec works
one sec is a friction app for iOS, Android and desktop browsers (Windows, macOS and Linux extensions). When you open an app you’ve flagged, it doesn’t block you outright. Instead, it inserts a short pause first, such as a breathing exercise or a prompt to type a reflection, and only then lets you continue or close the app. It also has a separate “blocking mode” for scheduled periods where flagged apps can’t be opened at all. one sec’s own site reports that its users cut their app opens by around 57% on average; we haven’t independently audited that figure ourselves.
How Fitlock works as a one sec alternative
Fitlock doesn’t pause you. It blocks the app outright and keeps it blocked until you’ve done something measurable. Set a schedule, choose the apps or websites, and pick a goal: steps, an exercise session, or push-ups and squats counted by your phone’s camera. There’s no “continue anyway” option; on Fitlock’s default schedule level the block lifts once the goal is met, a break is used, or the schedule is switched off. In Strict Mode (Fitlock Pro), only meeting the goal gets you back in.
The trade-off
one sec’s friction is quick to set up and works across more platforms, including Android and the desktop browser, which helps if most of your distraction happens outside an iPhone. Its pause can be dismissed in a few taps by design, meant to interrupt the reflex rather than physically stop you. Fitlock removes that option entirely and trades it for effort. You can’t tap through a movement goal the way you can dismiss a breathing exercise, but that also means Fitlock can’t help you anywhere except on iOS.
What Fitlock does differently
- No dismiss button in Strict Mode (Fitlock Pro). The block only lifts once Apple Health, or the camera, confirms the goal is done. Outside Strict Mode, a break or switching the schedule off both get you back in sooner.
- Escalating breaks. Each extra break makes the next one wait longer.
- Free blocks up to two apps behind one schedule and one goal; Fitlock Pro removes the two-app limit, adds allowlist mode, every goal type, and lets you combine goals with AND. See pricing for what’s included at each tier.
Where one sec may suit you better
one sec has been on the App Store since 2020, runs on Android and in the browser as well as iOS, and its lighter friction suits people who mainly need a nudge, not a hard stop. Fitlock is iOS only, tied to Apple’s Screen Time and HealthKit frameworks, and asks for real effort rather than a moment’s pause. If a physical, no-app answer appeals more than either of these, see how Fitlock compares to Brick.
What Fitlock does with your data
Analytics are anonymised, so we can’t identify you from them, and the only personal details we hold are ones you choose to share with support. Screen time data is securely managed by Apple and inaccessible to us. Health data is stored only on your device and never externally. We never sell user data to third-party companies.
Questions people ask
Is Fitlock a good alternative to one sec?
Yes, if one sec's pause has become easy to tap past. one sec interrupts you and then lets you carry on; Fitlock keeps the app blocked until you hit a goal like steps, a workout or push-ups. Fitlock is free for two apps or sites, and Fitlock Pro costs $2.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $49.99 once.
Is one sec free?
Yes, for one app. one sec pro removes the one-app limit and adds more intervention types, website blocking and strict block sessions. On the US App Store it costs $6.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $99.99 once.
Can I use one sec and Fitlock together?
Yes. They both use Apple's Screen Time, so you could use one sec's pause for apps you only want to slow down, and Fitlock for the ones you want to lock until you've moved.
Does Fitlock work in a web browser?
Fitlock blocks websites as well as apps, but only on your iPhone. one sec also has browser extensions for computers.
Sources
Checked on 29 September 2026. Apps change their features and prices, so check the App Store before you decide.
More comparisons
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Photograph real grass to unlock your apps. Free for two apps, with a monthly skip.Fitlock vs Brick
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Blocks apps on timers and schedules. Runs on iPhone, Android and Mac, with a free plan for one rule.
Start earning your screen time
Free on the App Store, and takes about two minutes to set up.
