Nudge vs Brick: the tag you tap vs the bouncer who knows why you came
Brick locks your apps until you physically tap your phone on a small device you keep somewhere, usually at home. Nudge is software only: your apps stay locked, opening one means choosing how long, and the wait grows each time you come back. Pick Brick if you want your phone dumb by default and you love a physical ritual. Pick Nudge if you need your apps during the day and your problem is the tenth visit, not the first.
The difference in one table
| Nudge | Brick | |
|---|---|---|
| What unlocks your apps | Choosing a time, after a waiting room if you set one | Tapping your phone on the Brick device |
| Hardware | None | A small physical Brick, $59 one time |
| Away from the device | Works anywhere | Apps stay locked until you tap the Brick again; 5 emergency unbricks |
| Repeat visits | Pro: each unlock in a day adds more wait | Same tap every time |
| After you unlock | Pro Task Mode notices if you drift (DMs into Reels) | Nothing until you tap again |
| Cost | Free version; optional Pro subscription | $59 for the device, no subscription, 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Platforms | iPhone | iPhone and Android |
Brick details are from Brick's own site, help center and App Store listing, checked Oct 14, 2026. You can also brick your phone remotely from the app, but unbricking still needs the device. Check their site for current pricing.
Buy the Brick if...
- Physical rituals work on you. Walking to the kitchen to tap a device is a real commitment. Some brains respond to that better than to anything on a screen.
- You want your phone dumb by default. Locked all day, opened on purpose in rare windows. That's a detox tool, and Brick is a good one.
- You'd rather pay once than subscribe. Fair trade.
Pick Nudge if...
- You need your apps during the day. You post, reply, run a business, or keep up with people there. Locking everything until you're home doesn't fit your life.
- Your problem is the tenth visit. Nudge's waiting room grows with each unlock in a day, so the habit gets harder while real use stays easy.
- Your problem starts after you're in. Brick's job ends at the tap. Nudge's Task Mode notices when "check my DMs" turns into Reels.
- You don't want to carry, lose or forget a thing.
Can you use both?
Yes. Some people Brick their phone for evenings and weekends and use Nudge for the workday, when the apps have to stay reachable. If you only want one, ask yourself: is my problem opening the app at all (Brick), or what happens after I open it (Nudge)?
Brick is a product of its company. Nudge isn't affiliated with Brick. Descriptions are based on public information and may change.
