Brick vs Unpluq vs kSafe: Which Phone Blocker Should You Buy?

Updated 2026-11-10 · By the Touch Grass editors

Quick answer

Brick (about $59, no subscription) is the best all-round pick: it blocks the apps you choose until you tap the puck. The Unpluq Tag (about $27) works the same way for less up front, but needs a Premium app subscription. The kSafe (about $59) is strictest, locking the entire phone in a timed box for up to 10 days.

Brick, Unpluq and kSafe all make your phone harder to pick up, in two different ways. Brick and Unpluq use a physical NFC key to lock specific apps. The kSafe locks the whole phone in a box with a timer.

Here's how they compare on cost, strictness and what you can still do while you're locked out. Check the retailer for today's price.

	Brick	Unpluq Tag	kSafe
Price	About $59	About $27 (family bundle about $79.95)	About $59 (XL about $69)
Subscription	None	Unpluq Premium required	None
What it locks	Apps you choose	Apps you choose	The whole phone
How you unlock	Tap phone on the puck (plus limited emergency unlocks)	Tap phone on the tag	Wait for the timer
Calls and texts while locked	Yes, if you leave them unblocked	Yes, if you leave them unblocked	No
Phones supported	Recent iPhones, Android 12+	iPhone 8 or later (iOS 16+), NFC Android	Any phone that fits
Best for	Most people	Trying it cheaply	Hard, no-exceptions limits

What is the difference between Brick, Unpluq and kSafe?

Brick and Unpluq block chosen apps until you tap a physical key, and the kSafe locks the entire phone away until a timer runs out.

That makes Brick and Unpluq better for daily life, since calls, texts, maps and banking can stay available. The kSafe is a blunter tool for set blocks of time, like a study session, a weekend or the evening.

Viral

Brick

Tap your phone to "brick" your distracting apps $59

Under $30

Unpluq

Unpluq Tag

A physical key that unlocks your distracting apps $26.50

kSafe

kSafe Time-Locking Container

"Phone jail": set a timer and it won't open until it's done $59

Brick vs Unpluq: which app blocker is better?

Brick is the better buy for most people because it has no subscription, while Unpluq costs less up front.

Cost over time: Brick is a one-time purchase of about $59. Unpluq's tag is about $27, but its product page says it works through the app with a Premium subscription, sold separately. Check the app for the current price before you compare.
Strictness: Brick has a Strict Mode that stops you from deleting the app to cheat. NBC News Select's reviewers said you get five emergency unlocks, and then you need to contact Brick support for more.
Sharing: one Brick works with any number of phones. Unpluq sells a family bundle for about $79.95.
Schedules: Brick supports schedules and up to 10 modes.

Is the kSafe better than an app blocker?

The kSafe is better if you keep unlocking app blockers, and worse if you need your phone for anything during the lock.

Once the lid is locked, you wait out the timer. That makes it the strictest option here. It's also the least flexible: no calls, no maps, no two-factor codes until it opens. Some bases have a charging port, so you can lock the phone up overnight and wake up to a full battery. Mini and Medium sizes are about $59, and the XL is about $69.

Which is hardest to cheat?

The kSafe is hardest to cheat, then Brick, then Unpluq.

The kSafe has a physical timer lock. Brick requires the puck and blocks you from deleting its app in Strict Mode, with a small number of emergency unlocks. Unpluq also uses a physical tag to unlock. Any of them can be beaten by someone determined. The goal is to make the automatic reach slow enough that you notice it.

Which is best for families?

Brick is the most flexible for families because one puck works with any number of phones.

A kSafe works well as a shared homework or dinner box, and it can hold other temptations too, like game controllers. For a bigger household, the Yondr Home Tray (about $249) blocks signals for about six phones at once. See our full phone-blocking gadgets roundup for more.

Yondr

Yondr Home Tray

The phone-free-schools company's box for your kitchen $249

Which should you buy?

Buy the one that matches how strict you need to be.

Get Brick if you want to block social apps day to day, keep calls and maps working, and never pay a subscription.
Get the Unpluq Tag if you want the lowest up-front price and don't mind paying for Unpluq Premium.
Get the kSafe if you've tried app blockers and always find a way around them, or you want the phone fully gone for a set time.

Some people use two: a Brick for weekdays and a kSafe for a detox weekend.

Frequently asked questions

Is Brick better than Unpluq?

For most people, yes, because Brick has no subscription and one puck works with any number of phones. Unpluq costs less up front at about $27 but needs a Premium app subscription.

Can you cheat Brick?

It is harder than an app timer. Strict Mode stops you from deleting the app, and reviewers at NBC News Select said you get five emergency unlocks before you have to contact support.

Can you open a kSafe early?

It is designed to stay locked until the timer ends, which is the whole point. Only lock your phone in it when you are sure you will not need it.

How long can a kSafe lock for?

Up to 10 days.

Do Brick and Unpluq work on Android?

Yes. Brick works with Android 12 and up, and Unpluq works with NFC Android phones. Both also work with iPhones.

Which is cheapest?

The Unpluq Tag, at about $27, but add the cost of Unpluq Premium. Brick and the kSafe are both about $59 with no subscription.

Sources

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