A screen time blocker that actually holds the line.
Trackers show you the damage. SETL blocks the apps that cause it, at night and on demand in the day.
What is a screen time blocker?
A screen time blocker, sometimes called a screen time restrictor or screen timer blocker, cuts your screen time by blocking apps, not just measuring them.
A tracker tells you how long you spent. A blocker stops the time being spent.
There is a lot of it to win back. UK adults spent 4 hours 30 minutes a day online in 2025, and 77% of that time was on a smartphone.1
And it costs sleep. In a study of 45,202 students, each extra hour on a screen in bed was linked to about 24 minutes less sleep.2
Start with how to reduce screen time on iPhone.
Screen time tracker vs screen time blocker
| Tracker or timer | SETL screen time blocker | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Reports your screen time, or warns you when a timer runs out | Blocks the apps you choose, on a schedule or for a session |
| At midnight | Relies on you choosing to stop | Your apps are already locked at bedtime |
| In the day | Daily limits per app | SETL Sessions: pick apps, pick how long |
| Nights off | Change settings by hand | Planned ahead with SETL Plans |
| Your data | Varies by app | Stays on your iPhone |
A general comparison of how trackers and blockers work. See Apple Screen Time vs SETL for a specific one.
Two ways SETL restricts screen time
Night and day, from one app.
SETL Sessions
A screen timer blocker for focus. Choose apps and a length, and they unlock when time is up. See SETL Sessions.
SETL Plans
Book the nights you want your apps open, so the rule survives weddings and night shifts.
How much screen time SETL cut in beta
The average tester's screen time, cut every single day.
Less screen time a day. About 3 hours by day and 1 hour at night.
Handed back every week.
Every month. That is more than 5 full days.
Across a lifetime of daily use.
Average daily reduction in screen time reported by SETL beta testers in 2026, against usual screen time of 5 to 7 hours a day. Week and month figures multiply that average out. The lifetime figure assumes daily use from age 15 to 87. Individual results vary.
Screen time guides
How to reduce screen time on iPhone: 8 practical methods
Eight practical ways to reduce screen time on iPhone, from your Screen Time report and app limits to grayscale, Focus and app blockers, with sources.
Screen TimeHow much screen time is too much for adults?
How much screen time is too much? There is no official adult limit.
Screen TimeThe best screen time apps for iPhone in 2026
The best screen time apps for iPhone in 2026 compared: Apple Screen Time, Opal, one sec, ScreenZen, Brick, Sunbreak and SETL, with prices and platforms.
ScienceDoes grayscale reduce screen time? What the studies show
Does grayscale reduce screen time? Two studies found drops of about 20 to 38 minutes a day.
Screen time blocker FAQs
What is a screen time restrictor?
A screen time restrictor is an app that limits when you can use certain apps. SETL restricts screen time by blocking your chosen apps at bedtime and during focus sessions.
What is a screen timer blocker?
A screen timer blocker blocks chosen apps for a set length of time. SETL Sessions works this way: pick the apps, pick how long, and they unlock when the session ends.
How do I restrict screen time on my iPhone?
Apple Screen Time has Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances in Settings (Downtime and App Limits in iOS 26). For blocking that runs automatically every night, use an app blocker like SETL. Full guide.
How much screen time is too much?
There is no official daily limit for adults. A better test is what it replaces: sleep, focus and time with people. Read more.
Can I block screen time only at night?
Yes. SETL Sleep blocks your chosen apps only at bedtime, so your phone works normally during the day unless you start a SETL Session.
How much screen time does SETL save?
In SETL's 2026 beta, testers reported an average of 4 hours 3 minutes less screen time a day: about 3 hours in the day and 1 hour at night.
Your phone can go to sleep first.
Join the SETL waitlist. Get up to 7 nights free when we launch.