April 11, 2026, 7:01 a.m. ET
Screentime. It brings us together, tears us apart, and more people are wanting distance from it.
In recent years, several apps and devices have entered the market promoting a phone-free, or at least less-phone, lifestyle. One gaining widespread traction is the Brick, which wirelessly connects to smartphones to block apps and websites selected by a user for any given period of time. Unlike smartphone screentime limits, which can be easily bypassed, the Brick offers a physical hard stop to digital overconsumption.
Typically, I find my screentime manageable, but like many of my Gen Z peers, I am interested in peeling myself away from screens. For months, I received targeted Brick ads, so, like the consumer I am, I bought one to try for two consecutive weeks to see if I felt better when limiting my screentime intentionally.
So is the Brick hype worth it? Here’s some insight into how the device works and my experience with “Bricking.”
The Brick is a device that connects wirelessly to smartphones. Paired with the free Brick mobile app, a user can “Brick,” or block, apps and websites by enabling a Brick session in the app then tapping the phone to the Brick. The apps and websites can only be accessed again once the user opens the Brick app and taps the phone back on the little grey box.
The Brick is powered by NFC, or Near Field Communication, a short-form wireless technology similar to Apple Pay.
In case a Brick is lost or misplaced, users are provided five “Emergency Unbricks,” which allows them to regain full access to their phone without the physical Brick.
My screentime ebbs and flows, as I often have no social media apps on my phone (with the exception of LinkedIn). When I do, I only download Instagram but find myself glued to my phone even while watching television or lying in bed.
As of April 10, my daily average screentime for the week was about four hours and 40 minutes, with Messages and Instagram seeing the most activity.
I found the most success with the Brick during evenings and into the mornings. Before going to bed, I placed the Brick in the living room, tapped my phone into a Brick session and went to bed, unable to access any of my typical doom scroll apps or email. Upon waking up, I wasn’t tempted to check any apps because … I couldn’t.
The longest I Bricked my phone was for about 14 hours on a Saturday. It was a busy day spent with friends, so I doubt I would have been on my phone much anyway, but removing the ability to do a quick Instagram scroll during downtime felt nice.
However, I will say the Brick felt a bit pointless during the workday.
While at work, I find myself scouring social media for story ideas on my desktop. Though Instagram and LinkedIn may have been “Bricked” on my phone during this experiment, I could easily access the sites on my computer. Granted, an Instagram scroll isn’t as satisfying on the desktop, but the option was there. For full effectiveness, I need a Brick that connects to my phone and computer, to squash any temptations.
Hear more about my experience “Bricking” in the video at the top of the story.
Though I am someone who already feels decent about my phone screentime, I just don’t think the Brick is worth the $60 price tag.
Mostly, I fear I fell victim to the system in which the Brick thrives: Spend too much time on social media, algorithm learns you don’t want to be on social media, algorithm displays targeted ads for ways to get off social media, consumer buys into ways to get off social media. Is this what we’ve come to? Having to buy a $60 piece of tech to get away from our $1,000-plus piece of tech?
Perhaps more than anything, the Brick made me think critically about the consumerist screentime cycle we live in.
The consensus around the Brick is positive. With more than 33,000 reviews, the Brick mobile app boasts a 4.9 star rating on the Apple App Store.
USA TODAY video producer Niki Gunter has used the Brick since October 2025 and said it “really changed” how she uses her phone. She often uses her Brick to block Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit and Facebook during the evenings, once her children are in bed. On average, her phone is “Bricked” about 12 hours a day. The longest she Bricked her phone was for a full social media detox: 12 days.
“It’s helped my attention span, especially with my daughter, who has not asked me to put down my phone in months,” Gunter said. “(My daughter) also knows about it. Most of the time if she asks for YouTube time I can now say, ‘Sorry kid. My phone is Bricked.'”
Scouring the internet, it’s hard to initially come across criticism of the Brick, but for those who tried the device and were unsatisfied, the notes remain largely the same: There are cheaper (or free) alternatives.
In the sub-Reddit r/dumphones, intended for discussion about disconnecting from smartphones, some users recommended free mobile apps like Freedom, ScreenZen and No Scroll, which also allow users to set app-specific blocks and time limits.
“I think a lot of these products are leaving the realm of ‘well intentioned’ and are just becoming opportunistic in response to growing trends in reducing time spent online,” one Reddit user commented in the group. “The best cure is just delete all the apps and to work to change your habits.”
The Brick is available exclusively on the Brick website at getbrick.com/products/the-brick. One Brick is typically $60, though deals are often offered.
Contributing: Niki Gunter, USA TODAY
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
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