A one sec alternative: pushups instead of a deep breath
I'll say it up front: I think one sec is a really good idea. Before a distracting app opens, you take a breath, and then you decide whether you actually want it. That little gap is often all it takes to break the autopilot.
This page is for people who've tried it and found that the breath turned into a reflex too, or who want that gap to involve getting off the couch. I make HonorFit, so keep that in mind as you read.
What one sec does well
- The pause. When you open an app you picked, a deep-breath animation comes up first, then you choose whether to continue. You can also customize the intervention, with options like reflection prompts.
- Re-intervention. It can kick you out after a set time, say five minutes, so you have to go through the pause again.
- Research. one sec points to studies done with the Max Planck Institute and Heidelberg University, and says people open the apps they target 57% less on average. That's more evidence than most apps in this space (mine included) can point to.
- Lots of platforms. iPhone and iPad (set up through a Shortcuts automation), Mac, Android, and browser extensions for websites.
- Pricing. Free for one app. one sec pro covers more, with monthly, yearly and lifetime options on the App Store.
Where HonorFit is different
one sec is a speed bump. HonorFit is more like a toll. With one sec, once you've taken the breath, you're in. With HonorFit, the app stays locked until you've done some reps and logged them. Then you get a set number of minutes (one pushup earns one minute by default), and they only count down while you're in a blocked app. When the balance hits zero, the apps lock again.
That's more friction, on purpose. Whether it's better depends on you. For some people, a breath is plenty. For others it becomes one more thing they tap through without thinking, and a few pushups is harder to sleepwalk past.
- Honor system. There's no camera or AI counting your reps. You scroll a wheel to say what you did. (I built it after a camera pushup app had me filming myself doing pushups at a gas station, lol.)
- Apps only. HonorFit doesn't block websites. one sec does, through its browser extensions.
- Pricing. The free version caps your banked time at 20 minutes. Pro is $3.00 a month or $19.99 once.
Side by side
| one sec | HonorFit | |
|---|---|---|
| When you open a blocked app | A breathing exercise (or another intervention), then you choose | It's locked until you've earned time with reps |
| Cost of getting in | A few seconds | Some pushups, situps, squats or pull-ups |
| Once you're in | Optional re-intervention after a set time | Your earned balance counts down, only while you're in blocked apps |
| Websites | Yes, with browser extensions | No, apps only |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, browsers | iPhone, Android |
| Pricing model | Free for one app; one sec pro | Free; Pro monthly or one-time |
Who should pick which
Pick one sec if a gentle pause is enough for you, you want it on your computer too, or you like that it's backed by research. It's honestly a great first thing to try.
Pick HonorFit if you keep breathing straight through the pause and opening the app anyway, and you'd like the price to be something physical. Or if you just like the idea of trading reps for scrolling.
FAQ
What is a good alternative to one sec?
If you like the pause idea, ScreenZen is similar and free. If you want something stricter, Opal has schedules and a can't-cancel mode, Brick is a physical device you tap to block and unblock, and HonorFit makes you earn screen time with exercise.
Is one sec free?
one sec is free for one app. one sec pro covers more apps, with monthly, yearly and lifetime options listed on the App Store. Check the store for current prices in your country.
How is HonorFit different from one sec?
one sec puts a short pause in front of an app and then lets you in. HonorFit keeps the app locked until you log reps, then gives you a balance of minutes that only counts down while you're in a blocked app.
Can I use one sec and HonorFit together on iPhone?
It depends on how one sec is set up. iOS currently only lets one app hold Screen Time access at a time, so if one sec has it, HonorFit can't get it until you turn one sec's access off in Settings › Screen Time › Apps with Screen Time Access.
Does HonorFit block websites?
No, it only locks apps. If you also scroll in a browser, your phone's built-in website limits or one sec's browser extensions can cover that part.
HonorFit Blocker locks the apps you choose until you earn time back with pushups, situps, squats or pull-ups. Free on iPhone and Android. Honor system: no camera, no AI, and nothing leaves your phone.