one sec

one sec is a digital-wellbeing tool that inserts deliberate friction before distracting apps and websites, then can block them on a schedule. It suits people who want both a reflective pause and firm time-based limits across their devices. Its strongest case is the combination of local-first privacy, flexible interventions, and broad cross-device coverage; the main trade-off is that the free tier is restricted to one app.

Overview

one sec targets habitual social-media and website checking by making access a conscious decision. Its interruptions can ask users to breathe, reflect, rotate the phone, or complete a typing exercise, rather than simply presenting an immediate launch. That approach is better suited to people trying to change a routine than to users who want an entirely invisible blocker.

When a pause is not enough, scheduled block sessions keep selected apps or websites closed during defined periods. Recurring schedules and locked sessions support a more dependable boundary around work, study, or sleep. Healthy Alternatives can replace a scrolling impulse with suggestions such as journaling or another chosen activity.

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, one sec is offered to individuals, companies, and schools. The company reports an average 57% reduction in app openings and about two additional hours of sleep per week; those figures are reported averages, not a promise of an individual result.

Key features

Mindful interruptions and blocking

The free version can target one app, which is enough for someone with a single problematic service but quickly becomes restrictive for broader cleanup. Pro removes that ceiling with unlimited apps, additional intervention types, intentional app switching, and time tracking. Website blocking and strict block sessions are also Pro features, making the paid tier the practical choice for users who need enforcement across several destinations.

Block targets include both apps and websites. Scheduled and recurring rules provide routine protection, while locked sessions make it harder to undo a decision mid-session. Users who prefer a softer nudge can rely on the interruption exercises; those who need an outright barrier can combine them with blocking.

Alternatives and integrations

Healthy Alternatives turns the intervention into a replacement behavior rather than a dead end. Structured integrations can block distracting apps while a task remains unfinished and show upcoming tasks as alternatives. The free LENGO integration adds a vocabulary exercise before social-media apps open, a useful fit for readers who prefer a concrete prompt to a generic delay.

Privacy and support

Data remains offline by default, and intervention logic runs locally. one sec says it does not sell or analyze user data. Data is processed when a user opts into support contact, subscriptions, feedback, or iCloud sync, so privacy-conscious users should distinguish those optional services from the core local operation.

Help articles, tutorials, an ideas and bug-feedback board, and direct contact provide several support routes. The browser extension works with Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and other major browsers.

Pricing

The freemium structure makes a single-app experiment inexpensive: the free plan includes a 7-day trial, but its permanent targeting limit is one app. It is best for testing whether deliberate interruptions change one specific habit.

one sec pro — $6.99 a month, billed monthly. This includes unlimited apps, intervention types, time tracking, website blocking, and block sessions. Choose it when you need multiple targets, stronger scheduling, or usage measurement. The monthly commitment costs more over time than a one-off purchase but avoids a large upfront payment.

one sec pro Family Plan — $9.99 a month, billed monthly. Family sharing makes this the relevant option for several people in one household; it does not add a stated lifetime term.

one sec pro Family Lifetime — 149.00 USD once, billed lifetime. This combines family sharing with a single payment, making it the better fit for households expecting long-term use rather than month-to-month flexibility.

Companies and schools can buy team licenses from 83ct per user per month when billed annually. That is the clearest route for an organisation needing seats rather than individual subscriptions.

Platforms

Native apps are available on iOS and Android. Extensions cover Windows, macOS, and Linux through major browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. One account can be used simultaneously on iOS and Android devices and those desktop browser extensions, which suits users moving between phone and computer.

Who it's for

one sec is a strong fit for people who recognise compulsive opening as the problem and want a pause that can escalate into a lock. Students, remote workers, and households managing evening phone use can use recurring or locked sessions, while organisations can deploy team licences. It is less suitable for someone seeking a wholly free, unlimited multi-app blocker, because the free plan stops at one app.

Pros and cons

Pro: Mindful exercises make access intentional instead of relying only on a hard stop.

Pro: Scheduled, recurring, and locked sessions cover both routine management and firm limits.

Pro: One account spans iOS, Android, and browser extensions on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Pro: Local processing and offline-by-default storage reduce the amount of data leaving the device.

Con: The free plan can target only one app, limiting it as a general-purpose solution.

Con: Website blocking, strict sessions, and unlimited apps require Pro.

Alternatives

Choose Freedom instead if you want freemium blocking across Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, with multi-device sync, custom blocklists, and website exceptions in its free plan.

StayFree is the simpler free option for cross-device screen-time tracking and usage control across mobile, desktop, and browser platforms.

Pick Opal if a free plan with one rule, basic timers, soundscapes, app blocking, and a same-day Opal Score meets your needs on iOS, Android, and Mac.

FocusMe is an alternative with a one-time Lifetime plan at 249.00 USD and support across Android, extensions, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Jomo offers a free iOS and macOS plan limited to one session, one action or limit, and one screen-time budget.

Hikage is a macOS-only alternative focused on locally recorded app and website usage, statistics, export, and iCloud backup.

Roots is an iOS-only choice with a Plus plan that includes unlimited blockings and locked editing.

ScreenZen is a free option on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows, with optional donations supporting the project.

For broader comparisons, see the Screen Time Management Apps and Distraction Blocking Software lists.

Verdict

Choose one sec if you want a thoughtful interruption before access, with the option to enforce recurring blocks across phones and desktop browsers. Pro is justified for unlimited apps, website controls, and strict sessions; look elsewhere if one-app free use is too narrow or you want an entirely free multi-app blocker.