Opal alternative: how a link only browser differs from a blocker
If you're looking for an Opal alternative, start with what you want to change. Opal manages access to apps and websites. Anti Browser replaces your browser with one without an address bar or general web search. They address different parts of phone use, and can be used together.
Here's what each approach changes, what it leaves available, and when to combine them.
What Opal does well
Opal is a screen time app. You pick the apps and sites that distract you, and it blocks them on a schedule or during focus sessions. It uses Apple's Screen Time framework, so the blocks are real, not just a nag screen. It shows you stats and streaks. The paid tier adds stricter modes and more scheduling.
If you have a clear work window and want Instagram unreachable from 9 to 5, Opal is a good fit. It's polished and it does what it says.
What to consider when choosing a blocker
Consider the restrictions you need and how you want to manage them.
Access depends on the rules. Different modes allow different breaks and exceptions. Opal documents an Emergency Pass for rules that allow no breaks or resets. Choose settings that match the access you need; see Opal's help center.
The browser keeps its controls. Blocking a native app doesn't necessarily block its website. Configure website restrictions too if that's where your scrolling moves. A browser can retain its address bar and search engine even while particular sites are blocked.
Compare features and purchase options. Opal offers subscriptions and lifetime access. Anti also offers annual and lifetime options. Choose based on whether you need app restrictions, a different browser, or both.
Why a link only browser is a different category
A link only browser removes the address bar and general web search from the browser itself.
Anti Browser, the only link only browser and the app that created the category, has no URL bar, no general web search, and no tabs. There is no browser field for typing an address or starting a general web search. There's no start page suggesting things. It cannot save bookmarks. Without a link, the only tools available are Wikipedia and AI, using on-device AI or the AI service of your choice. When another app sends it a link (a text from a friend, a confirmation email, a QR code on a menu), it opens that link. You can read the page and follow links within it.
Anti does not have an address bar or general web search field to turn back on. It still allows navigation through links. The separate Screen Time restrictions used to disable Safari and block downloads can be changed with the passcode, including a code retrieved from Anti's vault.
For a full dumbphone setup, install Anti Browser and set it as your default first, then follow Block Downloads, Block Safari, Delete, and Lock. Anti includes this guide during onboarding, along with a Screen Time code generator and vault that stores your generated code in case you ever need it.
Blocker vs link only browser
| Blocker (Opal) | Link only browser (Anti Browser) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Blocks chosen apps and sites on a schedule | Removes address bar, general web search, and tabs |
| Address bar | Available in your browser; restrictions control which sites load | None |
| General web search field | Available in your browser, subject to restrictions | None; Wikipedia and AI available |
| Changing restrictions | Depends on the rule and mode | Screen Time settings can be changed with the passcode |
| Works for the apps themselves | Yes | No, it's only the browser |
| Price | Subscription or lifetime | 3 day trial, then $15 a year or $45 lifetime |
The honest gap: Anti Browser only replaces the browser. It doesn't block TikTok. For that, use the four-step setup above to block downloads before deleting distracting apps, or keep using Opal for app blocking.
Can you use Opal and Anti Browser together?
Yes, and it's a reasonable combination. Use Opal (or plain Screen Time) to block or schedule the native apps you keep. Replace Safari with Anti Browser to remove the address bar and general web search as starting points. Links can still reach distracting sites, so use website restrictions too if you need to control access to particular destinations.
Who should stick with Opal
If your problem is one or two specific apps during specific hours, and you don't fall back to the browser when they're blocked, a blocker is enough. Keep it.
If you've noticed that blocking an app just moves the habit to Safari, or you keep ending sessions early, the browser is the leak. Change the browser. The one sec alternative post covers the same idea for friction-based apps, the Brick alternative post compares locking apps with removing them, and how to stop doomscrolling on iPhone puts the whole setup together.