Comparison guide
Opal Alternative: Weeklane Task Lock vs Opal
Opal and Weeklane Task Lock both lock distracting apps through Apple's Screen Time permission. They differ on what unlocks them: Opal works with schedules, limits and focus timers; Task Lock unlocks when today's to-do list is done.
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Short answer: choose Opal if you want a dedicated screen-time app with scheduled blocks, daily time and open limits, focus timers, a strict Hard Mode and apps for iPhone, Android and Mac. Choose Weeklane Task Lock if you already want a simple to-do list and would rather unlock your apps by finishing today's tasks than by waiting for a timer or schedule to end.
Opal is one of the best-known app blockers on iPhone, with a large, polished feature set. Weeklane is a minimalist weekly planner; Task Lock (since Weeklane 2.5) adds one specific kind of blocking on top of it. So this is less "which is better" and more "which rule do you want to live by": time-based or task-based.
Opal vs Weeklane Task Lock at a glance
| Weeklane Task Lock | Opal | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A weekly to-do planner with a built-in app lock | A dedicated screen-time and focus app |
| What unlocks your apps | Finishing today's tasks | A schedule, timer or daily limit ending |
| Blocking modes | One rule: locked while today has open tasks; tasks later today lock from their time | Scheduled sessions, focus timer, time limits, open limits, Allow Only |
| Breaks and escape hatch | Optional 15-minute break; turn Task Lock off in settings | Breaks with easy to strict levels; Hard Mode with one emergency pass a week (Pro) |
| To-do list | Yes, the core of the app | No |
| Platforms for blocking | iPhone and iPad (Android planned) | iPhone, Android and Mac |
| Privacy approach | Apple Screen Time API; Weeklane never sees which apps you use | Apple Screen Time permission on iPhone; see Opal's privacy policy |
| Stats and scores | No | Opal Score, focus history and milestone gems |
| Free plan | Free weekly planner; Task Lock needs Pro | 1 rule, basic timers and app blocking |
| Paid plan (US) | Pro: $4.99/month or $34.99/year, 7-day free trial | Pro: $99.99/year or $19.99/month, $399 lifetime; up to 50% student discount |
Where Opal is the better choice
- You want fine-grained control. Opal can block different app groups on different schedules, cap minutes or opens per day, and run focus timers with soundscapes. Task Lock has deliberately one rule.
- You need blocking on Android or Mac. Opal blocks on iPhone, Android and Mac. Task Lock is iPhone and iPad only for now.
- You want a strict mode with no way out. Opal's Hard Mode removes early exits, with one emergency pass a week. Task Lock keeps an optional break and lets you switch it off in settings.
- You like stats. Opal tracks a daily score and focus history. Weeklane does not track your screen time at all.
- You do not want a to-do list. If you plan elsewhere and only need a blocker, Opal does not ask you to keep a list.
Where Weeklane Task Lock is the better choice
- You want the reward tied to progress. A timer ends whether or not you did anything. Task Lock ends when today's tasks are checked off, so a productive morning earns a free afternoon.
- You want one app instead of two. Your list and your lock live together. The lock screen shows how many tasks are left and opens Weeklane in one tap.
- Your days have a shape. Tasks with a time later today do not lock anything until their time, so an evening errand does not block your morning.
- You want less to configure. Pick apps, plan today, finish. No schedules or limits to tune.
- Privacy and price. Weeklane never sees which apps you use, and Pro also unlocks reminders, recurring tasks, calendars and shared projects.
Opal and Task Lock are two of several approaches; the complete guide to app blocking on iPhone compares them with Screen Time, Focus and Shortcuts, and Task Lock vs one sec covers the gentler, pause-based option. For the idea behind task-based locks, read a to-do list that blocks apps.
Can you use both?
Yes, but keep their app lists separate. A common split: Opal for scheduled downtime (for example a night-time session) and Task Lock for the daytime rule "no feeds until today's list is done". Two apps locking the same app at the same time just makes it harder to tell which rule is in charge.
Switching from Opal to Task Lock
- Write down your Opal block list. Note which apps you actually lose time to. Start Task Lock with the worst two or three.
- Pause or remove the overlapping Opal rules. Keep any sessions you still want, such as night-time downtime, for apps that Task Lock does not cover.
- Plan today in Weeklane. Three to five checkable tasks. Put anything time-bound on its time, so it only locks from then.
- Open Task Lock and choose what to lock. In Weeklane, tap Settings (the gear), then Task Lock, and choose the apps and websites to lock. Decide whether to allow the 15-minute break. Most people start with it on and switch it off once the habit sticks.
Frequently asked
What is a good Opal alternative?
It depends on why you use Opal. For schedule- and timer-based blocking, other screen-time apps work similarly. If you want apps to stay locked until your to-do list is done, Weeklane Task Lock (since Weeklane 2.5) ties the unlock to finishing today's tasks on iPhone and iPad.
Can Opal block apps until I finish my tasks?
Not as of October 2026. Opal unlocks by schedules, timers and daily limits rather than by a to-do list. Weeklane Task Lock and a few other task-based blockers unlock when today's tasks are checked off.
Can't I just use iPhone Screen Time instead of Opal?
For a broad daily cap, yes, and it is free. On iOS 27, Screen Time limits for yourself apply to whole categories such as Social, plus a daily total, not single apps, and there is no Ignore Limit button when time runs out. If you want to lock only specific apps, a blocker built on Apple's Screen Time API, such as Opal or Weeklane Task Lock, lets you pick individual apps.
Is Weeklane Task Lock cheaper than Opal?
At US list prices, Weeklane Pro is $4.99/month or $34.99/year with a 7-day free trial, and Opal Pro is listed at $99.99/year or $19.99/month on opalapp.com. Opal's free plan includes one blocking rule; Weeklane's free plan is the planner without Task Lock.
Does Task Lock work on Android like Opal?
Not yet. Task Lock is on iPhone and iPad; an Android version is planned. The Weeklane weekly planner itself is on Android today.
Can either app see which apps I use?
Both use Apple's Screen Time permission on iPhone, where apps are chosen in Apple's system picker. Weeklane never sees which apps you choose or how you use them. Opal shows usage-based features like its score, so read its privacy policy for what it stores.
Unlock your apps by finishing your list
Weeklane is a calm weekly to-do list with Home Screen widgets. Since Weeklane 2.5: Task Lock on iPhone and iPad with Weeklane Pro.
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Related guides
- App Blocking on iPhone: The Complete Guide (2026) — the complete guide to app blocking on iPhone, with every approach compared.
- one sec Alternative: Weeklane Task Lock vs one sec — the same comparison against one sec.
- A To-Do List That Blocks Apps Until Your Tasks Are Done — how task-based blockers compare with Screen Time and timers.
- How to Stop Doomscrolling: A To-Do-First Phone Routine — a to-do-first routine for spending less time in feeds.
- Ivy Lee Method: The 6-Task Daily Productivity System — pick the short list that unlocks your day.
- How to Block Apps on iPhone: Screen Time, Focus and Task Lock — every built-in way to block apps on iPhone.
- Guides