IdeaSift

People struggle to make phone limits fit their habits

People trying to curb distracting phone use want limits that match how they reach for apps: schedules, reminders to pause, or a task before access. The requests suggest that basic blocking does not cover the custom unlock conditions and accountability some users want. Some Android users also care deeply about whether a blocker can read sensitive notification content.

For people trying to reduce distracting phone use. Mentioned from Mar 2024 to Aug 2026 on Bluesky, Hacker News and Stack Exchange.

11 different people described this problem in 9 separate discussions.

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1 mention in the last 12 weeks
Indie fit
4.0/10
Pain
4.9/10
Frequency
9.0/10
Willingness to pay
4.3/10
Momentum
4.7/10
Who pays
Consumers
Competition
High
Build difficulty
Medium

What people said

Quoted word for word. Follow a link to read the whole discussion.

  1. I would love an app with a configurable "unlock" task. Ex: - Do a quick mindfulness/breathing exercise
    ColeShepherd on Hacker NewsFeb 2025Asked for a tool
  2. All I really need right now is an app that would restrict certain apps usage to certain time slots
    ahmedfromtunis on Hacker NewsAug 2025Asked for a toolHas a workaround
Build brief

See what to build and who will buy it

  • 1 product idea with the smallest useful version and pricing
  • 4 places to find your first customers
  • 9 more quotes from people who have this problem
  • Current workarounds, existing solutions and risks