Apps Designed to Cut Screen Time and Prompt Physical Activity

A growing group of apps now requires users to move before they can scroll through social platforms. Digital Carrot blocks sites until users hit personalized fitness or screen-time targets and can link to wearables like the Apple Watch. MeBeMe delivers mission-style nudges for activities such as burpees or warm-ups, while StepBloc locks apps until a set number of steps or specific exercises are completed.

Steppin lets users trade steps for minutes of scrolling, and TouchGrass forces a photo of actual grass to unlock apps. WalkLock and its Android counterpart Walkly integrate with health data to release apps once daily step goals are met. WeWard, originally a walking-reward program, now adds a “Walking Mode” that restricts app access until step targets are reached. Most tools are available for free on iOS, with Android versions for some and paid upgrades for additional functionality.