My own phone problem (the embarrassing version)
For about two years, I had what I now recognize as a serious phone habit. Not "I use my phone a lot"—that's fine. I mean the kind where you pick up your phone 80+ times a day, scroll until 1am even though you have work tomorrow, and feel genuinely anxious when you can't find your phone for five minutes.
The worst part wasn't the time lost. It was the loss of control. I'd decide to check Instagram "for a second" and emerge 45 minutes later with no memory of making a conscious choice to keep scrolling. It wasn't enjoyable. It was just... happening.
I knew I needed to change. I tried to change. I failed, over and over, for months. That failure is what eventually led me to build something physical.
Everything I tried first (and why each one failed)
I want to be clear: I didn't start by deciding to build a product. I started by trying literally everything else.
iPhone Screen Time limits
I set app limits for Instagram, TikTok, Twitter. I hit "Ignore Limit" 47 times in one month. I counted. The limit would pop up, and I'd tap through it before my conscious brain even registered what was happening.
App blocker apps
I tried several. They all had the same problem: they lived on the same device they were trying to control. When you're in the grip of a compulsive moment, you can disable an app in seconds. Software can't create real barriers when the user controls the software.
Deleting apps
I deleted Instagram three times. Reinstalled it within days each time. Once I started using Safari to check Instagram instead—I was just that good at finding workarounds to my own rules.
Willpower and promises
"I'll just stop." "I'll only check once in the morning and once at night." "I'll be more disciplined." Every promise I made to myself I eventually broke. Not because I'm weak—because willpower is inconsistent and these apps are designed by people much smarter than me to be irresistible.
Why physical friction is fundamentally different
The insight that eventually led to Apptoken came from noticing when I didn't scroll: when my phone was physically elsewhere. Not in another app. Not locked with a passcode. Physically in another room.
If my phone was charging in the kitchen and I was in the living room, I wasn't constantly checking it. Not because I had more willpower—because checking required standing up, walking to the kitchen, and consciously deciding to scroll. That tiny bit of effort was enough to break the automatic loop.
The problem: I couldn't always leave my phone in another room. I need it for calls, work messages, maps, two-factor authentication. I didn't want to lock away my whole phone. I wanted to lock away Instagram specifically, while keeping everything else accessible.
That's the gap Apptoken fills: physical friction for specific apps, without losing access to your phone entirely.
The core principle
Software barriers can be bypassed with taps on the same screen. Physical barriers require you to do something in the real world—stand up, walk somewhere, retrieve something. That's different. That moment of physical effort is often enough to interrupt the automatic habit loop.
How Apptoken actually works
Apptoken is simple. It's an NFC token—a small physical object with a chip in it. You set up which apps require the token to unlock (usually your worst 2-3 scroll apps). When you try to open one of those apps, you get a screen that says "tap your token." No token nearby? The app doesn't open.
The token goes somewhere away from your phone. On a shelf. In another room. On your keys that you leave by the door. The point is that accessing your scroll apps requires getting up and doing something physical.
That's it. No gamification. No complicated session tracking. No social features. Just a physical pause before you can scroll.
- One-time purchase: €29 for one token, €49 for two. No subscription. I hate subscription fatigue and didn't want to create another recurring bill in people's lives.
- Selective blocking: You choose which apps need the token. Calls, maps, messages, banking—those all work normally. Only the apps you designate as problems require the tap.
- Portable: The token is keychain-sized. It works at home, at the office, traveling. Unlike base-station solutions, it doesn't tie you to one location.
The honest limitations (what Apptoken can't do)
I want to be straight with you about what this product won't do:
- If you keep the token in your pocket, it won't work. The friction comes from distance. Token-in-pocket means you've eliminated the barrier. Keep it across the room.
- It doesn't address underlying causes. If your phone use is driven by anxiety, depression, or ADHD, a friction tool helps with behavior but doesn't treat the root issue. Professional support might be more important.
- The app isn't beautiful. It's functional. It works. But if you want gorgeous design, competitors like Bloom have nicer-looking apps. We're working on improving this.
- Thick cases can interfere. NFC works through most cases, but very thick rugged cases might reduce reliability. If you have issues, try without the case to isolate the variable.
Who this is (and isn't) for
Good fit
- • You've tried app limits and keep overriding them
- • You want to block specific apps, not your whole phone
- • You need something portable (not tied to one location)
- • You prefer one-time purchase over subscriptions
- • You're willing to keep the token genuinely separate from your phone
Not a good fit
- • You haven't tried basic changes yet (notifications, home screen, phone placement)
- • You want to lock away your entire phone for hours at a time (get a lockbox instead)
- • You think a product will solve the problem without any effort on your part
- • Your phone use is tied to serious mental health issues that need professional support