First, the disclosure: I built Precursor. I will try to be fair anyway, because Opal is a good app and the honest answer here is "it depends on how your scrolling problem actually behaves."
The two apps hold different theories of the problem. Opal blocks apps in scheduled sessions: you decide when focus time happens, and Opal protects it. Precursor gives each app a small hourly allowance, say 5 minutes of Instagram per hour, that resets at the top of every hour. Spend it, and the app is blocked behind a shield until the hour turns.
What Opal does better
- Scheduling depth. Opal is built around Rules: recurring sessions with schedules, time limits, and open limits. If your goal is "no social apps during work hours, every weekday," Opal does that natively and does it well. Precursor has nothing like it.
- More platforms today. Opal runs on iOS, Android, and Mac now. Precursor runs on iPhone and iPad (iOS 17 or later), with an Android version in testing.
- A serious strict mode. Opal Pro's harder blocking difficulty removes unblocks entirely during a session. If you want a wall with no door, that is the closest thing in the category.
- Maturity. Opal has been shipping for years, with a large user base and a polished product. Precursor is launching soon, and is one person's app.
- Extras. Timers, soundscapes, an Opal Score with history, an Allow Only mode. If a score and a dashboard motivate you, Opal has them. Precursor deliberately has no scores or streaks.
What Precursor does differently
One thing, really: screen time limits that reset hourly. Opal's time limits, like Apple's, run on daily budgets inside schedules. Precursor's whole design is the hourly allowance. You get 5 minutes, back every hour, so a bad morning never burns the whole day and relief is never more than an hour away. An hourly reset has been a long-open feature request among Opal's own users; Precursor exists because nobody had built the mechanic itself.
Two smaller differences worth knowing:
- Privacy by architecture. Precursor has no accounts. iOS hands me anonymous tokens, so I cannot see which apps you limit, and enforcement stays on the device.
- Price. Precursor's core is free. Precursor+ is $4.99 a month, $49.99 a year, or $99.99 once.
Side by side
| Precursor | Opal | |
|---|---|---|
| Core model | Hourly allowance, resets at the top of every hour | Scheduled sessions (Rules) with time limits and open limits |
| Platforms | iPhone and iPad, iOS 17+; Android coming soon | iOS, Android, Mac |
| Free tier | Core mechanic, hourly windows | 1 Rule with scheduling, time and open limits |
| Paid price | $4.99/mo, $49.99/yr, $99.99 lifetime | $19.99/mo, $99.99/yr, $399 lifetime |
| Strict option | Optional passcode on editing (survives reinstall) | Harder blocking difficulty, no unblocks (Pro) |
| Scores and streaks | None, on purpose | Opal Score, history in Pro |
Prices checked on each developer's site, July 5, 2026.
The honest bottom line
Pick Opal if you think in sessions: protected work blocks, app-free evenings, a strict wall you schedule in advance. It is the most complete app in the category, and if you use its depth, the price can be worth it.
Pick Precursor if daily limits keep failing you the same way mine failed me: budget gone by 9am, then a whole day of resentment. A small hourly allowance changes the shape of the day rather than fencing off parts of it. Precursor also states its limits plainly: background video and audio count toward the allowance (Apple's accounting), deleting the app removes every limit, and it will not offer allowances under about 5 minutes because iOS usage tracking is too coarse there to be fair.
FAQ
Is Precursor a good Opal alternative?
For one specific need, yes: limits that reset every hour instead of once a day. If you want scheduled focus sessions, an Android app today, Mac support, or a no-unblocks strict mode, Opal remains the better fit.
Can Opal limit apps per hour?
As of mid-2026, Opal's limits work through schedules and daily budgets, and an hourly resetting limit has been a user feature request for years. Precursor is built entirely around that mechanic.
Is Opal worth $100 a year?
If you actively use its scheduling, strict sessions, and cross-platform support, it can be. If all you want is a small recurring allowance, you are paying for depth you will not use; Precursor's yearly plan is $49.99 and the core is free.
Which is cheaper, Precursor or Opal?
Precursor. Free core, then $4.99 a month, $49.99 a year, or $99.99 lifetime, against Opal Pro's $19.99 a month, $99.99 a year, or $399 lifetime.
Does Precursor work on Android?
Not yet. Today Precursor runs on iPhone and iPad (iOS 17 or later); an Android version is in testing and coming soon. Join the early-access list at precursorlabs.studio to hear the moment it lands.
Get Precursor
Precursor is in beta. Join at precursorlabs.studio; beta testers keep Precursor+ for life. Precursor is free for iPhone and iPad (iOS 17 or later) and is launching soon, with an Android version on the way.
The core mechanic costs nothing. Precursor+ adds up to 8 app groups, 30-minute reset windows, and time limits up to 30 minutes per hour ($4.99 a month, $49.99 a year, or $99.99 once). No account, ever. iOS hands me anonymous tokens, so I cannot see which apps you choose to limit.