A lot of adults need this too. The addictive apps are very well designed, while most blockers are either too easy to ignore or too annoying to keep using.
I built a small iOS blocker because I had the same problem. Making it strict enough to actually work without making people hate it is the main challenge.
Built EvoCat, a strict iOS app blocker using Screen Time APIs.Most apps still let you bypass mid-session. This one doesn’t.“Cats” are enforcement modes: – IronCat: hard block – BuffCat: effort to unlock – SageCat: challenge – ZenCat: delayPick one per day. No switching mid-session.Would love feedback.
i built a heart rate zone training app for runners. ios + apple watch. custom zones, real-time haptics, post-run graphs. all the “smart” stuff you’d expect.but i never talked to a single runner before building it. not even myself lol. started as a thesis → kept building → added features → added a paywall (€4/month!) → launched it → and yeah… no one cared.zero feedback. zero users. just code in...
I’ve always struggled with mindless scrolling, even when I had important work to do. Timers and app blockers never stuck — they felt boring and were easy to bypass.I built EvoCat as a small side project to solve my own problem. It’s a simple iOS app that blocks distracting apps and websites, but adds a fun layer of gamification: • You earn XP for staying focused • You evolve a digital cat as...
The idea came from wanting to combine the best parts of all the focus apps I used: scheduled block sessions like Opal, mindful breathing interruptions like One Sec, and some light gamification to make it feel less like punishment.
EvoCat is a small animated character (a cat-phone hybrid) that evolves as you stay focused. The longer you avoid distractions, the stronger it becomes — and the harder it gets to cancel your focus sessions. It turns screen time control into something a bit more playful, but still effective.
I currently have a beta available on iOS and I’m happy to share a TestFlight link if anyone wants to try it out. You can also check it out here: https://evocat.app
Would love feedback from fellow builders and focus-app nerds :)
Uses on-device activity monitoring without sending data to servers Implements progressive friction that adapts to your usage patterns Gamifies focus with visual pet evolution that provides tangible progress markers Combines scheduled focus sessions with real-time intervention
I'd love feedback from the HN community on both the concept and implementation. Has anyone else tried merging digital wellbeing with virtual pets? What other interaction patterns might make focus more engaging? You can try it at [https://evocat.app]. There's a free tier to get started.