Every time you open Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, an algorithm is betting it can keep you scrolling longer than you intended. one sec flips that dynamic — inserting a brief, intentional pause (a deep breath, a reflection, a physical gesture) before the app opens, giving your long-term brain a chance to catch up with your thumb.^1 The approach is deceptively simple, but the results are striking: peer-reviewed research with the Max Planck Institute and Heidelberg University found that app usage drops by 57% on average.^2
Created in 2020 by indie developer Frederik Riedel during Germany's first COVID lockdown, one sec was built to solve his own Instagram habit — and it worked so well he shipped it to the App Store.^3 What started as a single Shortcut Automation has grown into a full-featured screen time platform: multiple intervention types (breathing exercises, conversational reflections, rotate-phone challenges, 4-7-8 breathing), app blocking with schedules, a doomscroll emergency brake, healthy alternatives nudges, journaling, intention tracking, and emotion tracking.^1 The app also offers a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge to cover distractions on desktop.^1
one sec's scientific backing is unusually strong for a consumer app. Multiple peer-reviewed studies with the Max Planck Institute and Heidelberg University validate its impact on habit change.^2 The German and Danish governments have validated it for digital wellbeing at scale.^2 Users report sleeping roughly two more hours per week.^2
Why People Love ItUsers consistently describe one sec as "the only screen time app that actually works" — not because it blocks you, but because it interrupts the muscle memory of unconscious scrolling.^4 "This free app saves me 21 hours every month," said productivity expert Ali Abdaal.^1 "I'm a lot more mindful and in the moment than I was before," shared one App Store reviewer who said the app made unconscious habits conscious.^4 The app is particularly praised by users with ADHD, who call it a "holy grail for ADHD relief."^5
Notable- Featured in Apple's "See What's New in iOS 26" and "See What's New in iPadOS 26" editorial spotlights^4
- Worked directly with Apple on iOS 26.4 Screen Time Lock — an anti-cheat mechanism making one sec bullet-proof^6
- New Focus Filters integration adapts blocking rules to your current Focus Mode (work, sleep, personal)^7
- Press coverage: New York Times, Wall Street Journal, TIME, Forbes, The Verge, Fast Company^3
- Featured on the Launched by RevenueCat podcast (April 2026) discussing Stanford and Cambridge partnerships^3
- Developer also created Bible App Blocker, Faith Focus — a Christian-oriented companion app^4
- 3,000+ years saved from scrolling every week across all users^1
- 17-person indie team, fully independent (no investors, no data selling)^3
- Covered by U.S. Patent 12,468,828 B2^4
Platforms: iOS, Android, Browser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) Pricing: Freemium — free for one app; Pro for unlimited apps with monthly, annual, or lifetime options; Family and Team/School plans available; scholarship plans for those who can't afford it
