Apps to quit porn or PMO, compared
Conflict of interest: I make Ballast, one of the apps on this page, so I'm not a neutral judge. Read this as one developer's reading of public sources, and check the listings yourself. No app here paid to appear.
There's no single best app, and research can't crown one: a 2025 review found star ratings didn't track quality, and a 2022 review found none of 170 apps cited evidence for its own efficacy. If you want a community, look at apps with groups. If you want a faith-based approach, Unchaind and Overcomer are built for it. Ballast is for people who want privacy and a free urge flow, with no account.
The apps, as of 4 November 2026
US App Store rating counts, largest first. I've left out star averages and prices on purpose. Stars don't track quality, and prices vary by country and change often, so check the listing.
| App | US ratings | How you pay | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unchaind (Christian) | 45.5K | Subscription; blocking needs its top tier | Uses the Screen Time web filter and says "You can turn blocking off at any time". Reviewers say it's easy to turn off and ask for a partner feature. An agnostic reviewer wrote: "I have no faith but I want the mission." |
| Brainbuddy | 26K | Premium after onboarding | Some reviews report lost streaks, of 450 and 1,400 days. Uses the phrase "dopamine detox". |
| Overcomer (faith) | 10.5K | Subscription; 3-day trial | A complaint of blocking persisting after a subscription lapsed. |
| CURE | 4.7K | Subscription; claims a free tier | Reviewers say they can't find the free tier. |
| No Nut | 4K | Monthly or lifetime; free tier unclear | Blocks through a Safari extension. |
| Migiri | 3.6K | Trial, then payment required | Blocks through a VPN. Complaints: VPN switched off, app deleted, images through search, other apps broken. |
| Relay | 3.4K | Subscription | — |
| Fortify | 3.2K | Free tier; later modules paid | Some reviews report login trouble and lost streaks. One user says AI replaced human support and "makes so many mistakes". |
| Rewired | 3.2K, in 12 months | 3-day trial; monthly, yearly or lifetime | A fast riser. Uses the phrase "Daily Dopamine Reset". |
| Freed | 129 | Paywall at end of setup | — |
| Ballast (mine) | No ratings yet | Free tier; Pro is monthly, yearly or lifetime | New and unproven at scale. Free urge flow, no account. No website filter in version 1.0.1. No community. |
BlockerX isn't in the table because I don't have its rating count, but it comes up often: it uses a VPN, and reviewers complain that turning Screen Time off disables it and that it over-blocks. QUITTR, formerly among the largest, no longer has a listing.
Where other apps are better than Ballast
- Community. Reviewers across this category praise community and small groups more than almost anything. Ballast has none and won't soon, because it has no server. If other people are what you need, choose an app with groups, or a free peer meeting such as SMART Recovery.
- A faith-based frame. If your faith is why you're doing this, Unchaind and Overcomer are built around it. Ballast is secular.
- Track record. Most of these apps have thousands of ratings behind them. Ballast has no ratings yet.
- Built-in blocking. Ballast 1.0.1 doesn't include a filter yet. Its friction checklist walks you through Apple's free Screen Time steps. If you want blocking inside the app, look at the apps above that have it.
- Accountability with another person's eyes on it. Ballast's partner card is something you choose to send yourself; nobody gets reports. If you want someone to be told, this isn't that.
- A different kind of blocking. VPN-based blockers such as BlockerX and Migiri work differently from Apple's filter and may catch things it doesn't. They also attract the complaints above, so it's a real trade-off.
- Android. Ballast is iPhone only.
Where Ballast differs
- The moment of need is free. The whole urge flow and slip support cost nothing, for good. Charging "to quit" with a paywall after a long quiz is the most frequent complaint I read.
- No account and no server. Personal entries stay on your iPhone. There's no login to lose, and you can export your main records to a file whenever you choose.
- A slip is treated as data. It restarts your current run, and your longest run and history stay. The next screen offers a few small things for the next hour, with no numbers on it.
- No brain claims. It uses skills from CBT and ACT and hedges where evidence is thin.
None of this means it works better. I have no outcome data for Ballast, and as far as I can tell neither does anyone else in this table.
How to choose
- You want people: pick an app with groups, or try a free meeting.
- You want faith at the centre: Unchaind or Overcomer.
- You mostly want a filter: start with Apple's free Screen Time steps. You may not need anything else.
- You want a private plan for urges: that's what I built Ballast for. You can also write a plan in your browser for free without any app.
- It's seriously affecting your life: therapy has much more research behind it than any app here.
Before paying for anything, check whether the trial renews automatically, and whether you can cancel in Apple's Subscriptions screen.
How this was put together, and its limits
On 4 November 2026 I read each app's US App Store listing and the first page of its reviews in Apple's feed, up to 50 per app. So the review notes are themes, not counts, and a complaint quoted here may be rare or already fixed. I didn't test every app for months. Reddit and AI assistants weren't part of this. If something's wrong or has changed, email me and I'll correct it, whichever app it concerns.
Research context: Hart-Derrick and colleagues (2025) reviewed 23 iPhone apps and found star ratings didn't track quality. Henry and colleagues (2022) looked at 170 apps: blockers had the most installs and the lowest satisfaction, and no app cited evidence for its efficacy or safety.
When to look for more help
Ballast is a self-tracking and educational tool, not treatment. None of these is a diagnosis, but any one is a fair reason to book a conversation: you've tried to cut back several times and it keeps coming back; it's eating into sleep, work or time with people; it has become the main way you deal with stress or low mood; or you feel low or anxious most days.
- A therapist. Look for someone who works with CBT or ACT and is comfortable talking about sex.
- Your GP or family doctor. A good first stop if you're unsure. They can check what else might be going on and refer you on.
- SMART Recovery. Free peer meetings, online and in person, built on practical CBT-style tools.
- SAA. A twelve-step fellowship with free meetings in many countries and online.
If things feel very dark: if you are having thoughts of harming yourself, contact your local emergency services or a crisis line now. In the US, call or text 988. Elsewhere, findahelpline.com lists free lines by country.
Questions
What is the best app to quit porn?
There is no clear winner. No app here has published good outcome data that I could find, and star ratings don't track quality. Choose by what you need: community, a faith-based frame, a filter, or a private plan for urges.
Is there a free app to quit porn?
Some have free tiers, and how much they cover varies. Ballast's urge flow and slip support are free. Fortify has a free tier with later modules paid. Reviewers of some other apps report struggling to find the free option.
Can any app completely block porn on iPhone?
No App Store route stops a determined owner of the phone. Filters, VPNs and extensions each have gaps, and all can be undone. Think of them as friction that buys a pause.
Are these apps based on science?
A 2022 review of 170 apps found none cited evidence for its own efficacy or safety. Therapy using CBT or ACT has much more research behind it. Ballast uses skills from CBT and ACT, but that is not the same as evidence that the app itself works.