A Freedom app alternative that's free and teaches you a language
Freedom blocks apps and sites across your devices on a subscription. Glosso does it on iPhone for free, and instead of just pausing your scroll, you learn a language to earn it back.
- 100% free, no subscription
- Learn a language while apps are blocked
- Enforced by Apple Screen Time on iPhone
Free · No ads · Uses Apple Screen Time API
9 languages available
Why people look for a Freedom alternative
Freedom is one of the best-known focus tools out there. It runs across iOS, Mac, Windows, and Android, letting you block apps and websites on schedules or in focused sessions. If you live in browsers all day and bounce between a laptop and a phone, that cross-platform reach is genuinely useful for deep work.
But not everyone needs all of that. A lot of people only want to rein in their phone, where the real damage happens: the Instagram refresh in line, the TikTok hole at midnight, the X tab that never closes. For them, a desktop-and-mobile blocker is more than they signed up for, and the subscription stings when iPhone is the only screen they actually struggle with.
There's a second, quieter reason too. Blocking apps fixes the symptom but leaves a void. You pick up your phone out of habit, hit a block screen, and feel a little annoyed and a little empty. People searching for apps like Freedom often want the same discipline with something to show for the time, not just a wall that says no.
Glosso: free, iOS-native, and you learn while you're blocked
Glosso is a free Freedom alternative built only for iPhone, and it leans into that focus instead of spreading thin. It uses Apple's Screen Time and Family Controls APIs, so the block is enforced at the system level, the same foundation Freedom uses on iOS. The twist: to unlock a blocked app, you complete a short vocabulary session, as quick as one minute, in the language you're learning. Earn your scroll.
So the time you used to lose to doomscrolling turns into reps in Spanish, Japanese, German, or any of nine languages. All of them are included, free, and you can switch whenever you like.
Completely free
No subscription, no trial, no premium tier, no ads. Where Freedom runs on paid plans, Glosso gives you the full app and all nine languages for nothing.
Learn instead of just blocking
Hit a blocked app and Glosso asks for a quick vocabulary session before it opens. The same minutes that fed the scroll now build a language habit.
Built on Apple Screen Time
Glosso uses Apple's Screen Time and Family Controls APIs, so blocks hold at the iOS system level instead of relying on willpower or a flimsy timer.
Made for iPhone, done well
No half-finished mobile experience tacked onto a desktop tool. Glosso is iOS-native start to finish, tuned for the screen where you actually overscroll.
How Glosso works
Pick what to block
Choose your time-sinks: Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, Facebook, whatever pulls you in. Glosso locks them through Apple Screen Time.
Choose your language
Set the language you want to learn from nine options. All are included for free and you can switch anytime, no extra cost.
Earn your scroll
When you reach for a blocked app, finish a quick vocabulary session, as short as a minute, and it unlocks. Over time the blocks fade and the words stick.
“Honestly, it's genius. It cuts me off cold in my scroll to make me work on my Spanish. Best app to stop wasting time!”
“Finally a useful app. I'd been looking for ages for a blocker that's both useful and fun. It's great!”
“The vocabulary toll… a bit annoying at first but honestly it works, a minute here, a minute there, and I'm learning my Spanish vocab, it's nice.”
Glosso vs Freedom
Both block distractions and both can enforce limits on iOS. The real differences are cost, platforms, and what happens when you hit a block. Here's an honest side-by-side.
| Glosso | Freedom | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Paid plans |
| Learn a language while blocked | ✓ | ✗ |
| Reward to unlock | Quick vocabulary session | Pause or scheduled end |
| Platforms | iPhone only | iOS, Mac, Windows, Android |
| iOS Screen Time enforcement | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ads | None | None |
FAQ
Is Glosso really free?
Yes. Glosso is 100% free, with no subscription, no trial, no premium tier, and no ads. All nine languages are included at no cost.
Is Glosso a good alternative to Freedom?
If you mainly want to control your iPhone and would like something free, yes. Glosso blocks distracting apps through Apple Screen Time and adds a learning reward. If you specifically need cross-device blocking on Mac, Windows, and Android, Freedom covers more platforms.
What's the difference between Glosso and Freedom?
Freedom is a paid, cross-platform blocker for deep work across devices. Glosso is a free, iPhone-only app that turns each blocked moment into a one-minute language session instead of just pausing your scroll.
Does Glosso block the same apps as Freedom?
On iPhone, yes. Glosso can block Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, Facebook, and other apps using Apple's Screen Time and Family Controls APIs.
Do I have to learn a language to use it?
Learning is the unlock mechanic, so a quick vocabulary session is how you open a blocked app. Sessions can be as short as a minute, and you choose which language to study from nine options.
Does Glosso work on Android or desktop?
No. Glosso is built only for iPhone using Apple's Screen Time framework. If you need Android or desktop blocking, a cross-platform tool like Freedom is a better fit.
A free Freedom alternative that gives the time back
Block the apps that hook you, learn a language to earn them back, and keep every penny. Glosso is free on iPhone.
Download freeFree · No ads · Uses Apple Screen Time API