How Fella Works
Block distracting
iPhone apps.
Blocked by default.
Block distracting
Fella is built for controlled access. Keep useful apps without leaving them open all day. Choose what distracts you, then block it on iPhone without deleting it.
It is deliberately simple. No focus sessions, streaks, schedules, or dashboards—just apps blocked by default and one five-minute emergency unlock per session.
How Fella blocks apps
Choose the apps that pull you back in. That could be social media, video, shopping, news, or games. Fella is for selected app blocking on iPhone, not your whole phone.
Then let the rule hold. Fella keeps those apps blocked without asking you to start a session or decide whether today should be a strict day.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Pick the apps that distract you |
| 2 | They stay blocked all day |
| 3 | Use one 5-minute emergency unlock per session when you need it |
| 4 | Fella locks the apps again automatically |
Emergency access
Real life still gets through. Use the emergency unlock once per session for five minutes—enough for a message, code, or quick check in an app such as WhatsApp. When time is up, Fella locks the selected apps again automatically.
What happens when an app is blocked
Fella uses Apple’s own Screen Time frameworks, not a workaround. FamilyControls handles permission, ManagedSettings applies the app shield, and DeviceActivity runs the rule. See our Screen Time alternative guide for the practical difference.
Those boundaries are intentional. Fella blocks app access; it does not read messages, monitor keystrokes, or filter the web.
Fella vs Screen Time
Apple Screen Time is broad; Fella is narrow. Screen Time includes reports, limits, family controls, and device rules. Fella focuses on one behavior: selected distracting apps stay blocked. See Fella vs Apple Screen Time.
It is for people who already know their problem apps. If it is TikTok, Reddit, shopping, dating, or games such as Candy Crush, Fella stops the reflex described in how to stop opening apps automatically.
| Need | Fella | Typical setup-heavy blockers |
|---|---|---|
| Block distracting apps on iPhone | Core job | Often one feature among many |
| Emergency app access | One 5-minute unlock per session | Multiple pauses, sessions, or overrides |
| Daily decision-making | Minimal | Modes, timers, schedules, exceptions |
| Best fit | People who want fewer loopholes | People who want detailed control |
Fella in action
Set the rule once. Fella holds it until you deliberately use your emergency unlock.
Choose your routine, from a
quick reset to a full lock-in.
One tap blocks distracting apps when you open them.One tap blocks the apps that distract you.
New
Maximize your focus with the latest
Give Fella a try
Maximize your focus with the latest
version of Fella, Fella+.
Maximize your focus with the
latest version of Fella, Fella+.
Give Fella a try
Apps people usually block with Fella
Block the few apps that turn a quick check into a habit. For most people that means social feeds, short-form video, streaming, shopping, dating, games, or news—not their whole phone. Useful apps can still be checked with the emergency unlock.
What Fella is not
Fella is not a dashboard, schedule planner, parental-control product, or soft nudge. It has no streaks, reports, recurring sessions, or warning screens. It is for the person using the phone who wants an app blocked rather than politely delayed.
Who Fella is for
Fella is for people who keep reopening the same apps without thinking. It is especially useful if Screen Time limits are easy to ignore but deleting the app feels too extreme. Put a hard stop between the impulse and the app while keeping occasional access possible.
FAQs
Fella lets you select distracting apps, then keeps those apps blocked using Apple's Screen Time app blocking frameworks. The goal is simple selected-app blocking, not full device management.
Fella is a focused alternative to manually managing Screen Time limits. It does not try to replace every Screen Time feature. It focuses on blocking selected apps all day with one controlled emergency unlock.
The emergency unlock is one 5-minute emergency unlock per session. You can use it when you genuinely need to check something inside a blocked app. After 5 minutes, Fella locks the app again automatically.
Fella is designed for selected distracting apps, including social media and entertainment apps. The exact app selection flow depends on Apple's Screen Time app selection interface.
Fella is built on Apple's Screen Time frameworks, introduced in iOS 16: FamilyControls for authorization, ManagedSettings for applying restrictions, and DeviceActivity for scheduling when they're active. It's the same sanctioned system Apple's own Screen Time uses, not a workaround.
Fella offers a 3-day free trial. After that, Fella+ is $9.99 monthly or $34.99 annually, which is about 71% cheaper than paying month to month.
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Starting Right Now
Fella blocks the apps that pull you away,
and gives you one 5-minute unlock per session.