pick the apps
choose the apps that pull you under. the usual suspects. you know which ones.
iphone · out now
apps don't open until the checklist does.
before you scroll, do the thing.
holdup is a focus app that blocks your distracting apps until you finish a real-world checklist. not a timer. not a guilt trip. just a locked door with a short to-do list taped to it.
how it works
three steps. no productivity cosplay.
holdup sits between you and the apps you open on autopilot. it does one thing and it does it stubbornly.
write the checklist
a few real-world things you actually meant to do today. small and honest beats big and fake.
finish, then scroll
the apps stay shut until the checklist is done. no checklist, no feed. that is the whole trick.
what it feels like
built for the exact second your thumb gets sneaky.
the checklist comes first
open holdup and you meet the list, not the feed. tiny things. the stuff you keep putting off.
the app just does not open
tap a blocked app and you hit a wall instead of a feed. annoying on purpose. that is the point.
done unlocks everything
check the last box and the apps open back up. you earned the scroll. enjoy it without the guilt.
the honest part
it's friction, not a cage.
you can always bail. holdup just makes bailing a choice instead of a reflex. it runs on apple's screen time framework, so your blocked apps and your checklist live on your phone — not on a server, not in an account, not in our inbox. we built a doorstop, not a warden.
the useful questions
what people usually want to know.
what is holdup?
holdup is an iphone app blocker that keeps distracting apps closed until you finish a checklist you wrote for yourself.
how is it different from a screen time limit?
it connects access to a real-world to-do list instead of a countdown. finish the list and the apps open.
does holdup collect my screen time or checklist?
no. your app selections and checklist stay on your iphone. there is no holdup account, analytics tracker, or server copy of what you block.
can i bypass a block?
yes. holdup is deliberate friction, not an unbreakable cage. skipping stays a visible choice, and strict mode can hide that choice on the days you set.
iphone · out now
hold up.
it's on the app store. free. go do the thing.