How We Feel vs Opal
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
How We Feel is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.1. How We Feel wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Opal on 2.
Anyone who wants to understand their moods without paying or oversharing
Phone users who want firm, scheduled limits on distracting apps
Score by score
The details
| Feature | How We Feel | Opal |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mind & Focus | Mind & Focus |
| Category rank | #2 of 11 | #10 of 11 |
| Developer | The How We Feel Project | Opal OS Corporation |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Is How We Feel better than Opal?
How We Feel is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.1. How We Feel wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Opal on 2.
Which is cheaper, How We Feel or Opal?
How We Feel: Free; made by a nonprofit funded by donations. Opal: Free plan; Pro $19.99/month, $99.99/year or $399 lifetime. On value for money, How We Feel scores higher.
Do How We Feel and Opal work on the same devices?
Only Opal runs on Mac.
Which is more private, How We Feel or Opal?
How We Feel scores higher on privacy (9.2/10). The developer says your data stays on your device unless you opt in to share anonymized check-ins for research. App Store label: contact info, identifiers and other data may be linked to you.
Strengths and weaknesses
How We Feel
- Completely free, from a nonprofit
- Data stays on your device by default
- Strategies take a minute or two
- Android version is rated lower than iOS
- Not a substitute for professional care
How We Feel helps you find the exact word for a feeling, which makes it easier to act on. It was conceived with Yale's Center for Emotional Intelligence, and it links your check-ins to sleep, exercise and other Apple Health trends so patterns show up over time. Short video strategies can shift a bad moment in about a minute, and you can share feelings with close friends. It's free and keeps data on your device by default.
Full How We Feel review
Opal
- Polished design that makes blocking feel rewarding
- Hard Mode resists late-night willpower lapses
- Clear reports on where your time goes
- Free plan is limited to a single Rule
- Pro costs more than most rivals
- Privacy label declares tracking
Opal is the most polished screen time blocker around, and it runs on iPhone, Android and Mac. Rules block apps and websites on a schedule, after a time limit or after a set number of opens, and Hard Mode makes a block nearly impossible to cancel. Clear reports show where your hours go. The catch: the free plan allows one Rule, Pro is pricey at $99.99 a year, and upgrade prompts are persistent.
Full Opal review
