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PeerPause vs one sec
one sec is one of the best tools for catching apps you open on autopilot, and it has the research to prove it. PeerPause is for when you breathe through the pause and open the app anyway.
We make PeerPause, so weigh this accordingly. Prices and features checked ; see one sec’s own page for the latest.
The short answer
Pick one sec if…
- You open apps without thinking, and a moment to notice is all you need.
- You want something backed by a peer-reviewed study.
- You only want to slow down one app, for free.
- You use Android or Chrome as well.
Pick PeerPause if…
- You’re fully aware when you open the app, and you do it anyway.
- You want a hard daily limit, not a speed bump.
- You want a friend to decide when you get more time.
Side by side
| one sec | PeerPause | |
|---|---|---|
| How it stops you | A short intervention, like a breathing exercise, before the app opens | A daily limit or schedule that locks the app, with no Ignore button |
| When you want more time | Finish the pause and choose to continue | Ask your Time Buddy for 15 minutes to an hour, with a note |
| Who decides | You, after the pause | Your Time Buddy, a friend you choose. Changing or removing a limit needs their OK too |
| Works on | iPhone, Android and Chrome | iPhone |
| Price | Free for one app; one sec pro $19.99/year or $99.99 lifetime | Free to be a Time Buddy; Pro subscription to limit your own apps |
Prices are US App Store or official-site prices as of October 2026.
Where one sec is ahead
It’s proven against autopilot
A 2023 study in PNAS followed 280 one sec users for six weeks. After the pause they closed the app about 36% of the time, and actual opens of the target apps fell by 57%. Few apps in this space have evidence like that.
It’s gentle, and it’s yours
one sec never locks you out, so it can’t trap you when you really need an app, and it doesn’t depend on anyone else. One app is free, which makes it an easy first step.
Where PeerPause is different
A wall, not a speed bump
one sec leaves the final decision with you. A few seconds of breathing rarely changes a decision you’ve already made. At a PeerPause limit, the app stays locked until your Time Buddy says yes.
Getting past the limit means asking a person
When you hit your limit there’s nothing to tap through. You send your Time Buddy a request for 15 minutes to an hour, with a note if you like, and they accept or deny it from wherever they are. Typing “just one more reel” to a real person is often enough to make you put the phone down.
You can’t quietly undo it at 1am
Changing or removing a limit needs your buddy’s OK as well, so the tired version of you can’t overrule the calm one. Your buddy sees only the app name, the time you asked for and your note: never your messages, photos or what you do inside an app.
The trade-off: it needs a friend who replies
PeerPause only works as well as your Time Buddy. If they never answer, you wait; if they say yes to everything, the limit means nothing. Pick someone who will reply and who will say no when you don’t have a good reason. Being a buddy costs nothing; limiting your own apps needs PeerPause Pro.
Questions people ask
Is PeerPause a good one sec alternative?
If you keep breathing your way past the pause, yes: PeerPause replaces the pause with a limit only your Time Buddy can lift. If you mostly open apps on autopilot, one sec may already be enough.
Does one sec actually work?
For autopilot opening, yes. In a 2023 PNAS study of 280 users over six weeks, people closed the app after the pause about 36% of the time and opened their target apps 57% less. It helps less when you already know you want to scroll.
Can I use one sec and PeerPause together?
Yes. one sec catches the mindless opens; a PeerPause limit, held by a friend, catches the ones you mean.
How much does PeerPause cost?
Being someone’s Time Buddy is always free. Setting limits on your own apps needs PeerPause Pro, a subscription through the App Store. The app shows the price for your country before you subscribe.
Friends keep you off your phone
PeerPause locks your apps. Only your Time Buddy can give you more time.