moss vs Foqos
Free and open source. Works with any cheap NFC tag or a printed QR code. iPhone only.
Checked 11 November 2026 against Ali Waseem's own pages. We make moss, so we have linked every source below.
What Foqos is
Foqos is a free, open source iPhone app (MIT licence) that turns any standard NFC tag, QR code or barcode into a lock for your apps. It has profiles, schedules, breaks, website blocking, a Hard Mode and Shortcuts support, and a profile can be bound to one specific tag so that no other tag stops it. There is no subscription. The App Store listing offers optional tips. It needs iOS 17.6 or later, and it has no emergency unlock.
What moss is
moss is an iPhone app that comes with a small physical stone. You choose the apps that distract you, tap your phone on the stone, and those apps stay locked until you tap the stone again. People who live together can link their phones to share schedules and put their phones down at the same time, while each person keeps control of their own phone. Locking is free in the app, the stone is a one-time purchase, and the household features are a paid add-on.
Side by side
| Feature | moss | Foqos |
|---|---|---|
| Price | US$49 stone, free app | Free. Bring your own NFC tag |
| Subscription | None to lock your own phone. Household features are a paid add-on | None |
| Works on | iPhone only, iOS 17 or later | iPhone only (iOS 17.6+) |
| How you lock | Tap the stone, or start from the app, a Shortcut, the lock screen or the Action Button. Schedules by day of week | Tap any NFC tag, scan a QR code, or start manually. Schedules |
| How you unlock | Tap the stone, in the app | Tap the tag or scan the code |
| If you need back in | 3 emergency unlocks a month, refilled automatically | None built in |
| Locking together as a household | Yes, as a paid add-on. Shared schedules, sessions others join in one tap, a view of whose phone is down, a streak. Nobody controls anyone else | None |
| Whose key opens your phone | Only your household's own stone, card and sprigs unlock your phones | A profile can be tied to one specific tag |
Where Foqos is better
- It is free, and a blank NFC tag costs very little.
- It is open source, so anyone can read the code.
- QR codes work as well as tags.
Where moss is better
- Emergency unlocks. With Foqos, losing the tag can leave you stuck.
- Household sessions, shared schedules and the who is in view.
- A finished object designed to live in your home, with nothing to source or set up.
Who should pick which
Pick Foqos if
You are comfortable buying a tag and setting it up yourself, and you only need to lock your own phone.
Pick moss if
You want a household to take part, you want a safety net, or you would rather not tinker.
Sources
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.
moss is a stone that locks the apps you choose.
Tap to lock, tap to unlock. One price, and locking needs no subscription.
