moss vs nfcGuard
A free, offline Android app that blocks apps until you walk to an NFC tag.
Checked 11 November 2026 against andebugulin's own pages. We make moss, so we have linked every source below.
What nfcGuard is
nfcGuard is a free, open source Android app (MIT licence) that works fully offline, with no ads and no in-app purchases shown. It has a block mode and an allow mode, schedules by day, and several modes that each have their own tag. To unlock you tap that mode's tag. Timed unlocks are capped by a limit you set in advance. Its own listing says unlocking means getting up, or deleting the app.
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 | nfcGuard |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Android only |
| 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 | Block mode or allow mode. Per-day schedules. Each mode has its own tag |
| How you unlock | Tap the stone, in the app | Tap that mode's tag. Timed unlocks up to a limit you set |
| If you need back in | 3 emergency unlocks a month, refilled automatically | An emergency reset with a cooldown you configure |
| 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 | Your own tag, one per mode |
Where nfcGuard is better
- It is free and open source.
- No account and no tracking, and it works offline.
- It works on Android, which moss does not.
Where moss is better
- It works on iPhone. nfcGuard is Android only.
- Strict Mode stops apps being deleted while locked. nfcGuard's own listing names deleting the app as a way out.
- A finished stone is included.
- Households can lock together and see whose phone is down.
Who should pick which
Pick nfcGuard if
You use Android and want something free, private and simple for your own phone.
Pick moss if
You use an iPhone and want a stone your household shares.
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.
