moss vs Turning off notifications
Switch off alerts for the apps that pull you back in.
Checked 11 November 2026 against Apple's own pages. We make moss, so we have linked every source below.
What Turning off notifications is
You can turn off notifications for any app in Settings, under Notifications, or by swiping left on an alert and choosing Options. It is free and you set it once. It removes the prompt to pick the phone up, and it does nothing about checking out of habit. In a randomised field experiment with 237 people (Fitz and colleagues, 2019), receiving notifications in three batches a day improved mood and lowered stress, while switching them off entirely brought few benefits and more anxiety and fear of missing out.
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 | Turning off notifications |
|---|---|---|
| Price | US$49 stone, free app | Free |
| Subscription | None to lock your own phone. Household features are a paid add-on | None |
| Works on | iPhone only, iOS 17 or later | iPhone |
| 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 | It does not. It removes the alerts that prompt you |
| How you unlock | Tap the stone, in the app | Open the app as usual |
| If you need back in | 3 emergency unlocks a month, refilled automatically | Not needed: nothing is locked |
| 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 | Nothing is locked |
Where Turning off notifications is better
- It is free and you set it once.
- It removes the trigger, where a lock deals with what happens after it.
- There is published research on notifications, with mixed results. There is no published trial of NFC pucks.
Where moss is better
- It locks the app. With alerts off, the app still opens when you reach for it.
- You can leave notifications alone and still be unable to open the app during a session.
- Households can lock together.
Who should pick which
Pick Turning off notifications if
Your phone use starts with a buzz, and you are happy to miss some alerts.
Pick moss if
You pick the phone up without being prompted. Fewer notifications and a lock work well together.
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.
