Your phone won't give itself back. Beg.
The screen time app that makes you say it out loud.
If I had to explain out loud at 2am why I needed Instagram, I'd just go to sleep.
— Night owl, 24
Time Limit
You've reached your limit on Instagram.
Most screen time apps add a speed bump. Beg adds a mirror.
You can dismiss a timer. You can't unhear yourself saying “I just need to check one thing” for the fourth time today.
How it works
Block
Choose the apps that own you. Be honest.
Pick your poison
Social media, games, news, dating apps — select the ones you keep reaching for.
Set your schedule
Block during work hours, after midnight, or all day. You set the rules — the Gatekeeper enforces them.
No easy undo
Once set, you can't just tap a button to turn it off.
Beg
Try to open a blocked app. You'll meet a locked screen and a single option: beg.
Say it out loud
No typing. Speak your reason into the mic. You can't exactly do it quietly on the train.
The Gatekeeper decides
Your plea is evaluated on what you said, how many times you've tried today, and whether your excuse is convincing.
Maybe
The Gatekeeper decides. It might let you in. It probably won't.
Unlock a personality
On devices with Apple Intelligence, the Gatekeeper gets a voice.
The Monarch
Cold. Regal. Unimpressed. You are a peasant. Grovel harder.
The Bouncer
Doesn't talk. Doesn't care. Crossed arms. Good luck.
The Judge
Weighs every word. Checks the clock. Knows you already asked twice today.
FAQ
Beg is a screen time app that blocks the apps you choose and makes you literally beg a Gatekeeper for access. By default, the Crystal Blob decides your fate — silently, inscrutably. It uses speech recognition, motion sensors, and a healthy dose of judgment to decide if you deserve to scroll.
Yes — and there's real science behind it. Research shows that putting impulses into words activates the prefrontal cortex and reduces activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain that drives reactive, emotional behavior. Speaking aloud engages the rational part of your brain and dampens the impulsive part.
Beg forces that moment of articulation. You can't mindlessly open an app — you have to say why, out loud, and that friction is often enough to break the cycle.
By default, the Crystal Blob is your Gatekeeper — it doesn't speak, it doesn't explain, it just decides. Your plea is evaluated based on what you said, how many times you've tried today, and whether your excuse is convincing. On devices with Apple Intelligence, you can unlock personality judges — The Monarch, The Bouncer, or The Judge — each with their own voice and strictness level.
Yes. Beg uses your phone's motion sensors to detect if you're on your knees. It won't guarantee access, but the Gatekeeper notices the effort.
No. All speech processing happens on your device. Your pleas are transcribed locally and never sent to our servers. Your dignity stays between you and your phone.
You can block any app on your device. Social media, games, news, dating apps — whatever you need distance from.
If bypassing were easy, what would be the point? Strict Mode makes it even harder.
Pricing hasn't been announced yet. Join the waitlist and we'll share details before the Gatekeeper starts charging admission.
The Gatekeeper is warming up. Join the waitlist to be first in line.
Beg is being built for iOS and Android using React Native.
Still scrolling? You could be begging.
The waitlist is open. The Gatekeeper is already judging you.