NewPhysical unlock
impulse.

The hardest level of focus is now physical.

Add one more rung to strict mode: a block that ends only when you physically tap a real object. Use the Impulse Disc, or pair any NFC sticker you already own.

The Impulse Discor any NFC tag — from $1

Four levels of friction

Physical is the new top rung.

Dial in exactly how hard it is to unblock. Physical is the one you genuinely can’t cheat in a weak moment.

Focus mode settings in Impulse for iPhone, showing the Basic, Medium, Hard and Physical difficulty levels, with Physical selected and the scan-NFC-card button.
  1. Basic

    Turn it off whenever you want

    A gentle nudge — enough to make you pause for a second.

  2. Medium

    A one-minute countdown

    The urge usually passes before the timer does.

  3. Hard

    Supervisor approval

    An accountability partner holds the key.

  4. Physical

    Scan your NFC tag

    The off-switch lives across the room. No workaround.

How it works

A physical barrier between you and the scroll.

Pick what to block, and how hard

Create profiles like Work, Study or Bedtime, each with its own apps, schedule and unlock level. Set the level to Physical and your Disc becomes the only key.

New block form in Impulse for iPhone: name, apps and sites, a 22:00 to 07:00 schedule with NFC unlock, weekly frequency, and the difficulty level set to Physical.

Tap your Disc to start

One tap and the focus session begins. Not nearby? Start it straight from the app instead.

impulse.

Put distance between you and the Disc

Leave it in another room, a drawer, by the front door. That physical separation turns unblocking into a conscious choice, and quietly breaks the habit loop.

Impulse home on iPhone with Focus mode inactive, the start-focus button and the upcoming scheduled blocks.
impulse.

Come back with purpose

When you’re truly done, tap again to unblock. Need an unexpected exception? Emergency unlocks live in the app, but they’re intentionally inconvenient.

Impulse on iPhone before opening a blocked app: it asks whether you want to continue, notes that Amazon is blocked during the night Focus mode, and shows 0 of 4 opening attempts.
How we compare

Open by design.

Most physical blockers sell you a gadget and lock you in. We give you the friction either way — and it already works on your phone and your browser.

Open by design.
impulse.BrickUnpluqPauseBox
Starting price0 €$59$29.99$24.95
Works with any $1 NFC tag
No extra hardware required
iPhone, Android and browser
Full free software tier
Schedules, limits and focus groups

Based on publicly listed product details, 2026. Comparison reflects each product’s standard offering.

Get the Disc

You don’t buy the Disc. You get it.

No gadget to check out. The Disc comes with Impulse — and physical unlock already works today with any NFC tag, for nothing.

Coming soonImpulse Annual
impulse.

The Impulse Disc, included.

Go annual and the Disc is included. One plan covers the Chrome extension, the iPhone and Android app, and your Disc. No separate hardware to ever buy.

Free today

Don’t want to wait? Use any NFC tag.

Physical unlock already works free with any NFC sticker you own, even one from a pack of a few dollars. Start now; your Disc arrives when the annual plan launches.