Built for ADHD
The focus app that enforces itself — so you don’t have to
Most focus apps require you to activate them before the impulse hits. Ravelo works differently: it turns screen time into a balance you bank. Distracting apps are locked by default through iOS Screen Time; you earn access through productive use and spend it on purpose. There is nothing to remember and no moment of weakness to navigate.
Why ADHD can make compulsive phone use harder
ADHD is not a discipline problem. Differences in reward processing, attention regulation, and impulse control can make fast, reliable stimulation especially compelling. Social media, short-form video, and games are built to provide exactly that kind of immediate feedback.
ADHD can also impair executive function — the ability to pause, evaluate a decision, and override an impulse. Every blocker that asks you to start a session or set a limit in the moment depends on the exact cognitive resource that may be under the most strain.
Time blindness can make fifteen minutes of scrolling become two hours without a clear sense that time has passed. A system that blocks by default removes the decision before that pattern can take over.
Why most app blockers fail for ADHD
They require activation before the impulse
Session-based blockers work only during a session you already started. If you did not start one, there is no protection when impulsivity arrives.
They leave a bypass option
An Ignore Limit button becomes the most common failure point. ‘Just one minute’ is always available precisely when resisting it is hardest.
They rely on sustained motivation
Daily intention-setting and manual scheduling demand consistent executive function. A system that keeps working without active participation is structurally more reliable.
How Ravelo addresses each failure point
No activation required
Ravelo enforces blocking through iOS Screen Time at all times, not only during sessions. The block is already there when you unlock your phone.
No easy bypass
There is no Ignore Limit button. Access requires Time Currency you earned. Hardcore Mode also removes Quick Peek, the one-minute access option.
Positive reinforcement
Useful behavior earns access instead of distraction creating guilt. The 1:1 exchange provides immediate, concrete feedback.
Works when your job is off-phone
A 15–120 minute Focus Session earns the same Time Currency as useful on-phone activity, whether you work on a laptop, train, or study from a notebook.
Weekly hard limits in Pro
Hardcore Mode turns Weekly Goals into absolute rules. Reach the weekly entertainment limit and blocked apps stay closed until the week resets.
See how Ravelo compares to other iPhone focus apps: Ravelo vs Opal · Ravelo vs Freedom
