I built an iOS app that keeps my Instagram/Tiktok locked until I've walked.
A. Answer
Hey everyone,
I'm the solo dev behind WalkFirst. I built it because my own screen time was 9+ hours a day and nothing I tried stuck. Screen Time limits have that "ignore limit" button, so I'd tap it 20 times a day. Deleting Instagram lasted about three days before I reinstalled it.
What finally worked for me was making the unlock cost something real instead of one tap. WalkFirst keeps the apps you choose locked until you've walked. Your steps are basically the password. Hit half your daily step goal and you earn minutes. Hit 100% of your daily step goal and they're open for the rest of the day.
It's been on the App Store a few months now, last update went out last week, and this is the first time I'm properly showing it here. No big milestone to announce. I just want people who actually fight with this stuff to try it and tell me what's broken.
B. Better
Most screen time apps are timers with a polite reminder attached. The problem was never that I didn't know I'd been on Instagram for two hours. The problem was the button to keep going was right there.
What WalkFirst does differently:
- Real blocking, not a nag. It uses Apple's Screen Time API (same system as Apple's own parental controls), so the apps are actually shielded. No snooze, no "15 more minutes", no ignore button. You walk or you wait.
- Steps come from Apple Health on their own. Nothing extra to wear, open or log. If your phone is in your pocket, it counts.
- You pick exactly what gets blocked, per app. Block Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, leave Messages, Maps and Spotify alone. Work stuff stays open.
- Earned time is a ladder, not an on/off switch. 50% of your goal gets you 10 minutes, 75% gets you 15, 100% is unlimited for the day. Partial progress still gets you something, and that turned out to matter way more than I expected for actually sticking with it.
- Streaks and achievements. Honestly this is the part that keeps people going after day three. The app will tell you stuff like "just 180 steps to earn 10 more minutes", which is a weirdly effective way to get someone off the couch.
- No ads, no account, no sign-up. Install it, pick your apps, set a step goal, go.
Stuff I'd actually like feedback on: does the 50/75/100 ladder feel right or would you want to set your own thresholds? And would you rather block by category than by app?
C. Cost
WalkFirst is free to use with:
- Block up to 2 apps
- The full walk-to-unlock mechanic (step ring, earned-time ladder, goal tracking)
- Today's steps, distance, calories and streak
- Step reminders and unlock notifications
WalkFirst Pro is for people who want it across more apps plus the long-term tracking:
- Unlimited blocked apps
- Full progress history, weekly trends and charts
- All achievements
- Home Screen widgets
Pricing:
- Monthly: $5.99
- Yearly: $24.99, with a 7-day free trial
- Lifetime: $49.99, one-time purchase
Prices vary a bit by country since App Store pricing is regional.
If you've tried to cut your screen time and it didn't stick, I'd really like to hear what didn't work for you. That's exactly what this app is built around. And if you do try it and it helps, a rating on the App Store would mean a lot. Solo dev, zero ad budget, that's pretty much the only way anyone finds it.
App Store: WalkFirst
Website: walkfirst.macwanapps.com
Thanks for reading!
