We ship you an iPhone with the junk chiseled off permanently. Your phone becomes a tool, and you become free. No configuring, no settings to fiddle with, no workarounds. It shows up ready to go and impossible to break.
$99 refundable deposit · 90-day program
Get the Stone PhoneWhy this works
Every app blocker, screen time limiter, and "digital wellness" tool has the same fatal flaw: you can turn it off. You set it up yourself, you hold the password, and at 11:30pm when you're bored and tired, you override it. Every time. Stone Phone is different because the restrictions aren't settings you configure — they're locked in with our proprietary technology before the phone ever reaches you. There's nothing to set up, nothing to manage, and nothing to override.
Apple Screen Time lets you set limits, then asks if you'd like "15 more minutes" when you hit them. That's not a lock — that's a suggestion. Our technology makes the restrictions impenetrable. There is no override prompt.
App blockers run on top of your phone. You can delete them, disable them, or just use Safari to access the same sites. Our restrictions run beneath the operating system. You can't uninstall what you can't reach.
No downloading 4 apps. No watching YouTube tutorials on the best settings. No spending an hour building your blocklist. Your Stone Phone shows up ready. Pop in your SIM and go live your life.
How it works
Choose Focus (basically a dumb phone with iMessage and a real camera) or Balance (your apps minus the time sinks). Tell us which essentials you need at signup.
We take an iPhone SE (2nd gen, unlocked, 64GB), lock it down with our proprietary technology, and ship it to your door. Insert your SIM card — we even include the SIM tool — and you're live. No setup, no configuring, no downloading anything.
The restrictions are impenetrable. You can't override them, install blocked apps, or talk yourself into "just five more minutes" of TikTok at midnight. We hold the keys so you don't have to trust yourself.
Two modes
Everything a Light Phone does, plus everything it can't. iMessage that actually works. A real camera. Apple Pay. GPS that won't get you lost on the way to a funeral. No browser, no app store, no rabbit holes.
What's on the phone
Chiseled off permanently
Safari · App Store · Instagram · TikTok · X · Facebook · Snapchat · YouTube · Reddit · News · Email · All social media
You still need email for work. Maybe Slack. Maybe Notion. That's fine. We block social media and doomscroll apps, you customize your app list at signup, and you get one update per week. Includes a 3-day white-glove onboarding period.
What's on the phone
Chiseled off permanently
Instagram · TikTok · X · Facebook · Snapchat · YouTube · Reddit · All social media apps · Social media websites
The trade-off
Comparison
Because dumb phones are actually dumb. They drop the stuff you need along with the stuff you don't.
| Feature | Stone Phone 🪨 | Light Phone | Screen Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| iMessage | Yes | No (SMS only) | Yes |
| Real camera | Yes | No / Basic | Yes |
| Apple Pay | Yes | No | Yes |
| Reliable GPS | Apple Maps | Laggy, unreliable | Yes |
| Spotify | Yes | No (MP3 only) | Yes |
| Uber / Lyft | Yes | No | Yes |
| 2FA apps | Yes | No | Yes |
| Social media blocked | Yes, impenetrable | N/A (no apps) | Bypassable |
| You can undo it at 11pm | Nope | Nope | Yep (that's the problem) |
| Setup required | None — arrives ready | Minimal | Lots of configuring |
| Upfront cost | $99 deposit (refundable) | $299 – $799 | Free |
Questions
What phone do I actually get?
An iPhone SE (2nd generation), unlocked, 64GB. It's a real iPhone that works like a real iPhone — it just doesn't have the stuff that ruins your afternoon. It arrives with a SIM card tool in the box. Pop in your existing SIM and you're good to go.
Can I keep my number?
Yes. Pop in your existing SIM or eSIM and you're good. We handle the software, not your carrier.
How is this different from Screen Time or app blockers?
Screen Time and app blockers are settings you control — which means you can override them whenever you want. And you will, at 11pm on a Tuesday. Stone Phone is locked down with our proprietary technology before it ever reaches you. There are no settings to fiddle with, no passcode you can enter to get "15 more minutes," and no way to uninstall the restrictions. It arrives configured and impenetrable. You don't waste time setting anything up, and you can't undo it even if you try.
What stops me from removing the restrictions?
Our proprietary lockdown technology runs beneath the level you can access as a user. You can't remove it, disable it, or work around it — that's the entire point of the product. If you could turn it off, it would just be another app blocker. It's not.
Can I get social media added to my phone?
No. Social media is blocked on every plan, no exceptions, no workarounds, no "just for work" exceptions. Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, and Reddit are permanently off the table. This is a hard policy and we will not make exceptions. If you need social media on your phone, Stone Phone isn't the right product for you — and that's okay.
What if I need an app that's not included?
Focus users can request essential utility apps at signup — things like banking, rideshare, or an authenticator. Balance users get 5 picks at signup plus one change request per week. We review requests to make sure they're tools, not traps.
Why is there a limit on change requests?
Because unlimited changes defeat the purpose. If you could swap apps on and off whenever you felt like it, you'd be right back where you started. The one-change-per-week limit on the Balance plan is intentional friction — it forces you to think about whether you actually need something instead of acting on impulse. Most people find they use fewer changes than they expected.
Can you see my texts, photos, or personal data?
No. Our technology controls which apps can be installed and which websites can be visited — that's it. We cannot see your messages, photos, browsing activity, location, or any personal content on the device. We see what apps are installed and whether the device is active. Think of it like a landlord who controls which appliances are in the apartment but doesn't have a camera inside.
Why is it a 90-day program?
Because the first few weeks are hard and most people who push through are glad they did. The program is charged monthly — you're not prepaying anything. You're just committing to giving it a real shot. After 90 days, you can continue month-to-month or send the phone back.
What happens when I cancel?
Ship the phone back with the prepaid label we send you. Normal wear and tear is fine. Your $99 deposit is refunded once we get it back.
Who owns the phone?
We do. It's a subscription, not a purchase. You're renting a tool. When you're done with it, send it back.
You've tried app timers. You've tried grayscale. You've tried "just having more discipline." Join the Stone Phone program and get a phone that actually works for you — locked down so tight you couldn't break in if you wanted to. No setup, no configuration, no willpower required.