Bouncer
Strict but fair
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Strictness
Your apps
now have
a bouncer.
Denied locks the apps that eat your evenings. Want in? Say your reason out loud. A good reason gets you a few minutes. A bad one gets you roasted.
Coming soon to the App Store · iPhone, iOS 17+
Try the doorType your excuse for opening your feed. The bouncer answers.
In the app the bouncer is an AI and decides from what you actually said. This demo only knows a few lines.
Talk your way in
Blocking alone never lasts — the app is one tap away. Denied puts a conversation between you and the tap.
- Pick the apps to lock
Short-video, social, games — anything. Apple's Screen Time locks them at the system level, not just a reminder.
- Hit the door
Open a locked app and the bouncer stops you with two choices: talk, or walk away.
- Make your case
Say it out loud. Specific and honest reasons get 5 to 30 minutes. "Just checking" gets denied — with a line you'll want to screenshot.
- The door closes again
When your minutes run out the lock comes back, even if Denied isn't open.
Pick your gatekeeper
Four voices, one job. Choose the one that actually gets through to you.
Mom
Guilt-trips with love
Again, honey? Go drink some water first.
Strictness
Drill Sergeant
No excuses, recruit
THAT EXCUSE NEEDS PUSH-UPS.
Strictness
Therapist
Asks what's underneath
Is this a need, or a familiar escape?
Strictness
You set the rules
The AI decides the verdict. Your limits decide what it's allowed to give.
Attempts per day
Three by default. Out of attempts means out of luck until midnight.
A daily minute budget
The gatekeeper can never hand out more than you allowed.
Lock schedules
Work hours, study blocks, bedtime — or just always.
Strict mode
Removes the "never mind" button. If you want in, you have to talk.
What leaves your phone
Honest version, not the marketing version.
Stays on your phone
Your voice — it's transcribed on-device by Apple's speech recognition. Which apps you lock. Your limits, schedule and history.
Goes to our server
The text of your excuse, the app's name and today's attempt counts, so the AI gatekeeper can answer. Nothing is stored with your identity. No account, no ads, no cross-app tracking. Full details in the privacy policy.
Price
Denied Pro is required to use the app. Start with three free days.
$29.99 / yearAbout $2.50 a month. 3-day free trial.
$4.99 / weekFor a short reset.
Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel in Settings › Apple ID › Subscriptions.
Questions
Can I just cheat and say something convincing?
You can try. The gatekeeper remembers your last few excuses and gets stricter the more minutes you've already used today. And even a perfect excuse can't get past the daily limits you set.
Does it really block the app, or just nag me?
It really blocks. Denied uses Apple's Screen Time framework, the same system that powers parental controls. The lock survives closing Denied and restarting your phone.
Can it block only Reels or Shorts, not the whole app?
No app on iPhone can lock one feature inside another app — Apple doesn't allow it. Denied locks whole apps, so most people lock the short-video apps and keep messaging apps open.
Is my voice recorded?
No. Speech is turned into text on your phone. Only the text is sent to the gatekeeper, and it isn't stored with your identity.
What if I'm offline?
The bouncer goes offline too. The door stays locked and your attempt isn't used up.