DLM is a screen-time blocker for iPhone that takes one feature most apps get wrong and fixes it: you can't turn off the block yourself. The key lives on someone else's phone — a buddy you choose.
The three-step contract
- Pick your traps. You choose the apps (Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, whatever pulls you in) and the hours you want them blocked. Apple's Family Controls framework does the actual locking.
- Hand the key. You pair with a buddy by sending them a 6-character code. From the moment they enter it, only they can unlock your apps.
- Wait it out. When you want an unlock, you submit a request with a real reason. A short cooldown kicks in. Your buddy decides on their phone whether to approve.
Why this works when other apps don't
Every other screen-time tool eventually lets you turn the block off yourself — that's the failure mode. DLM removes the off-switch by handing it to a different human. The friction of asking another person, writing down why, and waiting through the cooldown is enough to defuse most urges before they become decisions you regret.
Two roles, one app
DLM works in pairs of two. One person is the Blocker (apps blocked on their phone). The other is the Key Holder (no blocks of their own; just decides for the Blocker). You can also switch roles later, but switching away from being blocked requires your buddy's approval, same cooldown as an unblock request.
Who DLM is for
DLM is built for adults who want to be held to their own promises. Pair with a partner, a sober friend, a sibling, anyone who'll actually hold the line. It's not a parental control app and we don't market it to families with minors.
What it costs
The app is free to download. Holding the key for someone is free forever. Being the Blocker requires DLM Premium — $5.99/month or $35.99/year, with a 3-day free trial. One Premium plan covers your whole Apple Family.