HomeBlogDetach vs Spark: two physical blockers, $9.99 and ₹999
Detach vs Spark: two physical blockers, $9.99 and ₹999
Detach is a free iPhone and Android app with a $9.99 NFC card. Spark is a key priced in rupees. Where each one is genuinely the better buy.
ComparisonPublished 7 min read
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Disclosure: we make Spark. Detach's figures were read from its own site on 23 September 2026.
What Detach is
Detach describes itself as an app blocker for iPhone and Android that uses a physical card to make quitting a session feel intentional. The app is free with no account, the NFC card is $9.99 one-time with an optional $2 magnet, shipping is free worldwide, and there is no subscription. Sessions start with a tap, a hold or a schedule, and the card is what ends them.
Where they differ
| Detach | Spark | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | App free; card $9.99; magnet $2 | ₹999 + GST (NFC) or ₹1,099 + GST (Bluetooth); app free |
| Subscription | None | None |
| To unlock | Scan the card | Tap the NFC key, or hold the phone to the Bluetooth key about 15 seconds |
| Phones | iPhone iOS 17+, Android | iOS 17+, Android 12+ |
| Shipping | Free worldwide | Within India |
| If the object is lost | Not stated | Five emergency unlocks for life, hidden in Strict mode |
| Battery | None (card) | None on the NFC key; a CR2032 coin cell on the Bluetooth key |
When Detach is the better buy
- You want the lowest price for a finished product, and $9.99 plus free shipping is hard to beat.
- You are outside India, where our shipping does not reach.
- A wallet card suits your day better than a key you leave at home.
When Spark is the better buy
- You are in India and want a rupee price, local shipping and GST handled rather than a dollar charge and a customs question.
- You want a slower unlock on purpose. A tap can happen in a pocket; a 15-second hold against a key in another room cannot.
- You want a written escape-hatch policy: five emergency unlocks for the life of the account, and Strict mode that removes them.
Detach says the card is the only way to end a session and that it is impossible to give in. On iPhone both products sit on top of Apple's Screen Time framework, and deleting the app ends a session on either. That is not a criticism of Detach — it is the platform's ceiling, and it applies to us equally.
Common questions
Is Detach available in India?
Detach says shipping is free worldwide, so the card should reach India; the price is in US dollars and any duty is yours to settle. Spark is billed in rupees and shipped from within India.
Which is stricter?
Both make the unlock physical, which is the part that matters. Spark's Bluetooth key adds a 15-second hold and its Strict mode removes the emergency unlocks; Detach's card is a scan.
Sources
- Detach — Free app, $9.99 NFC card, $2 magnet, no subscription, free worldwide shipping, iOS 17+ and Android
The rest of the argument
Each post stands alone. If you would rather have instructions than opinions, the guides are the maintained layer.
The best app blockers in 2026, ranked by how hard they are to bypass
One ranking axis: what it takes to get back in. Physical keys, software strict modes and gentle nudges, with what each actually enforces.
11 min readComparison · 23 Sept 2026Blok vs Spark: the card, the subscription and the price over three years
Blok pairs a $29 NFC card with a paid app. Spark is a one-time key with a free app. What each enforces, and what each costs by year three.
7 min readPut the unlock in another room.
Once your Spark is paired, locking is one tap and works with Bluetooth off. Unlocking means walking to the key and holding your phone against it — which is the whole difference between deciding to stop and having to stand up. The app is free; the key is the one-time buy.