moss vs Balance Phone
Samsung Galaxy phones sold with Balance OS, which blocks whole categories all the time.
Checked 11 November 2026 against Balance Phone's own pages. We make moss, so we have linked every source below.
What Balance Phone is
Balance Phone is a Barcelona company that sells Samsung Galaxy phones with Balance OS. The system blocks social media, porn, betting, video games, streaming and dating, and keeps messaging, maps, banking and similar apps. On its euro storefront the Kids model (Galaxy A17) is 299 euros, the Balance Phone (Galaxy A37) is 449 euros and the Pro (Galaxy S25) is 749 euros. Balance OS for a Samsung you already own is 79 euros a year. There is a 14-day trial with a full refund. The blocking is permanent and by category, with a tool to check whether an app or URL is allowed.
What moss is
moss is an iPhone app that comes with a small physical stone. You choose the apps that distract you, tap your phone on the stone, and those apps stay locked until you tap the stone again. People who live together can link their phones to share schedules and put their phones down at the same time, while each person keeps control of their own phone. Locking is free in the app, the stone is a one-time purchase, and the household features are a paid add-on.
Side by side
| Feature | moss | Balance Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Price | US$49 stone, free app | Phones 299, 449 or 749 euros. Balance OS alone 79 euros a year |
| Subscription | None to lock your own phone. Household features are a paid add-on | Yes for Balance OS on your own Samsung. Not stated for the bundled phones |
| Works on | iPhone only, iOS 17 or later | Samsung Galaxy (Android) only |
| How you lock | Tap the stone, or start from the app, a Shortcut, the lock screen or the Action Button. Schedules by day of week | Always on. Whole categories are blocked at system level |
| How you unlock | Tap the stone, in the app | No unlock. A checker shows which apps and URLs are allowed |
| If you need back in | 3 emergency unlocks a month, refilled automatically | Not stated |
| Locking together as a household | Yes, as a paid add-on. Shared schedules, sessions others join in one tap, a view of whose phone is down, a streak. Nobody controls anyone else | A Kids model is sold. Parental control details not stated |
| Whose key opens your phone | Only your household's own stone, card and sprigs unlock your phones | No key |
Where Balance Phone is better
- The blocking is always on, so there is no session to end.
- It keeps messaging, maps and banking while blocking whole categories.
- There is a Kids model.
- A 14-day trial with a full refund.
Where moss is better
- It works on iPhone. Balance OS is Samsung only.
- You choose which apps to lock and when, and get them back by tapping the stone.
- Households lock together as equals, and nobody can lock or see anyone else's phone.
Who should pick which
Pick Balance Phone if
You want certain categories gone for good and are willing to switch to a Samsung phone.
Pick moss if
You want to keep your iPhone and decide which hours are protected.
Sources
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.
moss is a stone that locks the apps you choose.
Tap to lock, tap to unlock. One price, and locking needs no subscription.
