One Good Thing vs one sec
the short answer
one sec makes you take a breath before a distracting app opens. One Good Thing blocks nothing; it offers one idea a day worth your attention, in under two minutes.
why people compare them
one sec is clever: when you reach for a distracting app, it makes you take a breath first, and often that breath is enough to put the phone down.
One Good Thing is not a blocker at all. It comes from the other side: once a day, at your quiet minute, it gives you one good idea from one of 12 fields. You carry it or let it go, and the app closes itself out of the way.
We think screen time is not quite the problem; what fills it is.
side by side
| Compared on | one good thing | one sec |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | One good idea a day, from 12 fields | A pause before you open distracting apps |
| How it works | Read, carry it or let it go, close the app | A breath or a prompt before the app opens |
| Time a day | Under two minutes, once | A short pause, each time you open a chosen app |
| What it changes | What you give your attention to | How often you reach for the feed |
| Approach | Adds something worth your attention | Adds friction in front of the habit |
| What it builds | Your house of thought, one room for every field you carry from | Limits, schedules and tracking of how often you open chosen apps |
| Cost | The daily idea and your whole collection are free for good. Membership is optional | Free essentials, with a paid Pro tier |
- What it is
- ogtOne good idea a day, from 12 fields
- one secA pause before you open distracting apps
- How it works
- ogtRead, carry it or let it go, close the app
- one secA breath or a prompt before the app opens
- Time a day
- ogtUnder two minutes, once
- one secA short pause, each time you open a chosen app
- What it changes
- ogtWhat you give your attention to
- one secHow often you reach for the feed
- Approach
- ogtAdds something worth your attention
- one secAdds friction in front of the habit
- What it builds
- ogtYour house of thought, one room for every field you carry from
- one secLimits, schedules and tracking of how often you open chosen apps
- Cost
- ogtThe daily idea and your whole collection are free for good. Membership is optional
- one secFree essentials, with a paid Pro tier
What we say about one sec was checked against one sec's site on . Prices and features change; if something here is out of date, tell us and we will fix it.
which one is for you
one sec, if
- One or two apps keep swallowing your evenings
- You want a speed bump, not a lecture
- You are on several devices and want it everywhere
- Seeing how often you backed out would motivate you
One Good Thing, if
- You want to replace some scrolling with something good
- Blocking alone left a gap you filled with another app
- You like ideas from places you would never think to look
- You want an app that wants less of your time
the honest part
Better together
These two pair well. one sec catches the reflex; One Good Thing gives the attention you saved somewhere to go. One idea, under two minutes, and a reason to think about something other than the feed on the walk home.
questions
Is one sec worth it?
Can I use one sec and One Good Thing together?
Is One Good Thing a screen time app?
Blocking distractions or building a daily habit: which works?
What is One Good Thing?
Is One Good Thing free?
keep comparing