What is Stifle?
Stifle is an app that helps you use your phone less by turning it into a game. Lock your phone, earn points. Compete with friends to see who can stay offline the longest.
How does it work?
When you lock your phone, Stifle starts tracking your "streak." The longer you stay away from your phone, the more points you earn. Points are calculated using a curve that rewards longer sessions but prevents gaming the system by sleeping through it.
Why does it need Accessibility permissions?
Android restricts apps from detecting screen lock/unlock events in the background. The Accessibility Service permission allows Stifle to reliably detect when you lock and unlock your phone, even when other apps are running.
We don't read any content on your screen. We only listen for the lock/unlock system events. Our code is open source so you can verify this yourself.
Is this available for iOS?
Not yet. Apple's iOS is more restrictive about background processes and doesn't allow apps to detect screen lock events the way Android does. We're exploring workarounds, but no promises.
What data do you collect?
Only the timestamps of when you lock and unlock your phone. We use this to calculate your streaks and points. We don't track which apps you use, what you type, your location, or anything else.
Can I use Stifle without friends?
Yes. While the social competition features are a big part of Stifle, you can use it solo to track your own progress and compete against your past self.
What's a "streak"?
A streak is a continuous period where your phone is locked. Every time you lock your phone and don't touch it for at least 10 minutes, that counts as a streak. Shorter periods don't count to prevent gaming the system.
How are weekly scores calculated?
Your weekly score is the sum of all points earned from streaks during the week (Monday to Sunday in your timezone). At the start of each week, everyone's score resets to zero.
What happens to my data when I delete my account?
Everything is permanently deleted. Your profile, all events, scores, group memberships, and settings are removed from our servers. This action is irreversible.
Is Stifle free?
Yes. Stifle is completely free and open source. There are no ads, no premium tiers, and no in-app purchases.
How do I report a bug or request a feature?
Open an issue on our GitHub repository. We welcome contributions from the community.