FAQ

Questions, answered

Is Ficus really free?: Yes, and it stays that way. No subscription, no in-app purchases, nothing held back behind a paywall. Every unblock step, every feature, is free to use.
What data do you collect?: None. No analytics, no accounts, no cloud sync, no network calls of any kind. See the Privacy Policy for the specifics.
Can I really not get around it?: Ficus is built to beat impulse and habit, not to defeat someone truly determined to dig into Settings and turn off Screen Time access. No app on iOS can prevent that, full stop.
What's an "unblock step"?: One piece of what stands between you and a blocked app: waiting 90 seconds, typing a passphrase, whatever you've set up. Six kinds to draw from: waits, taps, generated passphrases, multiplication puzzles, shakes, and physical NFC or QR scans. Stack them in whatever order works.
What if I need in and my NFC tag is across town?: Turn on emergency unblocks. Off by default, capped between one and five a week, and they skip the steps entirely. They still count as a pause for escalation, and when you're out the button stays visible but stops working, so you always know where you stand.
Does Ficus work without an internet connection?: Yes, always. There's no networking code in the app, so there's nothing to connect to.
What does Ficus need permission to do?: It uses Apple's Screen Time (Family Controls) framework to apply and lift blocks on the apps or categories you choose. That's the only permission it asks for.
I found a bug, or something isn't working right.: Email the address below with what you were doing, what you expected, and what happened instead. Screenshots help.

Still stuck?

Send it over. Bug reports, feature ideas, or just questions.

nathan@somewhatproductive.com