Your mind wasn't built for constant stimulation
The average person spends
70 days a year on their phone:
drained and overstimulated
Your brain didn't choose this.
FWRD gives you the OFF switch.
Your brain didn't choose this.
FWRD gives you the OFF switch.
How FWRD creates relief
FWRD is a physical NFC card designed to block your distracting apps
Instead of relying on willpower or digital timers, FWRD introduces something tangible: a simple card you tap against your phone to lock and unlock
That small physical step creates real friction between impulse and action. And that friction is what breaks the scroll loop and creates real relief
Select the apps that feel
most distracting
Tap the FWRD card to lock
the apps
Keep the card out
of reach
Watch how
FWRD works
Real people, real relief
Join the thousands building a calmer
relationship with their phone
Get FWRD Bundle
FWRD NFC Card + Lifetime App Access
What changes when you step away
Less overstimulated nervous system
The average adult now spends 4–6+ hours a day on their phone, and NIH’s largest-ever brain imaging study linked 7+ hours of daily screen time to premature thinning of the cortex — the part of the brain responsible for focus, logic, and emotional regulation. Each notification triggers a mini stress response, keeping the brain in low-grade "high alert." Even a 24–48 hour reduction in screen time has been shown to begin resetting the brain’s reward sensitivity.
Sources: NIH ABCD Study; published research on sensory overstimulation and screen use
Fewer stress spikes
Phone use measurably raises cortisol, your primary stress hormone. A study published in Computers in Human Behavior found that adolescents with heavier phone use and larger social networks had significantly elevated cortisol awakening responses and higher IL-6 (an inflammation marker). Separate lab research has shown salivary cortisol rises in response to incoming texts and notifications — meaning your body is biologically reacting to your phone, even when you aren't consciously stressed.
Sources: Afifi et al., "WIRED" study, Computers in Human Behavior; salivary cortisol research on phone notifications
Reduced anxiety from constant input
In a randomized controlled trial of 154 adults, participants who stopped using social media for just one week reported significantly lower anxiety and depression and higher well-being than the control group (Lambert et al., 2022, Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking). A separate RCT of 220 young adults found that cutting social media to ~1 hour/day for 3 weeks produced significant drops in anxiety, depression, and fear of missing out — and improved sleep — within 21 days.
Sources: Lambert et al. 2022; Davis & Goldfield 2024 RCT
Deeper, more restorative sleep
Phone use before bed suppresses melatonin, the hormone that signals sleep. A controlled sleep-lab study (Höhn et al., published in Sleep Medicine) found that 90 minutes of pre-bed smartphone reading reduced slow-wave sleep — the deepest, most physically restorative stage — in the first quarter of the night, and blunted the next morning's cortisol awakening response. The Sleep Foundation notes that 2+ hours of evening screen time can disrupt the melatonin surge needed to fall asleep.
Sources: Höhn et al., Sleep Medicine; National Sleep Foundation
App Features
iOS and Android Compatible
Block any app by category or individually
Usage analytics dashboard
Schedule lock windows
Different modes for different moments
No internet required to lock/unlock
Works offline, no subscription ever
Everything you’re asking
What is FWRD?
FWRD is a wellness-first screen time tool that combines a physical NFC card with a companion app. Instead of relying on more willpower, it adds a small moment of friction between you and the apps that pull you out of your day.
How does it work?
Choose the apps you want to block in the FWRD app. Tap the card on your phone to lock them. When you want to unlock, you have to find the card and tap again. That extra step is enough to turn an impulse into a choice.
How is it different from other screen time apps?
Software-only blocks live on the same screen you're trying to step away from one tap and they're gone. FWRD is physical. You can't dismiss a card with your thumb. That small bit of distance is what makes it stick.
Do I need a phone app too? What phones does it work with?
Yes, the card pairs with our free companion app, where you choose what to block and for how long. It works with every modern smartphone: any iPhone or Android with NFC, which is almost all of them.
What comes in the order?
Your FWRD card, and a link to the companion app. Most orders are shipped and delivered within 2-4 business days.
Which apps can I block?
You're in full control. Pick any app on your phone, social, news, games, work, anything that pulls you in. Block one, block ten, change your mind tomorrow. It's your call.
Can't I just tap the card again to unlock whenever I want?
Yes, and that's the point. FWRD isn't a cage, it's a pause. Where you keep the card is part of the practice. Most people leave it in a drawer, in the kitchen, or by the front door, somewhere a tap means you actually meant it.
Is there a subscription?
No, it's a one-time purchase. The card is yours, and the core app is free to use forever.
What if I really need the app in an emergency?
You can always unlock by tapping the card. If you lose or forget the card, no worries you have emergency exits available to you to unlock your phone.
What's the return policy?
30 days hassle free. If FWRD isn't right for you just email us, and will refund you right away. We simply disable your card so you don’t even need to ship it back to us!