Is Saalo worth it?

If you're asking this question, you probably already know the idea: a box for your phone, and an app that counts the time you spend away from it. The natural next question is whether it's actually worth your time and money.

We'll try to answer that as honestly as we can, including who it isn't for.

What Saalo actually is

Saalo has two parts. You can use the first on its own.

• The Saalo app. Free on the App Store. It counts your time away from your phone, with sessions, a daily intention, and scheduled clearings for the windows that matter to you, like mornings, meals or evenings. If you wear an Oura ring, it shows how your sleep, stress and restorative time respond on the days you step away.
• The Saalo Box. A home for your phone. Open the lid, place your phone inside, and close it. Your session starts on its own. No buttons, no switches. It comes in wood, ceramic, metal and a simple sustainable finish.

Saalo is built around one simple idea: your phone works best when it's somewhere else for a while. There's no app blocking and no lock. We explain how that compares with other approaches in dumbphone, app blocker or phone box.

What it costs

• The app: free.
• The Saalo Box: available by waitlist, with a $50 refundable deposit. We'll share the price before it ships.

What makes it different

It counts the time you get back. Most tools measure your screen time, which is a record of what went wrong. Saalo measures the time you spent away, which is the number you actually want to grow.

It doesn't depend on willpower. Limits on your phone come with a "skip" button. A phone that's in a box across the room doesn't. We compared the popular app blockers if you'd like to see the difference.

It shows what changes in your body. With an Oura ring connected, you can see your own numbers on phone-free days next to the others. In my data, the clearest changes have come at lunch and in the evening.

Our take

No product is right for everyone, and we'd rather tell you that up front.

• If you want to stop using certain apps entirely: a blocker or a dumbphone may suit you better. Saalo doesn't stop you from opening anything.
• If you just want to see whether phone-free time helps you: start with the free app. You'll know within a few weeks.
• If you wear an Oura ring: this is where Saalo really shines. Seeing your own sleep and stress next to your phone-free time is something no other tool does.
• If your phone lives on the nightstand or the dinner table: the Saalo Box gives it somewhere better to go, and makes starting a session effortless.
• If you're looking for something for your kids: Saalo isn't designed for children or teens yet.

So is it worth it? The app is free, so yes. Download it, try a few phone-free windows, and see what changes for you. Add the Box when you're ready.

You can download the app for free and join the Box waitlist at saalo.co/shop.