Exercise-gated app blocker for phone addiction
Build a mobile app blocker that requires verified physical proof-of-work (squats, pushups, walking steps counted via camera pose detection or sensors) before unlocking distracting apps, sold as a one-time purchase or small subscription to people who have already failed with simple screen-time limiters. Target productivity and digital-wellbeing communities, habit-tracking forums, and self-improvement audiences on Reddit and TikTok who complain that existing blockers are too easy to bypass.
What to build
A mobile app blocker for Android (and later iOS) that locks distracting apps like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube until the user completes a verified set of bodyweight exercises (squats, pushups) using front-camera pose detection, sold to people who've already abandoned simple screen-time limiter apps.
A developer already built and is beta-testing a squat-gated Instagram blocker on Android, validating that proof-of-work fitness gating is a sharper hook than standard screen-time limits for an audience that keeps bypassing softer blockers.
Demand
Self-improvement and digital-wellbeing communities who've burned out on easily-bypassed screen-time apps want friction that actually costs effort, not just a settings toggle, and are showing up to volunteer as beta testers for exactly this kind of app.
- r/microsaas (Reddit)Announcement
Developer post: 'I made an Android app that locks Instagram until you do verified squats via front camera (Looking for beta testers!)' — posted to r/microsaas soliciting testers.
- Signal title (self-reported developer post)Announcement
Developer announces the app is built and functional, actively recruiting beta testers rather than just pitching an idea, indicating a working MVP already exists.
Stack
- Kotlin + Android UsageStatsManager / AccessibilityService (app-lock enforcement)
- Google ML Kit Pose Detection or MediaPipe Pose (squat rep counting via front camera)
- CameraX API
- Firebase Auth + Firestore (user state, streaks)
- RevenueCat (subscription/one-time purchase billing)
- Google Play Console (distribution)
Solo + AI difficulty
The hard part is reliable on-device pose detection across lighting conditions and phone angles to prevent easy gaming of the squat count, plus Android's AccessibilityService/foreground-lock APIs which are fiddly and need careful permission handling; the blocker UI and billing are comparatively easy with existing libraries. A solo builder using AI pairing could reach a rough MVP in 3-5 weeks, with another few weeks of tuning pose-detection accuracy before a public launch.
- Entry threshold
- Buildable solo in a few weeks using on-device ML Kit or MediaPipe pose detection plus standard Android accessibility/usage-stats APIs to intercept app launches; main friction is Google Play review for apps that restrict other apps, plus iOS being far more locked down for this pattern.
- Window
- 6-12 months
Where to find first users
- r/microsaas and r/SideProject (where the original post already landed)
- r/productivity, r/digitalminimalism, r/getdisciplined
- TikTok/Instagram Reels demo videos targeting self-improvement and 'dopamine detox' audiences
- Product Hunt launch
Competitors
Counter-signals & risks
No independent confirmation that the camera-based squat verification works reliably — pose detection can produce false positives/negatives depending on lighting, framing, and phone placement, and determined users may find ways to game it.
Continuous front-camera access for exercise verification raises privacy concerns that could slow adoption or draw extra scrutiny during Google Play app review.
Exercise-gated app blockers aren't fully greenfield — adjacent habit-gated and screen-time blocker apps already exist, so standing out and monetizing beyond an initial novelty beta may be difficult.
Original title: I made an Android app that locks Instagram until you do verified squats via front camera (Looking for beta testers!)
Related signals
- Productivity#1
Cheap external-partner portal layer for Airtable
Build a lightweight external-collaborator layer for Airtable (and similar tools like Smartsheet, monday.com): a portal that syncs with linked bases via API, enforces row-level permissions so outside partners only see their own records, supports SSO for core staff, and charges per light-user seat at a fraction of Airtable's full seat price. Sell to ops and RevOps teams at mid-size companies who have a small internal builder team plus a much larger pool of external viewers/updaters.
Demand6/10est.Buildability7/10est.Competition5/10est.via Reddit44 competitors - Productivity#3
Lightweight internal app builder to replace messy Smartsheet workflows
Build a lightweight internal-app builder focused on one workflow archetype: request form plus reviewer approval queue plus role-based visibility (requesters see only their own rows), with Smartsheet-style reporting/dashboards built in. Target ops and IT teams who have outgrown a spreadsheet-based workflow but don't want a full no-code platform like Retool or a heavyweight app like ServiceNow. Package it as a template (equipment/IT request tracker) so teams can deploy in under a day.
Demand5/10est.Buildability7/10est.Competition5/10est.via Reddit44 competitors - Productivity#5
Paid, polished window snapper for Mac power users
Build a polished, paid window-snapping and tiling app for macOS aimed at power users and ex-Windows switchers who miss FancyZones/Divvy-style layouts. Package it as a one-time purchase or small subscription on the Mac App Store and gumroad-style sites, with custom layouts, keyboard shortcuts, and multi-monitor profiles that the free open-source tool leaves unpolished.
Demand3/10measuredBuildability9/10est.Competition5/10est.via Hacker News44 competitors