In this blog series ‘Is it worth it’, I look at products that fit with the travel and freedom lifestyle I have chosen. Not just what they cost, but whether they actually add something to my life. This time, it is something I never really expected to review: a little device that helps me put my phone away.
It’s called Tap Out and it is all about spending less time on your phone.
Developed by a startup in the Netherlands (go Ducthies!), Tap Out serves as a physical barrier to digital distractions. Instead of using standard software-only app blockers that are easy to bypass, it operates using unique rules to help you enjoy the moment and focus more without the distraction of your phone.
Disclosure: I am working with Tap Out on my Instagram, which means I received the product as part of our collaboration. But this blog post is not sponsored and Tap Out did not ask me to write this review. As with all my ‘Is it worth it?’ articles, I am sharing my own experience and whether I genuinely think something is worth the money. This blog post does contains affiliate links.
The downside of your phone
Now, I have to admit that I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with my phone.
I use it for pretty much everything. I work on it, use it for navigation, take photos with it, keep in touch with friends and family and, of course, share a lot of my travels on Instagram and Polarsteps. Especially because I travel alone quite a lot, my phone is also a way of staying connected with the people I love.
And I really enjoy that!
But there is also a downside to it. Because when you travel alone, your phone can very easily become your company. You are sitting somewhere beautiful with a coffee, watching the sunset from your campervan or sitting on a boat in the middle of nowhere and before you know it you are posting a photo on Instagram, answering WhatsApp messages or just scrolling for no particular reason.
Which feels a bit silly to me. Because enjoying these moments fully is exactly why I have chosen this lifestyle…
What is TapOut exactly?
Tap Out is a combination of a physical device called a Moonstone combined with an app on – jep – your phone. But hear me out!
In the Tap Out app you choose which apps you want to block when you’re tapped out. Every time you want a break from your phone you just tap your phone on the Moonstone to start your session, and voila: you’re tapped out.
From that moment, the apps you selected are blocked. When you want to have access again, you have to physically go to the Moonstone and tap your phone against it to get access to all the apps again.
Sounds simple? Well it is!
So why does this work?
Believe me, when it comes to my phone I have already tried the obvious things.
Putting my phone on Do Not Disturb, switching off notifications and trying to simply be more disciplined about when I picked it up. I also used Airplane Mode every now and then. But the the problem is that none of those things created a real barrier. Or they had some big downsides for me, such as not being able to use my internet.
Tap Out however, has been designed quite ingeniously.
It uses a few very smart brain tricks, such as a timer that tracks the time you have been tapped out (dopamine reward!) and the physical action of having to tap out, combined with funny ‘are you sure’ messages, to raise the barrier.
I wrote a blog about the book Atomic Habits before, and one of the things I really like about the book is the idea that you don’t always have to rely on willpower. Actually, it is better to change your environment so that the behaviour you want becomes easier and the behaviour you don’t want becomes a little more difficult.
It is better to change your environment so that the behaviour you want becomes easier
This is exactly the sweet spot where Tap Out does it’s magic. When I tap my phone on the Moonstone and start a Tap Out session, I can actually feel myself relax a little. My shoulders go down and the rest of the world is a little bit further away. The cool thing is that often I forget that I was tapped out. And then, when I pick up my phone I am surprised about the fact that I was tapped out and how it lasted.
When do I use Tap Out?
What I absolutely love about Tap Out is that it creates a moment of calm.
The main problem with my phone for me personally is is not so much that I am constantly tempted to pick up my phone. It is the fact that my phone can interrupt me at any moment. A WhatsApp message comes in, someone sends me something on Instagram, an email pops up or I get another notification.
Even when I don’t immediately answer it, I have seen it. And somehow that is enough to pull me out of whatever I was doing. My main problem with my phone is the constant incoming ‘noise’ from Whatsapp and social media.
Don’t get me wrong, I love receiving messages, but every incoming message is also an invitation to do another round of scrolling through my phone. Before I know it, I am looking at who messaged me, what they sent and thinking whether I should reply. And that’s exactly the moment I get taken out of the moment I am enjoying and sucked into the virtual world again.
When I am reading a book, watching a movie, working, having a coffee or simply sitting somewhere beautiful and enjoying the view. I don’t necessarily have any intention of checking my phone, but then that little notification changes something.
That’s what I find so useful about Tap Out.
It doesn’t mean I can’t use my phone anymore. It simply gives me a period of time where the constant stream of messages and notifications is not going to interrupt me. And that makes it much easier for me to actually be where I am.
Tapping out gives me a period of time where the constant stream of messages and notifications is not going to interrupt me
What does it cost?
At the website of Tap Out you can buy the Moonstone. Which – at the moment (September 2026) – costs 39,95 euro. You can also buy two or three which makes it a little bit cheaper. The use of the app is free, there is no subscription, which is great.
All in all, not a huge amount for a device that protects something so valuable: your time. I actually got two Moonstones myself, so I can use one in the campervan and one in my house. If you want to join the Tap Out Club as well and get started you can use the code FLEURP10 to get an extra 10% off your order.
Tap Out review: overall impression
Look and feel
I have the yellow Moonstone, which I really like. It is a cheerful little thing and the shape and colour make it feel more like a fun object than a piece of technology. It is small and lightweight, so it doesn’t take up much space and is easy to have around.
The Moonstone is 3D printed, which gives it a more simple and sustainable feel rather than looking like another mass-produced gadget. It is magnetic, so you can attach it to a suitable surface, although I don’t actually have that many magnetic surfaces around me and I normally just put it in a drawer.
There app is not complicated to setup and the screens are simple. It is just there, ready to help me tap out when I decide that I want some time away from my phone.
Use of the Tap Out
Once you have set it up, Tap Out is really easy to use. The initial setup is a one-time thing and after that, there isn’t much to think about.
You simply tap your phone on the Moonstone when you want to check out and choose how long you want your break to be. I actually really like that part. Quite often I tap out because I want to use my phone again, but then I realise I only need it for a few minutes. So I choose a short break and after that time, my phone automatically blocks the apps again. It saves me from having to make the decision all over again.
There is one thing you do have to remember, though: don’t leave home without your Moonstone while you are still tapped out! It happened to my once and while there is a emergency by-pass way to unlock your phone without it, you have to enter four rather long codes. Not exactly something you want to be doing when you are standing somewhere outside trying to find that address of a friend in your whatsapp conversations.
What I also like about Tap Out is that I can still use my phone and my internet for the things I actually need while travelling. I can still navigate, use my camera, look up a spot on Park4Night or quickly check something online. I don’t have to switch my phone off completely or go offline. That makes it much more practical than the Flight Mode on my phone where I loose all internet connection and am not able to use for instance my hotspot to work on my laptop.
There is one feature I would love to see added, though. It would be great if you could choose a few contacts who automatically receive a message when they try to reach you while you are tapped out. Something as simple as letting them know that it might take me a little longer to respond. I don’t want to be available all the time, but I also don’t want people to start worrying simply because I haven’t replied to their message for a few hours.
Tap Out review, is it worth it?
To determine whether the Tap Out is worth its money, there are two factors to take into consideration: the first one is the fun factor, the second one its potential practical use.
The fun factor
I actually think the fun factor is part of what makes Tap Out work. I like the little yellow Moonstone sitting somewhere in my campervan or at home, and I like the physical aspect of it. It makes taking a break from my phone feel like something I actively do, rather than another setting I have to change on my phone.
I can also imagine this being fun when friends come over. I haven’t actually tried this yet, but I like the idea of everyone tapping out together before dinner or drinks. Instead of everyone putting their phones on the table and then picking them up again five minutes later, you could simply all tap out and be properly present for a while.
Practical use
But for me, the practical use is where Tap Out really earns its place. The biggest benefit isn’t that it stops me from using my phone. I still need my phone when I travel. What Tap Out does, is remove the constant interruptions from the apps that tend to distract me.
I also really like the option to choose how long I want to take a break when I tap back in. Quite often I only need my phone for a few minutes, so I can choose a short break and then the apps are blocked again automatically. That means I don’t have to remember to tap out again afterwards.
And then there is the fact that I travel alone quite a lot. Being less available is something I am still getting used to, which is why I would love to see an option where you can choose a few favorite contacts who automatically receive a message when you are tapped out. That way they know I am simply offline for a while and might take a little longer to respond, rather than wondering why I have suddenly disappeared.
Final note on the Tap Out review
Is it worth it? Yes!
For me, Tap Out is not really about trying to use my phone less. I actually like my phone and I use it for so many useful things. It more about being able to control when I want to be available, without losing the benefits of my phone.
For around €40, without extra costs for a subscription, I think that is definitely worth it. Not because it is a complicated piece of technology, but because such a simple physical barrier can make such a noticeable difference to how I experience my time.
Tap Out website: https://www.tapoutclub.com/
You get 10% off if you use the code FLEURP10
Want to partner with From Penny to Many in this blog series? Send me a message to discuss the possibilities! contact [at] frompennytomany.com
