FAQ
Answered plainly.
Can’t I just turn it off?
Yes. PTO Mode is a speed bump against habit, not a prison — and that honesty is the point. The friction is enough to break the reflex of opening Slack without trapping you when something genuinely needs you.
Does my employer see what I’m doing?
Never. Individual usage stays on your device. If your company offers PTO Mode as a benefit, admins only ever see anonymous, aggregate adoption — no per-person visibility, ever.
iPhone or Android?
iOS is first; Android follows. Join the waitlist and we’ll tell you the moment your platform is live.
Why is there no monthly plan?
Because you take a few trips a year, not a few a month. A monthly plan would just mean subscribing before every vacation and cancelling after. Instead there’s a small annual price to set and forget, or a one-time Lifetime payment.
What does the free tier include?
One blocklist, manual on/off, sessions up to three days, and the branded shield screen. It’s enough to protect a first trip and decide if PTO Mode is for you.
How do Emergency Passes work?
Each trip includes two Emergency Passes for real emergencies. Using one takes a deliberate moment — a hold-to-unlock and a quick “why?” — then it opens the app you need for 15 minutes. Enough for the true fire, not the habit.
Do I need an account?
No. The free tier works fully on-device with no account — your blocklists and schedules never have to leave your phone. An account is only needed for paid multi-device sync and web checkout.
How does the blocking actually work on iPhone?
PTO Mode uses Apple’s Screen Time (Family Controls) API. When you open a blocked work app during a session, iOS shows our calm shield screen instead. Third-party apps can’t hide icons, so the shield-on-tap is the intended behaviour — a gentle pause, not a lockout.
Is my time off really protected if I’m travelling across time zones?
Yes. Sessions arm and disarm on your device’s local time with explicit time-zone handling, so “I’m off June 10–17” means the right days no matter where you land.
Can my company offer this to everyone?
Yes. Teams get per-seat pricing and HRIS sync — approve PTO in BambooHR, Workday, or Vacation Tracker and PTO Mode arms automatically for those dates. It’s employee-controlled and BYOD-friendly, with aggregate-only reporting.
When does it launch?
We aimed for May. We missed. It’s coming before your next long weekend — join the waitlist and we’ll only email you when it’s real.
Still have a question? The best answer is getting in first — or start with the manual guide.
Read the manual iOS setup guide →