AppBlock vs Focus Bear

AppBlock

• Phone users who want blocks that start by time, place or Wi-Fi network
• People who need a block they cannot easily switch off
• Blocking the same sites on a phone and in a desktop browser

Focus Bear

• People with ADHD or autism who want guided routines, not only a blocker
• Blocking the same distractions on a computer and a phone at once
• Desk workers who want break reminders that stay quiet during calls

AppBlock

• Free limits differ by platform: iOS allows 2 schedules and 12 hours of Strict Mode, Android 3 schedules and 24 hours.
• Allowlist mode, adult content blocking, backup and the Quick Block timer need Premium on both iOS and Android.
• On a computer AppBlock runs only as an extension for Chrome, Edge and Brave; no Mac or Windows app is listed.
• The student discount and business licences are arranged through forms, and neither page states a price.

Focus Bear

• The free Essentials plan caps focus sessions at 25 minutes, blocking at 5 websites and apps, routines at 3 habits and breaks at 3 activities.
• AI-powered blocking, focus modes, focus music, meeting detection and accountability partner features need Pro.
• Billing is monthly; yearly billing has to be arranged by emailing support, and no yearly price is published.
• The US App Store lists a Monthly Plan purchase at $2.99, well below the $9.99 on the pricing page, and the vendor's pages do not explain the difference.

AppBlock

App and website blocking

Block apps, websites, specific URLs and keywords. On Android, Premium can also block newly installed apps and browsers the app does not support.

Schedules

Profiles for work, study or sleep switch on by time, day, location or connected Wi-Fi network and then run automatically.

Quick Block

Starts a block right away without a schedule. Free use is capped at 4 hours on iOS or 3 apps and 3 sites on Android; Premium adds a timer.

Strict Mode

Makes blocks harder to bypass, with a cooldown and approval by another person. The free plan caps it at 12 hours on iOS and 24 hours on Android.

Allowlist mode

A Premium mode that blocks everything except a set of chosen apps, which the vendor describes as a dumbphone-like setup.

Browser extensions

Extensions for Chrome, Edge and Brave block websites and keywords on a computer, with Quick Block and Schedules.

Focus Bear

Cross-device distraction blocking

Block lists and allow lists apply across Mac, Windows, iOS and Android together. By default the app asks whether you really need a site; Grizzly Bear mode blocks anything not explicitly allowed.

Morning and evening routines

Set up a routine once and the app guides you through its habits one at a time each day, blocking distractions while the routine runs.

Break reminders that detect meetings

Prompts short breaks with stretch and movement demos, recommended every 20 minutes. Reminders are held back while the app detects you are on a call.

AI distraction detection

Tell the app what you are working on and it nudges you back when you drift to something unrelated. The vendor says it does not log keystrokes or capture the screen.

Zen mode for your phone

Starting a deep work block on the computer puts the phone into Zen mode, where only the apps you need stay reachable until the session ends.

Pomodoro timer and to-do list

Timed focus sessions sit alongside a to-do list and a browser tab limiter. Free sessions stop at 25 minutes; Pro can chain consecutive sessions for bigger tasks.

AppBlock

• Free$0

  Blocking within limits: 2 schedules on iOS or 3 on Android, schedule usage limits of up to 30 minutes a day and time-capped Strict Mode.

• Premium (yearly)$29.99

  per year ($2.50 / month), after a free week

  Unlimited Quick Block, schedules and Strict Mode, plus Allowlist mode, adult content blocking and backup.

• Premium (monthly)$4.99

  per month

  The same Premium features paid month to month, with cancellation at any time.

• Premium (lifetime)$89.99

  one-time payment

  Premium features for a single payment with no subscription.

Focus Bear

• Essentials$0

  Pomodoro sessions up to 25 minutes, up to 5 blocked websites and apps, 3 habits per routine, 3 activities per break, tab limiter and to-do list.

• Pro$9.99

  per month, billed monthly

  Unlimited website and app blocking, AI-powered blocking, consecutive Pomodoro sessions, focus modes, focus music, meeting detection and strictness levels.

AppBlock

• Annual discount

  Yearly Premium costs about half of monthly

  The pricing page lists Premium at $29.99 a year against $4.99 a month, which comes to $59.88 over twelve months.

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime Premium for a one-time payment

  The pricing page lists a Lifetime Premium option at $89.99, paid once.

• Education

  Student discount on Premium

  Students who submit their university, field of study and academic year get a link that shows a student discount in the app. The page does not state the amount.

Focus Bear

• Education

  50% discount for students

  The pricing page offers students 50% off Pro: enter an official school email address and Focus Bear sends a discount code to use at checkout.

• Other savings

  Discounts for financial hardship

  Focus Bear says people experiencing financial hardship, including hardship due to disability, can request a discount by emailing its support team. It notes that not every request is granted.