Cold Turkey Blocker vs Cold Turkey Writer

Cold Turkey Blocker

• People who talk themselves out of softer blockers mid-session
• Buyers who want a one-time purchase instead of a subscription
• Blocking desktop applications and games as well as websites

Cold Turkey Writer

• Writers who want everything else on the computer shut out until a quota is done
• First drafts written against a word count or a timer
• People who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription

Cold Turkey Blocker

• Windows and macOS only: the vendor states that Linux, ChromeOS, Android and iOS are not supported.
• The free version blocks websites only; application blocking, schedules, locks, breaks and allowances need Pro.
• The vendor's pricing page did not show the Pro price as readable text; the $45 figure comes from a Zapier roundup updated in August 2026.

Cold Turkey Writer

• Windows and macOS only: the vendor says Linux, ChromeOS, Android and iOS are not supported.
• Files open and save as plain text (.txt) only, so formatting has to be finished in another editor.
• Soundtracks, the dark theme, the copy and paste toggle and the key-disabling options need Writer Pro, and Pro has no free trial.
• A session cannot be ended before the goal is reached, so the rest of the computer is out of reach until then.

Cold Turkey Blocker

Website blocking with wildcards

Block whole domains, single URLs, YouTube channels or search keywords, using wildcards for patterns. Blocking everything and listing exceptions turns it into an allow list.

Application blocking

Pro blocks applications or whole folders of them. On Windows it can also block Microsoft Store apps and match on window titles.

Locks

A block can be locked by timer, time range, delay, restart, password or a string of random text up to 5,000 characters. A locked block also prevents uninstalling the app.

Weekly schedule

Pro lets you drag blocks onto a schedule that repeats every week, and can lock, log off or shut down the computer at set times.

Breaks and allowances

Pro adds Pomodoro cycles that switch blocking on and off, time allowances for blocked items, and breaks earned after a set period of work.

Usage statistics

Tracks website and application use to show your main distractions. The data stays on your computer and can be exported as JSON.

Cold Turkey Writer

Full-screen lock until the goal is met

Once a session starts, Writer is the only thing the computer will run until the goal is reached. The vendor's FAQ says no key combination gets out of it.

Timer or word-count goals

A block lasts a set number of minutes, from 1 to 999, or until a chosen number of words has been typed. A progress bar at the top shows how much is left.

Auto save to plain text

The draft is saved to the Documents folder every 10 seconds, so the last version is still there if the computer crashes.

Portable, with no installer

Writer runs as a stand-alone program, so it can be copied to a USB stick and used on other computers.

Key-disabling options (Pro)

Pro can switch off copy and paste, text selection, the backspace and delete keys and the arrow keys, to keep a first draft moving forward.

Soundtracks and dark theme (Pro)

Pro adds coffee shop and rain background sounds, supplied by Coffitivity and RainyMood, and a dark theme for writing at night.

Cold Turkey Blocker

• Blocker Free$0

  Website blocking, website exceptions, timed blocks and statistics.

• Blocker Pro$45

  one-time purchase

  Adds application blocking, scheduled blocks, all locking features, breaks and allowances, and passwords. One purchase covers every computer you personally use.

Cold Turkey Writer

• Writer Free$0

  Timed blocks, word-count blocks, distraction-free writing and auto save.

• Writer Pro$14.99

  one-time purchase

  Adds soundtracks, a dark theme, a copy and paste toggle and key-disabling options. Covers every computer you personally use, with free lifetime updates. Refundable within 30 days.

Cold Turkey Blocker

• Education

  Students can request 20% off

  The pricing page says students can request 20% off through a link in the support page FAQ, which checks that the email address belongs to a school.

• Other savings

  Save 10% on the three-product bundle

  Buying Blocker, Writer and Micromanager together is advertised at 10% off. Each is a one-time payment with no subscription.

Cold Turkey Writer

• Education

  Students can request 20% off

  The pricing FAQ says students can request 20% off. A form on the support page sends the discount to an email address it recognizes as belonging to a school.

• Other savings

  Save 10% on the three-product bundle

  Buying Blocker, Writer and Micromanager together is advertised at 10% off. Each is a one-time payment with no subscription.