Cold Turkey Blocker vs Focus
We give Cold Turkey Blocker a 3.0 GPA and Focus a 2.6, out of 4.0. Cold Turkey Blocker grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Cold Turkey Blocker
Website and app blocker for Windows and Mac with strict locks
Focus
Mac app that blocks distracting websites and apps on a schedule
How we grade them
| 3.0GPACold Turkey BlockerVery good | 2.6GPAFocusGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPro is a one-time $45 and covers every computer you personally use, with no subscription. Fair for what it does. One caveat: the pricing page doesn't show the figure as text, so $45 comes from a Zapier roundup. | B$49 once for Focus 2, with no subscription, which is fair for a blocker you'll keep for years. But that licence covers one year of major updates. Getting every future update means the $129 Lifetime. |
| Free plan and trial | BBlocker Free blocks websites for a set time and shows your stats. But the locks, schedules and app blocking are all Pro, and they're the reason to pick this one. You get 7 days of Pro to try them. | CNo free plan, but there's a 7-day free trial before you buy, and a 30-day money-back guarantee after. |
| Features | ABlocks sites, single pages, YouTube channels, apps or the whole internet. Then it locks: by timer, restart, password or up to 5,000 characters of random text. A locked block even stops you uninstalling it. | ABlocks websites in the popular Mac browsers and force quits apps that keep coming back. Add schedules, Pomodoro rounds, a Locked Mode that survives a restart, password-locked profiles, stats, and scripts if you like to tinker. |
| Ease of use | BMake a list, set a timer, start the block. There's no rating on record to show how people get on, so a B. Think before you lock, because a locked block won't let you change your mind. | BDrag an app or a site onto the menu bar icon to block it. Firefox needs an add-on installed, while Safari, Chrome and the rest work without one. There's no rating on record to go by, so a B. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows and Mac only, and one purchase covers both. Cold Turkey says Linux, ChromeOS, Android and iOS are not supported, so your phone is still fair game. | DMac only. The vendor lists no Windows, iPhone or Android version. On the Mac it does work with AppleScript and your own Bash scripts. |
| Best for | a block on your computer you can't undo | blocking sites and apps on a Mac, on a schedule |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Cold Turkey Blocker and Focus. How we grade
Where they differ
- Cold Turkey Blocker starts at $45 one-time purchase (Blocker Pro). Focus starts at $49 one-time purchase (Focus 2); the older Focus 1 is $29.
- Cold Turkey Blocker has a free plan. Focus does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Cold Turkey Blocker lists a Windows app.
- Only Cold Turkey Blocker lists a browser extension.
- Focus also covers time tracking and menu bar app.
At a glance
| Cold Turkey Blocker | Focus | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $45 one-time purchase (Blocker Pro) | $49 one-time purchase (Focus 2); the older Focus 1 is $29 |
| Free plan | Blocker Free: website blocking, website exceptions, timed blocks and statistics, plus a 7-day trial of all Pro features. | None |
| Free trial | 7-day trial of all Pro features, included in the free version | 7-day free trial, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee after purchase |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Cold Turkey Software, Inc. | Extremely Studios |
| Price read from | zapier.com (not the vendor's own page) | heyfocus.com |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
Focus
- Mac users who want websites and apps blocked on a fixed schedule
- People who want a session they cannot switch off once it starts
- Parents or teachers who lock settings behind a password
- Buyers who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
Worth knowing
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.
Focus
- Mac only: the vendor lists no Windows, iPhone or Android version.
- There is no free plan; after the 7-day trial a license costs $49, or $129 with lifetime updates.
- The $49 Focus 2 license covers one year of major updates and three years of minor updates.
- Firefox needs the Focus add-on installed; Safari, Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc, Opera and Vivaldi work without one.
Key features
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.
Focus
- Website blocking
- Blocks chosen websites in the popular Mac browsers, or blocks the whole internet apart from an allow list. Rules can also target specific pages and words.
- App blocking
- Hides a blocked Mac app and, if it keeps reappearing, closes or force quits it. Apps and sites can be added by dragging them onto the menu bar icon.
- Timers and Pomodoro mode
- Built-in timers, including a Pomodoro mode with a chosen number of work rounds, pair blocking with planned breaks.
- Schedules
- Daily, weekly or weekend schedules start blocking at set times without any action from you, and schedules can run overnight.
- Locked Mode and password locks
- A locked session or schedule cannot be stopped until it ends, even after quitting the app or restarting the Mac. Profiles can be locked behind a password.
- Statistics and scripting
- Tracks focused time by day, week, month and year for each profile. Workflows run Bash scripts when a session or break starts or ends, alongside URL handlers and AppleScript.
Plans
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.
Focus
Focus 1$29
one-time purchase
The original version with core blocking features, still sold on the checkout page as an older release.
Focus 2$49
one-time purchase
Website and app blocking, schedules, timers and Pomodoro, locked sessions, profiles, password locks, statistics and scripting, with a year of free updates.
Lifetime$129
one-time purchase
Everything in Focus 2, plus early access to new versions and lifetime updates.
Bulk licensesCustom
Special pricing for teams and organizations, by custom quote from the vendor.
Ways to pay less
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.
Focus
- Lifetime license
Lifetime license with every future update
The Lifetime license is a one-time $129 payment that adds lifetime updates and early access to new versions; the $49 Focus 2 license includes one year of free updates.
- Other savings
Bulk pricing for teams and organizations
The checkout page's FAQ says Focus offers special pricing for teams and organizations and asks them to get in touch for a custom quote.
