Cold Turkey Blocker vs Forest

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

Forest

• People who respond to a visual reward for staying off their phone
• Friends or study groups who want to focus in a shared session
• Short timed work sessions in the Pomodoro style

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.

Forest

• Seekrtech does not publish Forest Plus prices on its site; it says they vary by region and platform and points to the app stores.
• No Mac or Windows app is listed; on a computer Forest runs only as a Chrome or Firefox extension.
• Custom app allowlists, focus analytics, custom tags and real-tree planting need Forest Plus.
• Forest Pro, the earlier unlock, is no longer available to new users; existing Pro holders keep it.

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.

Forest

Tree-growing focus timer

A tree grows during a countdown or stopwatch session and dies if you leave to use other apps. Each finished session is added to your forest.

Deep Focus Mode

A stricter mode that blocks other apps or sends you back to Forest when you open one. It is free; building a custom allowlist of permitted apps needs Plus.

Time Guard

Scheduled windows during which chosen apps or sites are blocked. The free tier covers 1 app or site and Plus covers several.

Plant Together

Create a room, invite friends with a code and plant the same tree in a synchronized session. If one person gives up, the tree dies for everyone.

Real tree planting

Plus and legacy Pro users can spend coins earned from focus sessions to have real trees planted through Trees for the Future, up to 5 per account.

Focus statistics and tags

Your forest shows total focus time, patterns by day, week or month, and streaks. Focus analytics and custom tags are part of Plus.

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.

Forest

• Free$0

  Countdown and stopwatch timer, Deep Focus app blocking, Time Guard for 1 app or site, 1 soundscape and group focus rooms.

• Forest Plus (monthly)$5.99

  per month, US App Store in-app purchase

  Custom app allowlist, Time Guard for multiple apps and sites, all soundscapes, focus analytics, custom tags and real-tree planting.

• Forest Plus (annual)$32.49 or $35.99

  per year, US App Store in-app purchase

  The same Plus features billed yearly. The App Store lists two annual purchases and does not say which one a new subscriber pays.

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.

Forest

• Annual discount

  Annual Forest Plus costs about half of monthly

  The US App Store lists the monthly Forest Plus purchase at $5.99 and annual purchases at $32.49 and $35.99, so a year paid annually costs about half of twelve monthly payments.