Cold Turkey Blocker vs StayFocusd
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
StayFocusd
Free Chrome and Edge extension that limits time on distracting sites
Where they differ
- Cold Turkey Blocker starts at $45 one-time purchase (Blocker Pro). StayFocusd is free.
- Only Cold Turkey Blocker lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Cold Turkey Blocker can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Cold Turkey Blocker also covers Pomodoro timer.
- StayFocusd also covers time tracking.
At a glance
| Cold Turkey Blocker | StayFocusd | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $45 one-time purchase (Blocker Pro) | Free |
| Free plan | Blocker Free: website blocking, website exceptions, timed blocks and statistics, plus a 7-day trial of all Pro features. | The extension is offered as a free download from the Chrome Web Store and Edge Add-ons; the site and the Chrome listing show no paid plan. |
| Free trial | 7-day trial of all Pro features, included in the free version | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Cold Turkey Software, Inc. | ST Pulse, a Sensor Tower company |
| Price read from | zapier.com (not the vendor's own page) | stayfocusd.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
StayFocusd
- Chrome and Edge users who want a free blocker with daily time allowances
- People who want Shorts, Reels and comment sections hidden without blocking a whole site
- Android users who already track phone use with StayFree
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.
StayFocusd
- It runs only as a Chrome or Edge extension; the site says it is not available for Opera and links to no Firefox or Safari version.
- It limits websites only: desktop apps are not blocked, and phone usage comes from the separate StayFree app.
- Sensor Tower's privacy policy says that, with your consent, de-identified website and ad usage data is sent to its servers and used in products it sells.
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.
StayFocusd
- Block or time-limit sites
- Block a site completely or give it a daily time allowance. Rules can cover whole sites, subdomains, paths, single pages or in-page content such as videos and images.
- The Nuclear Option
- Blocks sites for the number of hours you specify on the days you choose, and cannot be canceled once it starts. It can be started by hand or on a schedule.
- In App Blocking
- Hides sections inside YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and other social sites, such as shorts, reels, recommended videos and comments.
- Usage Metrics Dashboard
- Charts and daily reports show the time spent on each website, with historical data for spotting patterns.
- Require Challenge
- Changing any setting can require completing a difficult task first, which makes it harder to loosen your own limits on impulse.
- Pairing with StayFree
- Connecting Android devices and other browsers through StayFree shows website and mobile app usage and limits in one place.
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.
StayFocusd
StayFocusd$0
The complete extension: site blocking and daily time limits, the Nuclear Option, In App Blocking and the usage dashboard.
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.
StayFocusd
No public discounts listed.
