Focus vs Freedom

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

Freedom

• People who want one blocking session to cover a computer and a phone together
• Cutting off the whole internet, not only selected sites, for a set period
• Buyers who would rather pay once for lifetime access than subscribe

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.

Freedom

• Free accounts are limited to Start Now sessions of up to 2 hours; scheduling, recurring sessions and Locked Mode need Premium.
• Linux and Chromebook are supported through the browser extension only, and app blocking is not available on Chromebook.
• Website exceptions, which allow only the sites you list, work on Mac and Windows only.

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.

Freedom

Website, app and internet blocking

A session can block chosen websites, chosen apps or all internet access. App blocking covers Mac, Windows, iOS and Android but not Chromebook.

Preset and custom blocklists

Start from a preset list of distracting sites and apps or build your own. On Mac and Windows a list can also work in reverse, allowing only the sites you name.

Sessions across devices

One session can include several devices at once, such as a laptop and a phone. Every plan, including Free, allows unlimited devices.

Scheduled and recurring sessions

Premium lets sessions start automatically at a set time and repeat on a schedule. Free accounts can only start a session immediately.

Locked Mode

A Premium setting that prevents a session from being ended before its timer runs out.

Focus sounds

Background audio for a session, with a choice of music and ambient recordings such as cafes, libraries and nature.

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.

Freedom

• Free$0

  Website, app and internet blocking on unlimited devices with custom blocklists. Start Now sessions only, capped at 2 hours.

• Premium Yearly$3.33

  per month, billed yearly ($39.99)

  Adds scheduled, recurring and start-later sessions, Locked Mode, sessions longer than 2 hours and partner discounts.

• Premium Monthly$8.99

  per month, billed monthly

  The same Premium features as the yearly plan, paid month to month.

• Forever$199

  one-time purchase

  Lifetime Premium access with no recurring charge. The pricing page showed it marked down to $99.50 on the date checked.

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.

Freedom

• Annual discount

  Lower price with yearly billing

  Premium costs $39.99 billed yearly, shown as $3.33 a month, against $8.99 billed monthly. The pricing page labels the yearly option "Save 40%".

• Lifetime license

  Forever plan: pay once for lifetime Premium

  Freedom sells lifetime Premium access as a single payment with no recurring charges. The list price is $199; the pricing page showed $99.50 on the date checked.