Focus vs SelfControl

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

SelfControl

• Mac users who want a free blocker they cannot switch off mid-block
• Blocking a fixed list of sites for a set number of hours
• People who prefer open-source software they can inspect or modify

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.

SelfControl

• macOS only: the project's FAQ says there are no plans for Windows, Linux or iOS versions.
• A running block cannot be ended early, and the app has no built-in scheduling or recurring blocks.
• Blocks do not work properly over a VPN, and Firefox has to be quit and restarted after each block starts.
• It is maintained by volunteers, almost entirely one person, and the FAQ warns that support replies can take months.

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.

SelfControl

Blocks that cannot be undone

Set a duration, add sites to the blocklist and click Start. The block holds until the timer expires, even after a restart or deleting the app.

Blocklist or allowlist

Block the domains you list, or switch to an allowlist that permits only its entries. Entries can also name mail servers or specific ports.

Saved lists

A list can be saved as a file from the File menu and opened again later or on another Mac, where it replaces the current list.

Command-line interface

SelfControl can be run from the Terminal, which lets advanced users write scripts that start blocks.

Blocks longer than 24 hours

Longer blocks are possible but hidden by default; the project wiki explains how to enable them and advises testing a list with a short block first.

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.

SelfControl

• SelfControl$0

  The complete Mac app: timed blocks, blocklists or allowlists, saved lists and a command-line interface.

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.

SelfControl

No public discounts listed.