Freedom vs SelfControl
We give Freedom a 3.4 GPA and SelfControl a 3.0, out of 4.0. Freedom grades higher on features and platforms. SelfControl grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Freedom
Website and app blocker that runs across computers and phones
SelfControl
Free Mac app that blocks distracting sites until a timer ends
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAFreedomVery good | 3.0GPASelfControlVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$39.99 a year covers every device you own, and there's a pay-once Forever plan listed at $199. Fair, not cheap. ScreenZen is free and one sec is $19.99 a year. Monthly is $8.99, so go yearly if you pay at all. | AIt's free and open source under the GNU GPL, and the site lists no paid version. It's a volunteer project. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree blocks sites, apps or the whole internet on as many devices as you like. But sessions stop at 2 hours and you have to start each one by hand. Scheduling and Locked Mode are paid. | AThe complete app is free: timed blocks, blocklists or allowlists, saved lists and a command-line interface. There's nothing to upgrade to. |
| Features | ABlocks websites, apps or the entire internet, on several devices in one session. There are ready-made blocklists, an allow-only mode on Mac and Windows, schedules, Locked Mode and focus sounds. | BBlocks that hold until the timer ends, even after a restart or deleting the app, with a blocklist or an allowlist that can also name mail servers and ports. That's its one job, and it does it hard. But there's no built-in scheduling or recurring blocks, and blocks don't work properly over a VPN. |
| Ease of use | B4.4 from about 5,900 App Store ratings. Starting a session takes a few taps. iPhone is the fiddly one, with Screen Time permissions to grant, and reviewers say scheduled sessions sometimes wait until you open the app. | BWe have no App Store rating on record for it, so a B is as far as we'll go. Set a duration, add your sites, click Start. Firefox has to be quit and restarted after each block starts, and the FAQ warns that support replies can take months. |
| Platforms and integrations | AMac, Windows, iPhone, iPad and Android apps, and one session can cover all of them. Chromebook and Linux get a browser extension that blocks websites only. There's no API, and it doesn't hook into other apps. | DmacOS only. The project's FAQ says there are no plans for Windows, Linux or iOS versions, and no integrations are listed. |
| Best for | blocking your laptop and phone in one go | a free Mac blocker you can't switch off mid-block |
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: Freedom and SelfControl. How we grade
Where they differ
- Freedom starts at $3.33 / month, billed yearly ($39.99). SelfControl is free.
- Only Freedom lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Freedom lists a browser extension.
- Freedom can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- SelfControl is open source, according to its own site.
- Freedom also covers focus music.
At a glance
| Freedom | SelfControl | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $3.33 / month, billed yearly ($39.99) | Free |
| Free plan | Block websites, apps or the whole internet on unlimited devices, with custom blocklists and focus sounds. Start Now sessions only, up to 2 hours each. | Free and open-source software under the GNU GPL. The site lists no paid version. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial on the yearly Premium plan | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Eighty Percent Solutions Corporation | Charlie Stigler and Steve Lambert |
| Price read from | freedom.to | selfcontrolapp.com |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
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
Worth knowing
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.
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.
Key features
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.
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.
Plans
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.
SelfControl
SelfControl$0
The complete Mac app: timed blocks, blocklists or allowlists, saved lists and a command-line interface.
Ways to pay less
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.
SelfControl
No public discounts listed.
