LeechBlock NG vs Unhook (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Unhook grades higher than LeechBlock NG: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Unhook grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
LeechBlock NG
Free browser extension that blocks time-wasting sites on a schedule
Free
Which one is for you
Pick LeechBlock NG if
- Fits if you want a free site blocker inside the browser you already use
- Works for people who'd rather ration a site, like 10 minutes in every hour, than ban it
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if your distractions are desktop apps or another browser, which it doesn't touch
- Not for you if you want parental controls, as the developer says it isn't designed for that
- Too light for anyone who wants no connection at all to a blocked site, where the developer suggests a HOSTS-level blocker
- Skip it if you want it on macOS or iOS, since there's no version there and the site points to ivBlock instead
- Watch out: block sets, periods, limits and overrides all live in one long options page that takes time to learn
Pick Unhook if
- Fits if you open YouTube for one video and leave
- Works for people who want the home feed and comments gone
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to block sites other than YouTube
- Skip it if you use Safari, as no version is listed
- Watch out: settings live in each browser and do not carry between devices
- Too light for a phone, since it is an extension for desktop browsers
How we grade them
| 2.8GPALeechBlock NGGood | 3.0GPAUnhookVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AEntirely free, with no paid version to graduate to, in a category where the usual ask is $2.99 to $8.33 a month. One developer builds it as a hobby and publishes the source on GitHub. | AFree with no paid plan, only a voluntary contributions request on its Firefox page. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole extension is free: 30 block sets, time limits, lockdown, password pages and the rest. There is nothing to upgrade to and nothing held back. | AEverything is free and toggled from the popup. |
| Features | CUp to 30 sets of sites with their own days and times, blocks by period or time limit, lockdown, delay pages, password-guarded settings, wildcards and keywords. It does browser site blocking completely, and that's the limit: desktop apps and your other browsers carry on untouched. | CHides the home feed, related videos, comments, Shorts and other parts and turns off autoplay. It does that one job fully, but it is only YouTube. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record, and this one asks for an evening. Thirty block sets, periods, limits, rollovers, override caps, wildcards and keywords all live in an options page you'll be reading carefully. | BNo rating on record, but you install it and flip switches with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | CAn extension for Firefox, Chrome, Edge and other Chromium browsers, and nothing besides. No macOS or iOS version: the site points to ivBlock, a different product. No integrations listed. | CBrowser extension only, for Chrome, Firefox and Edge. |
| Best for | free, fine-grained site blocking in your browser | cutting YouTube recommendations |
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: LeechBlock NG and Unhook. How we grade
Price against what you get
LeechBlock NG has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Unhook has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
Unhook scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other focus apps on the chart, none scores higher than LeechBlock NG for less, and none scores higher than Unhook for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- LeechBlock NG is open source, according to its own site.
In commonFree planBrowser extensionSite & app blocker
At a glance
| LeechBlock NG | Unhook | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Entirely free: the site calls it a simple free productivity tool and lists no paid version. The source code is on GitHub under the MPL-2.0 license. | The extension is free. The developer asks for voluntary contributions on its Firefox add-on page. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | James N. Anderson | Unhook |
| Price read from | proginosko.com | addons.mozilla.org |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
LeechBlock NG
- It blocks only inside the browser where it is installed; other browsers and desktop apps are unaffected.
- The developer says it is not designed for parental control or for blocking offensive content.
- There is no macOS or iOS version; the site points to ivBlock, a separate product based on LeechBlock.
- The browser may still connect briefly to a blocked site, so the developer suggests a HOSTS-level blocker when no connection at all is wanted.
Unhook
- Works only on YouTube.
- Settings live in the browser, so they do not carry between browsers or devices on their own.
- Its privacy policy says extension data stays in the browser's local storage and nothing is transmitted.
- No Safari version is listed; the site links Chrome, Firefox and Edge.
Key features
LeechBlock NG
- Block sets
- Up to 30 sets of sites, each with its own list, days and times. Lists accept wildcards, exceptions and keywords that match words in a page's title or text.
- Time periods and time limits
- Block within fixed periods such as 9am to 5pm, after a time limit such as 10 minutes in every hour, or with both combined. Unused time can roll over to the next period.
- Lockdown
- Blocks the sites in chosen block sets immediately for a duration you specify, outside their normal schedule.
- Delaying and password pages
- Instead of a plain block, a page can show a countdown before letting you through or ask for a password. A custom blocking page can also be set by URL.
- Access control
- A password or a random access code can guard the options page, to slow down any attempt to change settings in a weak moment.
- Temporary override
- An optional override lifts blocks for a set number of minutes, with a cap on how many overrides are allowed in an hour, day or week.
Unhook
- Hide the home feed
- Removes homepage recommendations, the trending tab and the Explore section.
- Hide related videos
- Removes the sidebar suggestions and the end-screen video wall and cards.
- Hide comments
- Removes the comments section, with options for profile photos and live chat.
- Hide Shorts and more
- Options cover the Shorts tab, notification bell, top header, video description and buttons bar.
- Turn off autoplay
- Disables autoplay and annotations.
Plans
LeechBlock NG
LeechBlock NG$0
The complete extension: up to 30 block sets, time periods and time limits, lockdown, delaying and password pages, and access controls.
Unhook
Free$0
All options, toggled from the extension popup; no paid plan is listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, LeechBlock NG or Unhook?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both LeechBlock NG and Unhook are free to use.
Which has a free plan, LeechBlock NG or Unhook?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both LeechBlock NG and Unhook have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.