Every website blocker works on the first day. What separates them is what happens on the fifth day, when you want the site back and the blocker is the only thing in the way. So this guide ranks Mac blockers mainly on one question: how easy is it to undo the block when you're tempted? After that come scheduling, browser coverage, app blocking and price.
Quick picks
| App | Best for | Blocks | Strictness | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FocusDragon | Blocks you can't undo, plus AI Focus | Websites and apps | High | Free core, Pro $19.99 once |
| Freedom | One blocklist on Mac and phone | Websites and apps | Medium–high | Subscription or lifetime |
| Cold Turkey | Strict blocking, strongest on Windows | Websites and apps | High | Free tier, Pro one-time |
| SelfControl | Free, single timed block | Websites only | High | Free, open source |
| Focus | Mac schedules and Pomodoro | Websites and apps | Medium | One-time |
| Opal | Focus sessions with difficulty levels | Websites and apps | Medium | Subscription |
| one sec | Breaking autopilot habits | Apps and sites (via friction) | Low | Subscription |
| Screen Time | Light limits, nothing to install | Websites and apps | Low | Built in |
What makes a Mac website blocker good
- Bypass resistance. Can you end a block by quitting the app, deleting it, restarting, switching browser or changing the clock? The best blockers survive all five.
- Every browser. Safari, Chrome, Arc, Brave, Edge and Firefox. A blocker that only covers one browser just moves you to another.
- Scheduling. Recurring blocks for work hours, so you don't have to remember to start one.
- Apps as well as sites. Slack, Discord, games and Steam pull just as hard as websites do.
- Exceptions. Blocking YouTube but allowing one course playlist, or blocking a shopping site except the page you need.
- Honest pricing. Whether the strict features sit behind a subscription.
The 8 best website blockers for Mac
Best for: People who undo every other blocker, and anyone who wants AI to judge distraction instead of a fixed list.
- Blocks:
- Websites and apps
- Browsers:
- Safari, Chrome and Chromium browsers, Firefox
- Price:
- Free core. Pro $19.99 one-time (Oct 2026)
- Platform:
- macOS 14 and later
FocusDragon is built around one idea: a block should hold even when you're actively trying to end it. Enforcement runs in a background system service, not inside the app you can see, so quitting FocusDragon, force-quitting it, or dragging it to the Trash mid-block doesn't end the block. Time is measured against a clock that changing the system date can't move.
You choose how much friction each block gets from ten lock types: a timer, a schedule, a long random text you must retype, a password someone else holds, a delay before changes apply, a restart requirement, a fixed end date, and more. Light friction for news sites, a lock you can't open for the things that really get you.
The newest part is AI Focus. Instead of a blocklist, you write what you're working on, and it blocks whatever on screen doesn't fit that goal: a YouTube video that isn't the lecture, a Reddit thread that isn't research. It catches the distractions you never thought to put on a list.
- Survives quitting, deleting the app and changing the clock
- Ten lock types, recurring schedules and per-site exceptions in the free version
- Pro is a one-time purchase, not a subscription
- AI Focus blocks by goal, not just by list
- Mac only, with no sync to your phone
- Not open source
- AI Focus is a separate plan after a free first hour
Freedom
Best for: People whose phone is as much of a problem as their Mac.
- Blocks:
- Websites and apps
- Platforms:
- Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, Chromebook
- Price:
- $8.99/month, $39.99/year or $99.50 lifetime (Aug 2026)
Freedom's strength is sync: one blocklist and one schedule applied to every device you own at once, so you can't escape to your phone. Locked Mode stops you ending a session early.
The trade-off is that scheduling and Locked Mode are paid features, and most people pay by subscription. If your distractions live only on a Mac, you're paying for sync you won't use.
- Real cross-device blocking
- Locked Mode for accountability
- Mature, widely used
- Scheduling and locking need a paid plan
- Mostly subscription pricing
Best for: Strict blocking, especially if you also use Windows.
- Blocks:
- Websites (free); apps and the whole internet (Pro)
- Platforms:
- Windows and Mac
- Price:
- Free tier. Pro $39 one-time (Aug 2026)
Cold Turkey made its name on Windows, where reviewers rate its locks as very hard to break. It can block websites, apps or the entire internet with exceptions, and keeps its data on your machine.
On Mac the picture is less clear: several 2026 reviews report blocks that start late or are easier to get around than on Windows. If you're Mac only, test it during the refund window.
- Very strict locks
- One-time price
- Can block the whole internet with exceptions
- Reviews report weaker reliability on Mac
- No phone app
Best for: A free, no-frills block for one long work session.
- Blocks:
- Websites only
- Price:
- Free and open source
- Longest block:
- 24 hours
SelfControl does one thing: start a timer, and the sites on your list are blocked in every browser until it ends. There is no pause button, and a running block survives restarting and deleting the app.
Its own FAQ notes that changing the system clock can end a block early. It has no scheduling, no app blocking, and blocks can't run longer than 24 hours, so it suits a single deep-work day better than a month off a site.
- Free and open source
- Covers every browser without extensions
- Can't be paused once started
- No scheduling or app blocking
- 24-hour maximum
- Clock change can end a block
Focus
Best for: Mac users who like Pomodoro sessions and scripting.
- Blocks:
- Websites and apps
- Price:
- One-time purchase
Focus pairs blocking with a built-in Pomodoro timer and recurring schedules, and you can keep several profiles, for example one blocklist for writing and another for research. Power users can run scripts when a session starts or ends.
Its locks are lighter than the strict blockers above, so it's better for people who mainly need a rhythm than for people who actively fight their blocker.
- Pomodoro built in
- Profiles and schedules
- Scripting for power users
- Easier to get around than strict blockers
- Mac only
Opal
Best for: People who like streaks, stats and a choice of difficulty.
- Blocks:
- Websites and apps
- Price:
- Free tier, Pro by subscription
Opal started on iPhone and brings its focus sessions to Mac, with difficulty levels from a gentle nudge up to a Deep Focus mode that won't let you end a session early. Streaks and milestones keep some people motivated.
If you just want a site to stop loading, the extra gamification can feel like a lot of app around a simple job.
- Difficulty levels, including a strict Deep Focus
- Strong phone app
- Motivating stats
- Subscription for the best features
- More app than a simple blocker needs
one sec
Best for: Breaking the habit of opening sites without thinking.
- Blocks:
- Adds a pause before apps and sites open
- Price:
- Free for one app, Pro by subscription
one sec doesn't block by default. It interrupts: when you open a distracting app or site, it makes you wait and breathe for a moment, then asks whether you still want to go in. Research behind the app found this cuts how often people open those apps.
It's strongest on phones. On a Mac it works through a browser extension, and a pause is easy to sit out if you're determined.
- Research-backed approach
- Gentle, so you keep using it
- Works on phone and Mac
- Not a hard block
- Mac support is lighter than on phones
Best for: Light limits with nothing to install.
- Blocks:
- Websites and apps
- Price:
- Free, built into macOS
Apple's built-in Screen Time can put a site on a never-allowed list or give an app a daily time limit. It's free and already on your Mac, and our step-by-step guide shows exactly where the settings are.
The catch is that it was designed for parents limiting children, not for adults limiting themselves. If you know the Screen Time passcode, or set it yourself, you can switch it off in seconds, and it's patchier outside Safari.
- Free and built in
- Covers apps and websites
- Works with Focus modes
- Easy to switch off if you know the passcode
- Inconsistent outside Safari
Which one should you choose?
- You always end up disabling your blocker: FocusDragon, or SelfControl if you only need one session at a time.
- Your phone is the real problem: Freedom, for its cross-device sync.
- You use Windows as well: Cold Turkey.
- You want a gentle nudge, not a wall: one sec.
- Your distractions don't fit a list (the wrong YouTube video, one more Reddit thread): FocusDragon's AI Focus.
- You have ADHD: look for strict locks and schedules so the decision is made in advance. We wrote a guide for ADHD.
How to make any blocker hard to bypass
- Decide in advance. Use a schedule so the block starts without you choosing it in the moment.
- Block the escape routes. Add every browser you have installed, plus the blocker's own settings if it can lock them.
- Add friction to unlocking. A delay, a long text to retype, or a password held by a friend all buy enough time for the urge to pass.
- Cover your phone separately. If your blocker is Mac only, use Screen Time or Freedom on the phone too.