Buying Guide
How to choose a website blocker (2026 buying guide)
Choose a website blocker by matching it to how you actually fail, not by popularity. If you click through hard locks, pick friction-based blocking. If you need absolute lockout, pick an unbreakable one. If it's evenings and work tools, pick one with a sleep-aware mode. Answer that first, then compare prices.
Disclosure: we make FutureSelf, a Chrome website blocker. The guide below applies to any tool, and prices were checked in October 2026.
Most people pick a website blocker by popularity and quit within a week. A better way is to match the tool to how you actually fail. Answer these five questions.
1. Where do you get distracted?
If it’s only in Chrome on your computer, a browser extension is enough. If your phone is part of the problem, you need a cross-device tool such as Freedom, because a Chrome extension can’t touch your phone.
2. Do you need a wall, a time budget or a pause?
- A wall (Cold Turkey, Freedom’s locked mode): you can’t get through. Best when you know you’ll break any soft rule.
- A time budget (StayFocusd, LeechBlock NG): you get a set allowance, then it’s blocked. Best if you want some access.
- A pause (FutureSelf): you’re interrupted, asked something, then you decide. Best if you break blockers by clicking through, but resent hard locks.
3. How do you want to pay?
- Free: StayFocusd and LeechBlock NG, plus the free tiers of Cold Turkey and BlockSite.
- One-time: Cold Turkey Pro (about $39) and FutureSelf ($19).
- Subscription or lifetime: Freedom, at $8.99 a month, $39.99 a year, or a Forever plan listed at $99.50.
4. Is your problem work hours or late night?
Daytime blockers focus on work sessions and schedules. If your real problem is scrolling at midnight, look for a tool with a sleep or night schedule that also covers work tools and AI chat, since those can be a form of procrastination too.
5. How will you break it?
Be honest. If you’ll kill the process or change the settings, pick something with a locking mode. If you’ll click the override every time, pick something that adds friction or a decision. If you uninstall hard blockers by day four, don’t buy one.
Quick picks
| Your situation | Try |
|---|---|
| Every device, willing to pay | Freedom |
| Computer only, need a lock | Cold Turkey |
| Chrome only, free, time limits | StayFocusd |
| Free and highly customizable | LeechBlock NG |
| Chrome, late-night scrolling, you click through blockers | FutureSelf |
Common mistakes
- Buying the strictest tool when you’ll just uninstall it.
- Blocking only social media and forgetting email, docs and AI tools.
- Never setting a schedule, so the blocker only runs when you remember it.
See the full best website blockers for Chrome list for side-by-side details.
FAQ
FAQ
What’s the best website blocker for studying?
A time-budget or scheduled blocker works well for study sessions. StayFocusd and LeechBlock NG are free options, and Cold Turkey works if you need a hard lock.
Do website blockers actually work?
They work when matched to how you fail. A strict lock helps people who break soft rules, and a pause helps people who click through. A mismatched tool gets uninstalled.
Should I pay for a website blocker?
Free tools cover many cases. Pay if you need cross-device coverage or a hard lock, and prefer a one-time price if you don’t want another subscription.
The tab can wait.
You know it can.
Questions. Facts. Breathwork. The occasional roast. A 10-second pause. Then you decide.