Take advantage of numerous website blockers for studying, productivity, and focus. Here are some of our top picks.
October 15, 2022
The Internet is a double-edged sword – it provides practical information to live our lives better and, on the other side, offers infinite distractions and opportunities.
From social media to gaming, there’s always a website ready to help us forget our tasks, whether researching, studying, or finishing a project.
Let’s be honest – willpower can only do so much. Luckily, you can take advantage of numerous website blockers for studying, productivity, and focus.
In this article, we will explore 21 top website blockers for studying, productivity and maintaining focus.
LeechBlock NG is a free web extension compatible with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and other Chromium-based browsers. This powerful tool allows you to block up to 30 sets of websites. While LeechBlock NG isn't designed for offensive site blocking or parental control, its lockdown feature enables you to block websites instantly or set up a schedule for each set. For instance, you can block a site for 20 minutes or an hour.
Free
Freedom is a paid site blocker available for Windows and Mac users, offering flexible payment options: monthly, annual, or lifetime. In addition to its ability to block sites and apps, Freedom can synchronize your blocking rules across all your devices. It introduces three key features: Locked Mode, Block All, and Block All Except. Locked Mode ensures that once you activate a block session, quitting it becomes impossible. Block All functionality blocks all websites, essentially cutting off your access to the Internet. Finally, Block All Except lets you specify the websites that are essential for your current task.
Designed for families, FamiSafe by Wondershare offers comprehensive parental control features. Parents can use this app to limit their children's screen time, track their real-time location, and detect inappropriate content. By downloading FamiSafe on both parents' and children's devices, parents can easily configure settings from their own phones.
Starts at $14.98 per month
BlockerX is an app that blocks access to pornographic websites. It provides an effective solution to prevent accessing adult content through different apps, social media platforms, and similar websites. For added security, BlockerX offers a disable uninstall feature, ensuring that children cannot access pornographic material from their phones. Not only is it compatible with Android and iOS, but it is also a Mac, Opera and Mozilla, and Chrome website blocker
FocalFilter is a straightforward and free site blocker. With FocalFilter, you can easily add the websites you want to block and set the desired time duration. Once the allocated time has expired, you regain access to the blocked websites. It's a simple yet effective way to limit distractions and focus on your tasks.
Free
BlockSite is a user-friendly Chrome website blocker equipped with a timer and scheduling capabilities. When attempting to access a blocked website, BlockSite displays amusing pictures to deter users.
Free
Forest turns website blocking into a gamified experience to help you stay focused. When you activate Forest, you can grow a virtual forest as long as you avoid using any apps or websites. If you succumb to the temptation and use your device, a tree in your virtual forest will be eliminated. Moreover, Forest collaborates with Trees for the Future, an organization that plants real trees. By spending virtual coins earned in the app to plant a tree, a corresponding amount is donated to Trees for the Future for real-life reforestation efforts.
Exclusive to Mac OS, Serene is a website blocker that helps you create an ideal deep work environment. Apart from blocking distracting websites and apps during your focused sessions, Serene offers additional features like silencing your phone, updating your Slack status, and controlling Internet-connected lights. These additional functionalities aim to create an uninterrupted work atmosphere and boost productivity.
Another Mac OS-exclusive website blocker, 1Focus offers a straightforward approach to blocking websites. The features available vary between the free and pro versions. The free version allows blocking specific apps, internet access through web browsers and the App Store, and setting block durations between one minute and one day. Active blocks cannot be bypassed, ensuring you stay on track, and will help you block websites for a digital detox. The pro version introduces additional features like recurring blocks, blocking all websites or apps except specific ones, creating separate block lists for different tasks, suspending blocking for a limited time, blocking URL keywords using asterisks, and blocking websites by category.
Antisocial is a remarkable website blocker that goes beyond simply blocking distracting websites. It provides a comprehensive solution to help you manage your digital well-being with clever monitoring and even offers a parental control option. With Antisocial, you can set personalized time limits for different websites, ensuring you don't spend excessive time on non-productive platforms.
Cold Turkey Blocker is a powerful website and application blocker that provides a robust solution for maintaining focus and productivity. With its intuitive interface, Cold Turkey Blocker allows you to block specific websites, applications, or even the entire internet during designated periods. It offers flexibility and customization options to align with your unique needs.
FocusMe is a comprehensive website blocker designed to maximize productivity and eliminate distractions. This powerful tool allows you to create customized blocklists, schedule focused work sessions, and track your progress over time. FocusMe offers a range of features to help you regain control over your online activities.
Limit Chrome Extension is a handy block site extension that allows you to set time limits for specific websites. With Limit, you can allocate a specific amount of time for each website you visit, helping you stay mindful of your online activities and avoid excessive browsing. Once the time limit is reached, the extension blocks access to the website, ensuring you maintain your focus.
Free
Mindful Browsing is a Chrome website blocker that aims to promote intentional and mindful internet usage. With its user-friendly interface and customizable features, Mindful Browsing helps users become more aware of their online habits and make conscious choices about their browsing activities. This blocker allows you to set specific time limits for websites, track your browsing history, and receive reminders to stay focused. By encouraging intentional internet usage, Mindful Browsing helps users maximize their productivity and maintain a healthier online presence.
Free
Ochi is an innovative app and website blocker on iOS and Mac that provides features such as filter automation and website categories to enhance productivity and focus. This powerful tool adapts to your unique browsing habits and intelligently blocks websites that tend to distract you the most. Ochi offers an intuitive user interface and provides insightful analytics to help you understand your internet usage patterns. With its intelligent blocking capabilities, Ochi helps users regain control over their digital lives and optimize their productivity.
Free with in-app purchases
Pause Chrome Extension is a simple yet effective site blocker for Chrome designed to help users stay focused and minimize distractions. With Pause, you can temporarily pause browsing, giving yourself a much-needed break from the digital world. This extension allows you to set the duration of the pause period, during which all websites are inaccessible. By providing users with the ability to take intentional breaks from browsing, Pause Chrome Extension is one of the best free website blockers and promotes mindful internet usage and improved productivity.
Free
PawBlock is a website blocker that helps prevent procrastination and excessive surfing. It will block distracting sites to help foster high productivity and maintain focus. Simply by configuring a blacklist of websites, PawBlock will help you get back on track by preventing you from procrastinating.
Free
RescueTime is a full website blocker that helps users track and manage their digital productivity. With its powerful analytics and time-tracking features, RescueTime offers valuable insights into how time is spent online. This tool helps you understand your habits, set goals, and make informed decisions about how to allocate your time effectively. RescueTime empowers users to optimize their productivity by identifying and reducing time spent on non-essential websites and applications.
SelfControl is a free and open-source website blocker that prioritizes simplicity and effectiveness. Designed for Mac users, SelfControl allows you to create custom block lists of websites and applications, enabling you to focus on your work without the temptation of distracting online content. Once the blocking session is activated, you cannot access the blocked websites or applications until the timer expires, ensuring utmost productivity and self-discipline.
Free
StayFocusd is a Chrome website blocker that assists users in managing their time spent on specific websites. With StayFocusd, you can set time limits for different websites, restricting your access after the allocated time has been exhausted. This extension promotes discipline and helps users avoid time-wasting activities, enabling them to allocate their online time more efficiently.
Free
WasteNoTime is a block site extension for Safari and Chrome that is inspired by James N. Anderson's LeechBlock Firefox extension. With its range of features, WasteNoTime allows you to set strict time limits for websites, track your browsing habits, and create detailed reports on your online activities. This powerful tool empowers users to take control of their digital lives by blocking access to nonessential websites and encouraging more focused and intentional internet usage.
Free
The Internet is a fantastic resource but can also be a huge distraction. If you feel your productivity is suffering due to your attachment to the Internet, it might be time to start using some website blockers.
You might also want to set up a daily schedule in which you block certain websites for a certain amount of time. This way, you won't give in to temptation throughout the day.
If you're looking for a way to block websites and apps so you can be more present in your life, Opal is here to help. Opal, the #1 Screen Time App, is designed to help you schedule your days, block distracting apps and focus fully on any device.
Yes, it's that easy! While you'll still be able to open your apps, you won't be able to refresh your feed and see any new posts.
Say hello to focusing on better things.