Cold Turkey alternatives for Mac in 2026: free and one-time options

Cold Turkey alternative for Mac: 7 apps compared in 2026, from free to one-time price. See what each blocks, how strict it is and exactly what it costs.

Updated Oct 10, 20267 min read7 apps comparedAlso in Deutsch, Español, Français, Português

Quick answer

Nudge is the best Cold Turkey alternative for most Mac users who want calm, repeatable focus sessions: pick the apps and websites to block and start from the menu bar, for $9.99 once. Pick SelfControl for a free block you cannot undo, Focus for a strict one-time-purchase blocker, and Freedom if your phone is part of the problem. Stay with Cold Turkey if you need its locked timer on both Mac and Windows.

How do these apps compare?

Find a Mac blocker that fits when Cold Turkey feels too strict or more than you need.

App	Best for	Price	Website
NudgeTop pick	Calm daily focus sessions on a Mac	$9.99 once	Get Nudge
SelfControl	Free hard website blocks	Free	Visit
Focus	Strict blocking for a one-time price	From $29 once	Visit
Freedom	Blocking across Mac and phone	$8.99/mo or $99.50 lifetime (Oct deal)	Visit
1Focus	Low-cost Mac blocking	Free, Pro $9.99/yr	Visit
FocusMe	Detailed rules on many platforms	From $9.95/mo yearly or $449 lifetime	Visit
Apple Screen Time	Built-in limits	Free, built into macOS	Visit

Which tool should you pick?

Best overall Mac alternative

Nudge

Presets of blocked apps and websites, started from the menu bar. $9.99 once.

Best free alternative

SelfControl

Free, open source and impossible to undo until the timer ends.

Best strict one-time blocker

Focus

Website and app blocking with a Locked Mode. One-time licenses from $29.

Best if you also need your phone

Freedom

The same blocklists on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android.

The apps in detail

1. App and website sessions
Nudge
Best for: Calm daily focus sessions on a Mac
$9.99 once
Choose it if
You want chosen apps and sites blocked for a set session, for $9.99 once.
Skip it if
You want a multi-day lockdown rather than work sessions.
Download Nudge for macOS
2. Website blocking
SelfControl
Best for: Free hard website blocks
Free
Choose it if
You want a free timed block that stays on even after a restart.
Skip it if
You need app blocking, schedules or presets.
Visit SelfControl
3. Blocking and timer
Focus
Best for: Strict blocking for a one-time price
From $29 once
Choose it if
You want website and app blocking with a Locked Mode, from $29 once.
Skip it if
You want the simplest possible setup.
Visit Focus
4. Cross-device blocking
Freedom
Best for: Blocking across Mac and phone
$8.99/mo or $99.50 lifetime (Oct deal)
Choose it if
The phone is part of the loop and you want one blocklist everywhere.
Skip it if
You only work on a Mac and do not want a subscription.
Visit Freedom
5. Blocking
1Focus
Best for: Low-cost Mac blocking
Free, Pro $9.99/yr
Choose it if
You want a Mac-only blocker with a free tier and a $9.99 a year Pro plan.
Skip it if
You prefer to pay once.
Visit 1Focus
6. Blocking
FocusMe
Best for: Detailed rules on many platforms
From $9.95/mo yearly or $449 lifetime
Choose it if
You want deep rule-building across Windows, Mac and Linux.
Skip it if
You dislike configuration or a $449 lifetime price.
Visit FocusMe
7. Usage limits
Apple Screen Time
Best for: Built-in limits
Free, built into macOS
Choose it if
You want no extra app and basic daily limits.
Skip it if
You need blocks tied to work sessions. Screen Time is easy to switch off on your own Mac.
Visit Apple Screen Time

Why do people look for a Cold Turkey alternative?

Cold Turkey Blocker is one of the strictest blockers for Mac and Windows. Its timer can lock your settings until a set time, and Blocker Pro adds app blocking as a one-time purchase. That strength is also the usual reason people look elsewhere.

The common reasons are practical: a locked block is risky when the work suddenly needs a blocked site, the rules take time to set up, or you only need a daily focus routine on one Mac rather than a lockdown.

How much do Cold Turkey alternatives cost?

Prices below come from each vendor's own site and were checked on 10 October 2026. Is Cold Turkey free? Cold Turkey Blocker is free for website blocking and includes a 7-day trial of Pro. Blocker Pro adds app blocking, scheduled blocks and all locking features for $45 once.

Nudge: $9.99 once for Lifetime Access. 7 days free, no email or card.
SelfControl: free and open source.
Focus: one-time licenses at $29 (Focus 1), $49 (Focus 2) and $129 (Lifetime).
1Focus: free tier. Pro is $1.99 a month or $9.99 a year.
Freedom: $8.99 a month, a yearly plan that works out to about $3.33 a month, or $99.50 for lifetime access (the October 2026 price, normally $199).
FocusMe: 14-day free trial, then $15.95 a month, $9.95 a month billed yearly, or a $449 lifetime license.
Apple Screen Time: free, built into macOS.
Cold Turkey Blocker: free version. Blocker Pro is $45 once.

Which alternative is as strict as Cold Turkey?

SelfControl is the closest free match. Once a block starts, it stays on until the timer ends, even if you restart the Mac or delete the app. Focus has a Locked Mode that cannot be stopped once a session starts, and Freedom's Locked Mode stops you quitting a session.

Nudge takes a different approach: it is built for daily work sessions rather than lockdowns. The apps and websites you picked stay blocked, everything else works, and a new session is one click away in the menu bar. That is what makes it a habit you keep instead of a punishment you avoid. For a direct comparison, see Nudge vs Cold Turkey.

How does Cold Turkey compare with Freedom and FocusMe?

These are the two names people most often weigh against Cold Turkey. Freedom is built around syncing one blocklist across Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, so it is a subscription (or a lifetime license) rather than a lockdown tool. FocusMe covers Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone with deep rule-building, and costs a subscription or $449 once. Cold Turkey is the one-time purchase on Mac and Windows only.

Each pair has a longer comparison: Cold Turkey vs Freedom and Cold Turkey vs FocusMe. If you want a free route instead, see the SelfControl alternatives for Mac, and to block Mac apps rather than only sites, read how to block apps on a Mac.

Which alternative is best for daily work on a Mac?

Nudge is built for the daily case. You save presets such as Writing, Coding or Study, each with the Mac apps and websites that stay blocked. You start one from the menu bar for 15, 25, 45 or 90 minutes, two hours or open-ended, or put it on a schedule.

Website blocking works in Safari, Chrome, Edge, Arc, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, Dia, Comet and ChatGPT Atlas. Nudge costs $9.99 once, after a 7-day free trial with no card to start.

FAQ

What is the best Cold Turkey alternative for Mac?

For most Mac users who want repeatable focus sessions, Nudge: it blocks the apps and websites you choose and costs $9.99 once. For a free hard block, SelfControl. For a strict one-time-purchase blocker, Focus.

Is there a free Cold Turkey alternative for Mac?

Yes. SelfControl is free and open source. It blocks websites until the timer ends, even after a restart, but it does not block apps. Apple Screen Time is also free, but it is easy to switch off on your own Mac.

Is Cold Turkey free?

Partly. Cold Turkey Blocker has a free version that blocks websites and includes a 7-day trial of Pro. App blocking, scheduled blocks and the locking features need Blocker Pro, a one-time purchase of $45.

How is Nudge different from Cold Turkey?

Cold Turkey is built to lock you out. Nudge is built for daily focus on a Mac: presets of blocked apps and websites, started from the menu bar in seconds, for $9.99 once. For a side-by-side, see Nudge vs Cold Turkey.

Cold Turkey vs FocusMe: which is better?

Cold Turkey is simpler and sold as a one-time purchase on Mac and Windows. FocusMe has more rule options, runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone, and sells subscriptions or a $449 lifetime license after a 14-day trial. The full comparison is in the section above.

How much does Nudge cost compared with Cold Turkey?

Nudge costs $9.99 once, with no subscription, after a 7-day free trial with no email or card. Cold Turkey Blocker has a free version, and Blocker Pro is $45 once.

Nudge for Mac

Turn the guide into a focus session

Pick the apps and websites that pull you away and start the session from the menu bar. They stay blocked until it ends. $9.99 once after 7 days free, no card to start.

Download for macOS