Switching blockers?

The free alternative to Cold Turkey, Freedom & StayFocusd

Most blockers hide the feature that actually matters — a session you can't quit — behind a subscription, a Pro upgrade, or a browser tab. Distraction Blocker blocks apps and websites across your whole Windows PC, can't be turned off until you restart, and costs nothing.

See the comparison
100% free No account needed Windows 10 / 11
Side by side

How Distraction Blocker compares

The same job, priced very differently. Here's how the free Distraction Blocker stacks up against the best-known focus and website blockers.

Feature and price comparison of Distraction Blocker, Cold Turkey Blocker, Freedom, StayFocusd / BlockSite and Forest
Feature Distraction BlockerYou're here Cold Turkey Blocker Freedom StayFocusd / BlockSite Forest
Price Freeno account FreePro $39 one-time Free tierPremium subscription Freepremium tiers Paidfreemium (mobile)
Platform Windows 10 & 11 Windows, macOS Win, Mac, iOS, Android Browser extension+ mobile (BlockSite) iOS, Android+ browser
Blocks websites Yesany browser Yes Yes Yesin browser Limited
Blocks desktop apps & games Yes YesPro Yes No No
Can't be turned off mid-session Yesrestart only YesPro locked mode PremiumLocked Mode No No
Works without an account Yes Yes No Yes No
Pomodoro focus / break cycles Yes YesPro Partial Timer Yes
Private / offline (nothing leaves your PC) Yes Yes No Mostly No

Comparison based on publicly available information as of August 2026. Features and pricing change — check each product's website for the latest. Product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

One on one

Distraction Blocker vs the rest

A fair, plain-English look at where it wins — and where it doesn't.

vsCold Turkey

Cold Turkey is the closest match — its Pro "locked" blocks are genuinely hard to beat. But app blocking and locked mode are paid Pro features; the free tier only blocks websites and lets you cancel. Distraction Blocker gives you the unbreakable, block-everything session for free.

vsFreedom

Freedom is polished and works everywhere, but its Locked Mode and recurring sessions need a paid subscription and an account, and sessions sync through the cloud. Distraction Blocker is free, account-free, and entirely on-device — though Freedom wins if you need Mac, mobile, or sync.

vsStayFocusd / BlockSite

These are browser extensions — great for a quick website block, but they only cover the browser they're installed in and are easy to switch off. Distraction Blocker blocks desktop apps and games too, across the whole PC, and won't let you flip it off until you restart.

vsForest

Forest is a lovely, gamified focus timer for your phone — you plant a tree and it grows while you stay off apps. It's motivation, not enforcement. Distraction Blocker is the opposite: no game, just a hard wall around your Windows PC while you work.

When a competitor is the better pick

  • Need macOS or a phone, or want a session to follow you across devices? Freedom is cross-platform with cloud sync.
  • Motivated by gamification? Forest turns focus into a growing forest and even plants real trees.
  • Happy to pay once for a desktop license with deep scheduling and a "freeze the whole PC" mode? Cold Turkey Pro is excellent.
  • Only ever distracted inside Chrome and want something ultra-light? A free extension like StayFocusd may be all you need.
Why people switch

What you get for free

The essentials that other blockers charge for — or don't offer at all.

Free, forever-minded

Every feature included — no subscription, no Pro upgrade, no account, no credit card.

Can't be bypassed

No pause, no password, no uninstall mid-session. The only way out is a full PC restart.

Blocks the whole PC

Websites in any browser and desktop apps and games — not just one browser tab.

Private & offline

No account and no cloud. Your block lists and settings never leave your machine.

FREE Switch in two minutes. Download the installer, add your distractions, and press Start — no sign-up required.
FAQ

Alternatives, answered

Is Distraction Blocker really free?
Yes — completely free, with every feature included. No subscription, no account, no credit card. Unlike Freedom's paid subscription or Cold Turkey's paid Pro tier, the strict locked behaviour is included at no cost.
What's the best free alternative to Cold Turkey?
Distraction Blocker. Cold Turkey's free tier blocks only websites and lets you cancel a block, while app blocking and its unbeatable locked mode are paid Pro features. Distraction Blocker gives you app and website blocking plus a session that can't be turned off until you restart — for free.
Is there a free alternative to Freedom?
Yes. Distraction Blocker is free and needs no account, whereas Freedom's Locked Mode and recurring sessions are part of its paid subscription. Freedom is still the better choice if you need macOS, mobile, or cross-device sync.
Does StayFocusd block apps too?
No. StayFocusd is a browser extension that blocks websites inside Chrome or Edge only. Distraction Blocker blocks desktop apps and games as well as websites across your whole PC.
Can I use it on Mac or mobile?
Not yet — Distraction Blocker is Windows 10 and 11 only. If you need macOS or a phone, a cross-platform tool like Freedom is a better fit.
Why choose it over paid blockers?
Because the one feature that actually makes a blocker work — not being able to quit mid-session — is free here, with no account. Many paid blockers put that locked mode behind a subscription or a Pro upgrade.

Try the free one first

You can always pay for a blocker later. Start with the one that already does the hard part — for nothing.

DistractionBlockerSetup.exe · v1.0.0 · 118 MB · Free · Windows 10 / 11 · Scanned clean on VirusTotal