The StayFocusd alternative for your whole PC
StayFocusd is a good free extension, but it only guards the browser it's installed in. Distraction Blocker is a free Windows app that blocks websites in every browser, plus desktop apps and games, and once a focus session starts it can't be switched off until you restart the PC. No account needed.
Distraction Blocker vs StayFocusd
Both are free and need no account. The difference is how much of your computer they cover, and how hard they are to switch off.
| Feature | Distraction BlockerFree | StayFocusd |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Freeevery feature included | Free |
| What it is | Windows app | Browser extensionChrome, Edge |
| Blocks websites | Yesevery browser on the PC | Yesin the browser it's installed in |
| Covers other browsers | Yesvia the Windows hosts file | No |
| Blocks desktop apps & games | Yes | No |
| Block that can't be stopped | Yesuntil you restart | Nuclear Optionbut the extension can be turned off |
| Daily time allowance per site | No | YesMax Time Allowed |
| Schedules | Nostart sessions yourself | YesActive Days & Hours |
| Focus / break cycles | Yesbuilt-in Pomodoro | Focus timer |
| Platforms | Windows 10 & 11 | Anywhere Chrome or Edge runsWindows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS |
| Account needed | No | No |
StayFocusd details are based on its public Chrome and Edge store listings as of November 2026. Extensions change often, so check the listing for the latest. StayFocusd is a trademark of its owner; this page isn't affiliated with or endorsed by it.
Four differences that matter
1One browser or the whole PC
StayFocusd lives inside Chrome or Edge. Open Firefox, a second Chromium browser or a desktop app, and the block isn't there. Distraction Blocker writes blocked sites into the Windows hosts file, so they won't load in any browser — including one you install halfway through a session.
2What "can't be stopped" means
StayFocusd's Nuclear Option can't be cancelled from inside the extension, which is genuinely strict. But the extension itself can still be switched off in the browser's extension settings in a few clicks. Distraction Blocker has no off switch during focus at all: no pause, no password, no uninstall. The only exit is a restart.
3Time allowance or focus sessions
StayFocusd is built around a daily allowance: a set number of minutes on time-wasting sites, then they're blocked for the rest of the day. Distraction Blocker is built around Pomodoro sessions: everything on your list is blocked during focus and unlocks on its own in the breaks.
4Apps and games
A lot of distraction isn't in the browser at all: Steam, Discord, Spotify, the desktop version of a chat app. StayFocusd can't touch those. Distraction Blocker blocks any Windows program you add — see how to block Steam games for a worked example.
When StayFocusd is the better pick
- You use a Mac or a Chromebook. Distraction Blocker is Windows-only.
- Your distractions are only websites, and you never reach for a second browser.
- You want a daily allowance — say 15 minutes of Reddit — rather than a hard block.
- You want blocking to follow a schedule of days and hours without pressing Start.
- You can't install programs on the computer. Distraction Blocker needs administrator permission once to install; an extension doesn't.
You don't have to choose
The two tools solve different problems, and they don't get in each other's way. A setup that works well: keep StayFocusd for a small daily browsing allowance, and start a Distraction Blocker session when it's time to study or work. During that session, everything on its list is off — in every browser and outside it.
1. Copy your block list
Open StayFocusd's Blocked Sites list and note the sites you block most.
2. Install Distraction Blocker
Download the free installer and run it. Windows may warn about an unknown publisher — here's why that's fine.
3. Add sites, then apps
Add the websites to the website list. Then add the apps StayFocusd never covered, like Steam or Discord.
4. Press Start
Choose your focus and break lengths and start. From here, only a restart ends the focus session.
StayFocusd alternative, answered
Does StayFocusd work outside Chrome?
Can StayFocusd's Nuclear Option be bypassed?
Is there a StayFocusd for desktop apps on Windows?
Does Distraction Blocker have a daily time limit like StayFocusd?
Can I use StayFocusd and Distraction Blocker together?
Comparing more blockers? See Distraction Blocker vs Cold Turkey, Freedom, FocusMe, StayFocusd, BlockSite and Forest, or the free Cold Turkey alternative.
Block the whole PC, not just one browser
Free, no account, and it can't be switched off mid-session. Keep StayFocusd if you like it — this covers everything it can't.