Mindful Suite
Cold Turkey vs FocusMe (2026): Which Distraction Blocker Should You Use?

Cold Turkey vs FocusMe (2026): Which Distraction Blocker Should You Use?

The short answer: pick Cold Turkey if you want blocks you genuinely can't undo, on a Windows or Mac computer, and you'd rather pay once. Pick FocusMe if you want flexible time limits and scheduled breaks, or you also need blocking on Linux or Android — and you're fine with a subscription.

Both are desktop-first blockers with a strict mode that stops you from quietly switching the block off. The difference is philosophy: Cold Turkey is a wall; FocusMe is a set of dials.

Cold Turkey vs FocusMe at a glance

Cold Turkey Blocker FocusMe
Platforms Windows and macOS Windows, Mac, Linux and Android
Pricing Free version; Pro is a one-time purchase Monthly or yearly subscription, or a $249 lifetime licence
Free option Free forever for basic website blocking 14-day free trial, no card required
Strict / locked mode Yes — the core of the product Yes ("Enforced Mode")
Daily time allowances Pro: breaks and allowances Per-site and per-app daily time limits
Enforced screen breaks No Yes — a full-screen break overlay
Best for "Make it impossible" blocking on a computer Balancing use rather than cutting it off

Details checked against each company's own site in September 2026. Prices change, so confirm on the official pages linked below before you buy.

Cold Turkey: built to be unbreakable

Cold Turkey's reputation rests on one thing: once a locked block starts, you can't end it early — not by quitting the app, not by editing settings, and not by uninstalling it.

  • The free version blocks websites, supports exceptions and timed blocks, shows statistics, and includes a 7-day trial of Pro.
  • Pro adds blocking of desktop applications (not just websites), scheduled blocks, an application password, all of the locking options, and breaks and allowances.
  • Pay once: Pro is a one-time purchase with free lifetime updates, and one purchase covers all the computers you personally use, Windows and Mac.
  • No phone app: Cold Turkey officially supports only Windows and macOS, so it won't help with the phone in your pocket.

Choose Cold Turkey if your distraction lives on your computer, you know you'll bargain with yourself, and you like the idea of never paying again.

FocusMe: flexible limits instead of hard walls

FocusMe is built around control rather than prohibition. Instead of "no Reddit," you can say "30 minutes of Reddit a day."

  • Time budgets per website and per app, plus scheduling, so you can allow a little use rather than none.
  • Enforced screen breaks: a full-screen overlay that makes you step away at intervals, plus a built-in Pomodoro-style timer.
  • Enforced Mode locks your settings for when you need Cold Turkey-style strictness.
  • Wider platform support: Windows, Mac, Linux and Android from one account. (FocusMe's own comparison page also lists an iOS app; its pricing page lists only the four platforms above.)
  • Subscription pricing, with a $249 lifetime option, a 14-day free trial that doesn't ask for a card, and a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Choose FocusMe if you want to use distracting sites less rather than not at all, you want breaks enforced, or you need Linux or Android covered.

What about your phone?

Neither app is the obvious answer for an iPhone. Apple's built-in Screen Time limits go a long way, and our guide to the benefits of blocking distracting apps walks through setting them up on every device. If you'd like blocking paired with focus sessions, Present — the meditation and focus app we make — includes an app blocker alongside a focus timer. See Present.

For more options across phone, computer and browser, see our comparison of the best app blockers.

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