The 10 Best Anti Procrastination Apps in 2026
Grouped by why you procrastinate, with prices and platforms · Updated
The best anti procrastination app depends on why you put things off. Blockers like Ascension, Cold Turkey and Freedom remove distractions, Focusmate gives you a person to work alongside, and planners like Todoist and TickTick make the next task clear.
Key takeaways
- Distraction is the most common cause, and blockers are the most direct fix.
- Limits you cannot override work better than reminders: in a study of about 2,000 adults, they cut social media use by 22 minutes a day.
- Focusmate suits people who work better when someone else is present.
- Todoist and TickTick help when the problem is not knowing where to start.
- Most apps here have a free version or trial.
Details reflect each app as of September 2026. Notice something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.
Comparison
Ten anti procrastination apps compared by type, platforms and price, September 2026
| App | Type | Platforms | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascension | Website blocker and tracker | Windows | $12.99/mo or $50 once |
| Cold Turkey | Website and app blocker | Windows, macOS | Free, Pro $45 once |
| Freedom | Blocker across devices | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Chromebook | Free plan, $8.99/mo, $39.99/yr |
| LeechBlock NG | Browser extension | Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi | Free |
| Forest | Focus timer | iOS, Android, browser extensions | Free, Plus subscription |
| Focusmate | Body doubling | Web browser | 3 free sessions a week, Plus $8/mo yearly |
| Todoist | Task manager | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, web | Free, Pro $5/mo yearly |
| TickTick | Tasks, habits and timer | All major platforms | Free, Premium $49.99/yr |
| RescueTime | Time tracking | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android | Free Lite, $9/mo or $84/yr |
| Brain.fm | Focus music | Web, desktop, iOS, Android | $14.99/mo or $99.99/yr |
Block distractions
1. Ascension
Platforms: Windows 10/11 (iOS in development)
Price: 15-day free trial, then $12.99/month or $50 one-time
Ascension is a powerful Windows application designed to improve digital habits and productivity. It blocks distracting content on the web and tracks your digital usage automatically to give insights on how one can improve. It is built to be hard to bypass once a block is locked.
Key features
- Schedules and time limits: block sites during work hours or set a time limit per day.
- Locks: a locked block cannot be edited, deleted or uninstalled until it ends.
- Usage reports: see where your time goes before and after blocking.
Limitations: Windows only (iOS in development), no free version.
Best for: procrastination that happens on a Windows computer.
2. Cold Turkey Blocker
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Price: Free version, Pro $45 once
Cold Turkey Blocker is a computer application designed to stop distractions by blocking websites, desktop apps and even the whole computer. It is known for being very hard to bypass once a lock is active.
Key features
- Seven lock types: from a simple timer to a delay of up to 40 days.
- App blocking: games and desktop programs as well as websites.
- One licence: every computer you personally use.
Limitations: no phone app, app blocking and schedules need Pro.
Best for: strict blocking on a computer for a one-time price.
3. Freedom
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Chromebook
Price: Free plan, $8.99/month, $39.99/year, $199 lifetime (currently $99.50)
Freedom is a blocker designed to stop distractions on every device at once. One session blocks websites, apps or the entire internet across your phone and computer.
Key features
- Cross device sessions: one block covers phone and computer together.
- Locked Mode: stops you from ending a session early, with a weekly exit you can remove.
- Recurring sessions: block distractions at the same time every day.
Limitations: free sessions last up to 2 hours, Locked Mode and scheduling need Premium.
Best for: people who procrastinate on their phone as much as their computer.
4. LeechBlock NG
Platforms: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi
Price: Free
LeechBlock NG is a free browser extension designed to limit time on distracting websites. It can block sites outright or cap how long you spend on them.
Key features
- Up to 30 block sets: each with its own schedule and limits.
- Time allowances: a set number of minutes per hour or per day.
- Lockdown: block sites immediately for a chosen period.
Limitations: one browser at a time, removable in one click.
Best for: free, flexible blocking inside the browser.
Focus timers
5. Forest
Platforms: iOS, Android, Chrome and Firefox extensions
Price: Free, Forest Plus subscription
Forest is a focus timer designed to keep you off your phone. A virtual tree grows while you focus and dies if you leave the app.
Key features
- Growing trees: a visual reward for each uninterrupted session.
- Deep Focus: stops you from switching to other apps during a session.
- Browser extension: applies the same idea to distracting websites.
Limitations: no Windows app, the reward is symbolic.
Best for: people who respond to small rewards.
Body doubling
6. Focusmate
Platforms: Web browser
Price: 3 free sessions a week, Plus $8/month billed yearly or $12/month
Focusmate is a virtual coworking service designed to help you start and finish work. It pairs you with another person over video for a 25, 50 or 75 minute session.
Key features
- Matched partner: work alongside a real person on video.
- Session goals: say what you will do at the start and report back at the end.
- Flexible lengths: 25, 50 or 75 minute sessions.
Limitations: needs a camera, only 3 free sessions a week.
Best for: people who work better when someone else is there.
Plan tasks
7. Todoist
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, web
Price: Free, Pro $5/month billed yearly or $7/month
Todoist is a task manager designed to organise everything you need to do. It helps break large tasks into small steps with due dates.
Key features
- Projects and subtasks: split big work into smaller pieces.
- Recurring tasks: routines that repeat automatically.
- Natural language dates: type “every Monday” and it schedules it.
Limitations: it does not block distractions, the free plan is limited to 5 personal projects.
Best for: procrastination that comes from not knowing where to start.
8. TickTick
Platforms: All major platforms
Price: Free, Premium $49.99/year
TickTick is a task manager designed to combine a to do list with habits and a focus timer. It keeps the task and the time spent on it in one app.
Key features
- Built-in focus timer: work in timed sessions next to your task list.
- Habit tracker: build daily routines.
- Calendar view: see tasks alongside your schedule.
Limitations: it does not block distractions, the free plan limits lists and tasks.
Best for: people who want tasks and a timer in one place.
Track time
9. RescueTime
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
Price: Free Lite, Solo Focus $9/month or $84/year
RescueTime is a time tracker designed to show where your time goes. It records the apps and websites you use without starting a timer.
Key features
- Automatic tracking: apps, websites and documents recorded in the background.
- Focus Sessions: block distracting sites and apps on paid plans.
- Goals: set targets for focused time.
Limitations: Focus Sessions need a paid plan, the free plan keeps two weeks of history.
Best for: people who want to see where the day went.
Focus music
10. Brain.fm
Platforms: Web, desktop, iOS, Android
Price: Free trial, then $14.99/month or $99.99/year
Brain.fm is a music app designed for focus, relaxation and sleep. It plays music made to reduce distraction while you work.
Key features
- Focus mode: music made for work sessions.
- Session timers: set how long you want to focus.
- Offline listening: use it without a connection on mobile.
Limitations: subscription only, it does not block anything.
Best for: people who focus better with background audio.
How to choose
If you get pulled into websites or your phone, start with a blocker. If you avoid starting because a task feels too big, use a planner and break it into steps. If you need someone else to get going, try Focusmate. Many people combine a blocker with one other type.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best anti procrastination app?
For a Windows computer, Ascension for blocking with locks and usage reports, or Cold Turkey for strict blocking at $45 once. For phone and computer together, Freedom. For accountability, Focusmate.
Do anti procrastination apps actually work?
Blockers with limits you cannot override have the strongest evidence. In a randomised study of about 2,000 adults, such limits reduced social media and browsing time by 22 minutes a day over 12 weeks.
What is the best free app to stop procrastinating?
LeechBlock NG is a free website blocker with schedules and time limits. Cold Turkey, Freedom, Todoist, TickTick and RescueTime also have free versions.
Which anti procrastination app is hardest to bypass?
Cold Turkey and Ascension, because a locked block cannot be disabled or uninstalled until it ends. Browser extensions are the easiest to bypass.
Should I use more than one app?
Often, yes. A blocker removes distractions, while a planner or Focusmate helps you start. They solve different parts of procrastination.
Available on Windows 10 & 11