The 7 Best FocusMe Alternatives in 2026

Key takeaways

• Best for deep analytics: Ascension, with strong enforcement.
• Best for strong enforcement with a one-time price: Cold Turkey.
• Best for Linux: DigitalZen, from $3 a month billed annually.
• Best for cross-device sync: Freedom.
• Best free option: LeechBlock NG.

Feature comparison

1. Ascension

Platforms: Windows only (iOS and Mac in development)

Price: 15-day free trial, then $12.99/month or $50 one-time

Ascension is a powerful website blocker and screen time tracker 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.

Key features

• Uninstall protection
• Deep analytics (reports, goal tracking, time projections)
• Premade block lists (adult content, gambling, social media)

Limitations: Windows only (iOS and Mac in development).

Best for: Windows users who want strong enforcement and deep analytics.

Read our guide to the website blocker that cannot be uninstalled →

2. Cold Turkey

Platforms: Windows, macOS

Price: Free version, 7-day Pro trial, then $45 once

Cold Turkey is a website and app blocker for Windows and macOS with strong bypass prevention. It blocks distracting websites, games and desktop applications on schedules or timers, and its Frozen Turkey mode can block the entire computer for a scheduled period.

Key features

• Blocks desktop apps as well as websites (Pro)
• One licence covers all your personal computers
• Blocks the whole computer with Frozen Turkey

Limitations: no Linux or phone app, and fewer time controls than FocusMe.

Best for: people who want strong enforcement on Windows or Mac for a one-time price.

FocusMe vs Cold Turkey →

3. DigitalZen

Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux (iOS and Android coming soon)

Price: Free Basic plan, Premium $3/month billed annually, or $119 once

DigitalZen is a website and app blocker for Windows, Mac and Linux designed to reduce distractions and improve focus. It blocks websites and desktop apps on schedules or daily limits, and runs focus sessions where everything except chosen apps and sites is blocked. It is known for blocks that range from a light reminder to a full block.

Key features

• Daily allowances that reset at midnight
• Rotating cycles, such as a 10 minute break after every 50 minutes
• Linux support (Debian, Red Hat and Arch based)

Limitations: app blocking and uninstall protection are Premium, and website blocking needs its browser extension.

Best for: FocusMe users on Linux who want a lower price.

4. Freedom

Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chromebook

Price: Free plan, then $8.99/month, $3.33/month billed yearly, or $99.50 once

Freedom is a website and app blocker for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Chromebook that syncs one blocking session across all devices at once. It covers the iPhone, which FocusMe does not.

Key features

• Syncs blocking sessions across all devices at once
• Locked Mode (a session cannot be quit once it starts)
• Recurring schedules, such as a workday

Limitations: blocks run as sessions rather than staying on permanently, and fewer time controls than FocusMe.

Best for: cross-device sync.

Best Freedom alternatives →

5. LeechBlock NG

Platforms: Firefox, Chrome, Edge and other Chromium browsers

Price: Free

LeechBlock NG is a free web browser extension built to cut the time lost to distracting websites. It can block them outright or cap how long you can use them, with up to 30 separate groups of sites, each with its own times, days and time limits.

Key features

• Up to 30 block sets, each with its own schedule
• Time limits, such as 10 minutes in every hour
• Lockdown blocks sites immediately for a chosen period

Limitations: works inside one browser only, can be removed like any extension, and no app blocking.

Best for: people who want FocusMe style time limits in the browser for free.

6. RescueTime

Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

Price: 14-day free trial, then $9/month or $84/year for Focus

RescueTime is automatic time tracking software that logs how you spend your day. It records the apps and websites you use without you starting or stopping a timer, and adds focus sessions that block distracting websites.

Key features

• Automatic tracking of apps and websites
• Focus sessions that block distracting sites
• Daily and weekly productivity reports

Limitations: blocking is lighter than a dedicated blocker, and it is subscription only.

Best for: people who used FocusMe mainly for its time statistics.

Best RescueTime alternatives →

7. Opal app

Platforms: iOS, Android, macOS

Price: Free with 1 rule, Pro $19.99/month, $99.99/year or $399 lifetime

Opal is a screen time app for iPhone, Android and Mac designed to reduce time spent on distracting apps and websites. It blocks apps and sites with schedules, time limits and focus sessions. It is known for its design and for Hard Mode, a session that cannot be ended early.

Key features

• Hard Mode (Pro)
• Schedules, time limits and open limits per app
• Opal Score, a daily focus score

Limitations: no Windows app, and Hard Mode is paid.

Best for: people whose distraction is mainly on an iPhone.

Best Opal app alternatives →

Choosing between them

If you want deep analytics with strong enforcement, choose Ascension. If you want strong enforcement with a one-time price, choose Cold Turkey. If you use Linux, choose DigitalZen. If you want cross-device sync, choose Freedom. If you want a free option, choose LeechBlock NG. If you mainly want to track your time, choose RescueTime. If your distraction is mainly on an iPhone, choose Opal app.

Frequently asked questions