The Best Free Website Blockers
You do not have to pay to block distracting sites. These cost nothing and, in one case, are harder to escape than the paid options.
The short answer
On a Mac, SelfControl is free and genuinely unbreakable for the duration you set. In a browser, LeechBlock NG is the most configurable. If your problem is one specific feed rather than whole sites, News Feed Eradicator is a smaller and better-aimed fix.
Free does not mean weak here. SelfControl is open source and cannot be undone by restarting or deleting it, which makes it stricter than several paid alternatives. What you give up with free tools is usually cross-device syncing and scheduling, not blocking strength.
5 worth considering
VisitSelfControl
Block sites until the timer runs out
Open-source Mac blocker with no escape hatch — restarting or deleting it will not lift the block.
Read our SelfControl review →
VisitLeechBlock NG
Advanced site blocker for power users
Highly configurable time-based blocking with up to 30 independent block sets.
VisitStayFocusd
Time limits for distracting sites
Nuclear Option blocks sites completely — can't be undone.
VisitCold Turkey
The strictest blocker — no workarounds
When you block something, it stays blocked. Period.
Read our Cold Turkey review →
VisitNews Feed Eradicator
Replaces your feed with a quote
Keeps the parts of social sites you actually need and removes the infinite scroll.
Common questions
- What is the catch with free blockers?
- Usually scope. Free tools tend to cover one browser or one machine, with no syncing between devices — so blocking a site on your laptop just moves the problem to your phone. That gap is what paid subscriptions sell.
- Can I just use my browser or router?
- You can, and for some people editing the hosts file or setting router-level blocks works well. It is more disruptive to reverse, which is either the appeal or the drawback depending on your temperament.