I don’t know about you but with the working remotely becoming in the norm in 2025 I’m finding it extremely difficult to not only get distracted while working but also complete the work I need to get done each day. This is why I’ve spent time testing website blockers that can help me stay on track on what I’m working on at the end of each day.
When testing these website blockers what was important to me were blockers which focused on helping me get my work done and actually blocked un-useful sites.
After testing a heap of different site blockers I settled on 5 website blockers that I felt actually helped me get my work done. I personally evaluated these website blockers using a consistent comparison method:
Each website blocker has their strengths - some allow more customisability for schedules while others incorporate AI into actively ensuring you stay on track at work.
A website blocker is an extension or stand alone software that allows user to block websites from being accessed for specific periods of time to help them stay focused at work or while studying.
Website blockers tend to fit into either one of these categories: a stand alone app or a chrome extension.
Stand Alone Website Blocker App allow you to block websites directly on your computer desktop without requiring a browser extension. These are useful for people who want control over every aspect of their computer for blocking apps and not just websites.
Chrome Extension Website Blocker sits natively within your Chrome browsers making it light weight and easy to access for blocking websites.
Beforefive stands out amongst other blockers as the most intelligent free website blocker for goal based blocking. The extension excels by offering AI powered website blocking that means you don’t need to set up lists or blacklists. Instead, Beforefive’s AI features means you simply enter the task or goal you are working on and Beforefive automatically blocks unrelated websites without the need to set up lists. This adaptive blocking not only is simple to use, but highly effective in ensuring you stay on track without switching focus.
Key Features
Beforefive Pros:
✅ Clean, minimalist interface for easy user adoption
✅ High-quality AI powered website blocking
✅ Focuses on task completion not just website restriction
✅ Doesn’t require sessions, manually blocking websites or scheduling
✅ Easy access through shortcuts natively in browser
✅ Free Chrome Extension website blocker
Beforefive Cons
❌ No desktop blocking available yet
❌ No multi-device blocking available yet
Blocksite offers a variety of products for website blocking with a limited plan of only allowing to block 2 websites for free before needing to upgrade to a paid plan. The blocking itself was quite easy which could be done both from the chrome extension in the browser itself and from within the website.
I also liked how Blocksite had pre-built categories that a user could easily switch on like adult content or social media. Blocksite also offers multi-device usage across your phone and desktop which can help users who are easily distracted even if one of their devices are blocked. However, the free tier is very limited in what it can offer and means you need to upgrade to the paid product in order to fully obtain the value of the product.
Key Features
Blocksite Pros:
✅ Easy to use
✅ Cross platform and device blocking
✅ Can create recurring schedule blocks
✅ Pre-built categories for blocking
Blocksite Cons:
❌ Relies on lists on schedules
❌ No adaptive task based blocking
❌ Doesn’t hold user accountable to completing work
StayFocusd excels in its ability to offer very granular level controls of website blocking for users, while also offering a generous free tier for users. These controls include ability to block entire websites to specific urls of a website, for specific periods of time or on regular schedules as well as a Nuke mode which makes it impossible for users to bypass. However, due to it’s complexity the UX is difficult to navigate and understand as a user. I found myself unsure where to start and which features I should be using for my specific use case while at work.
Key Features
StayFocusd Pros:
✅ Granular controls that provides multiple options for users
✅ Strong blocking options with Nuclear mode
✅ Session Scheduling
✅ Pre-built categories for blocking
StayFocusd Cons:
❌ Relies on lists or schedules
❌ Blocking is not adaptive to task based work
❌ UX is outdated and difficult to navigate
❌ No desktop blocking available yet
When I tested Freedom I found it easy to set up and understand how to get started. It offers a variety of easy ways to get started by creating sessions to focus. I also liked how I could block all websites with a single button instead of having to create an individual block list of each website. Freedom is session based which means that it is based on time to create blocking periods. On the free version you can only create sessions in the moment but on their Premium plan you can set up scheduled sessions or recurring sessions which make it easier to build habits for focus.
Key Features
Freedom Pros:
✅ Blocking across multiple devices and operating systems
✅ Scheduling and recurring sessions
✅ Pre-built categories for blocking
Freedom Cons:
❌ UX is outdated and not inspiring to utilise
❌ Does not keep user accountable for work
❌ No adaptive task based blocking
❌ Can get around blocks easily
Admittedly it took me a while to figure out how to install Cold Turkey’s chrome extension browser but once I was able to what stood out to me was the simplicity and flexibility of the product. One feature that stood out to me in particular was the ability to continue to block websites in incognito browser which meant that getting around the blocker was substantially more difficult.
Key Features
Cold Turkey Pros:
✅ Hard to bypass
✅ Blocks apps and websites
✅ Customizable blocklists
✅ One-time fee (Pro)
Cold Turkey Cons:
❌ No built-in accountability
❌ Session based blocking, not task based blocking
❌ Can’t sync across multiple devices
❌ No mobile app
After researching and trying these tools, you're probably wondering which is the best website blocker. Naturally as the creators of Beforefive we are a bit biased. We think hands down Beforefive is the best website blocker. It's focus on task based blocking versus session based blocking results in a more productive approach to blocking websites.
That said, tools like BlockSite, Cold Turkey, Freedom and StayFocusd each bring something special to the table. Wi
Based on the information we've provided you are now well equipped to determine which website blocker works best for your work or study. We recommend you try out a few tools to see which is the right for you! Good luck and here's to being more productive.