# Freedom alternatives for Mac without a subscription

> Mac apps that replace Freedom for one payment, what you lose without cross-device sync, and when Freedom’s Forever plan is the better choice.

Canonical: https://getblocker.app/blog/freedom-alternatives-mac
Last updated: 2026-10-30

![Freedom’s green butterfly, an arrow, two abstract focus symbols and Blocker’s blue hourglass shield](https://getblocker.app/_next/image?url=%2Fblog%2Ffreedom-alternatives-mac.webp&w=3840&q=75&dpl=dpl_Anbbb9zNntypp1gbYqNqvcxkN6W5)

[Léo Mathurin](https://leomathurin.com/) October 30, 2026 5 min read

The closest Freedom alternatives for Mac without a subscription are Cold Turkey Blocker Pro (€39 once), Focus ($49 once), Blocker ($39 once) and Nudge ($9.99 once). Each one blocks websites and Mac apps, with schedules. None of them syncs a session to your phone. If you need that, Freedom’s own Forever plan removes the subscription without a change of app.

I build Blocker, and there are no affiliate links here. I checked every price and feature on the official websites on October 30, 2026, from France. For a direct comparison of two apps, read [Blocker vs Freedom](https://getblocker.app/vs/freedom) .

## What Freedom does that the others do not

[Freedom](https://freedom.to/features) syncs your schedules and blocklists across Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Android and Chromebook. Its free plan includes sync across devices. Recurring sessions and Locked Mode need Premium or Forever. On October 30, 2026, [Freedom’s pricing page](https://freedom.to/premium) showed Premium at $8.99 a month or $3.33 a month billed yearly. The same page asks you to create an account first.

Every alternative below works on the computer only. If you often leave a blocked site on your Mac and open it on your phone, a Mac app will not stop that habit.

## Freedom alternatives compared

Freedom and Mac alternatives without a subscription, checked October 30, 2026

| App | Price | Mac apps | Schedules | Phone | Platform |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freedom | $8.99/month, $3.33/month yearly, or Forever | Yes | Premium or Forever | Yes | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chromebook |
| Cold Turkey Blocker Pro | €39 once | Yes | Yes | No | Mac and Windows |
| Focus | $49 once | Yes | Yes | No | Mac |
| Blocker | $39 once | Yes | Yes | No | macOS 14 or newer |
| Nudge | $9.99 once | Yes | Yes | No | Apple silicon, macOS 13 or later |
| Cactus | $19.99 once | No | One weekly schedule | No | macOS 14 or later |
| Cloister | €39 once for one Mac | No | Yes | Separate app | macOS 15 or later |
| SelfControl | Free | No | Not described | No | Mac |

## Pay once and keep website and app blocking

**Cold Turkey Blocker Pro** is the best fit if you also use Windows. One key covers the Mac and Windows computers you use. It has several lock types, such as a restart lock or a password lock, and URL rules with wildcards. [Its pricing page](https://getcoldturkey.com/pricing/) showed €39.00 from France.

**Focus** is a Mac app with website and app blocking, schedules, Pomodoro breaks and locked sessions. [Focus 2](https://heyfocus.com/checkout/) costs $49 with one year of major updates. Lifetime costs $129.

**Blocker** costs $39 once. One blocklist covers every Mac browser, with no extension, and the Mac apps you add. You can block now or on a weekly schedule. The trial lasts 7 days and needs no account.

**Nudge** costs [$9.99 once](https://nudgefocus.app/) and blocks apps and websites with presets on set days and hours. It needs an Apple silicon Mac. Its trial needs no account.

## If you want a block that you cannot quit

Freedom’s Locked Mode prevents quitting a session early. On the Mac, several alternatives do the same for a single payment. SelfControl keeps a block on until the timer ends, even after a restart. Cloister and Cactus have no button to end an active block. Focus can lock a session so that it cannot be stopped.

If you want a choice per block, Blocker has three lock modes. Off lets you stop after a short wait. Strict adds a longer wait and a sentence to type. Hardcore holds until the timer ends, with one emergency pass a week. The [Hardcore guide](https://getblocker.app/blog/hardcore-mode) explains that pass.

## Free options

[SelfControl](https://selfcontrolapp.com/) is free and open source. It blocks websites, not apps. Cold Turkey Blocker’s free version blocks websites for a set time. Freedom also has a free plan. On the Mac, [Screen Time](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mchl630bc02f/mac) is built in and can set app schedules and time allowances.

## Keep Freedom without a subscription

If phone blocking is the reason you chose Freedom, its [Forever plan](https://freedom.to/forever) may be the better answer. On October 30, 2026 it showed $99.50 on sale, against a $199 list price, with no recurring charges. It costs more than the Mac apps above, but it keeps the same sessions on all your devices.

If your distractions are on your Mac, compare prices in [Mac blockers with no subscription](https://getblocker.app/blog/mac-website-blocker-no-subscription) and try one or two trials with your own sites and apps.

## Keep going

-   [Mac website and app blockers with no subscription](https://getblocker.app/blog/mac-website-blocker-no-subscription)
-   [Cold Turkey vs SelfControl vs Focus on Mac](https://getblocker.app/blog/cold-turkey-vs-selfcontrol-vs-focus)
-   [Blocker vs Freedom: a pay-once alternative for Mac](https://getblocker.app/vs/freedom)
-   [Choose a focus setup to make your own](https://getblocker.app/focus-setups)