# Mac website and app blockers with no subscription

> One-time and free Mac blockers compared: Blocker, Cold Turkey, Focus, Nudge, Cactus, Cloister and SelfControl, with prices checked October 30, 2026.

Canonical: https://getblocker.app/blog/mac-website-blocker-no-subscription
Last updated: 2026-10-30

![A crossed-out renewal symbol beside Blocker’s blue hourglass shield](https://getblocker.app/_next/image?url=%2Fblog%2Fmac-blocker-no-subscription.webp&w=3840&q=75&dpl=dpl_Anbbb9zNntypp1gbYqNqvcxkN6W5)

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

Several Mac blockers cost one payment instead of a subscription. To block websites and Mac apps, the one-time options are Blocker ($39), Cold Turkey Blocker Pro (€39), Focus ($49) and Nudge ($9.99). Cactus ($19.99) and Cloister (from €39) are also one-time purchases, but they block only websites on a Mac. SelfControl is free and blocks only websites.

I build Blocker, and there are no affiliate links on this page. I checked each price and feature on the maker’s own website on October 30, 2026, from France. Some sites showed euros. Prices can change and can differ by region, so check the checkout before you buy.

## One-time prices on October 30, 2026

Mac blockers with a one-time price or no price, checked October 30, 2026

| App | Price | Mac apps | Weekly schedules | Stopping early | Trial |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Blocker | $39 once | Yes | Yes | You choose: Off, Strict or Hardcore | 7 days, no account |
| Cold Turkey Blocker Pro | €39 once, Mac and Windows | Yes | Yes | Timer, text, delay, restart or password locks | 7 days of Pro in the free version |
| Focus | $49 once; Lifetime $129 | Yes | Yes | Locked sessions cannot be stopped | 7 days |
| Nudge | $9.99 once | Yes | Yes | Not described on its website | 7 days, no account |
| Cactus | $19.99 once | No | One weekly schedule | No button to end a block | 7 days, no account |
| Cloister | €39 for one Mac; €79 Lifetime | No | Yes | No cancel button | 14 days |
| SelfControl | Free, open source | No | Not described | No; the timer must end | Not needed |

“Mac apps” means the app can block native Mac apps, not only websites. “Weekly schedules” means blocks that start by themselves on chosen days and hours.

## If you need to block websites and Mac apps

**Blocker** costs $39 once; the [pricing section](https://getblocker.app/#pricing) shows the current offer. One blocklist covers every Mac browser, with no browser extension, plus the Mac apps you add. You can start a block now or set a weekly schedule. Each block has a lock mode: Off, Strict or Hardcore. The 7-day trial includes every feature and needs no account. Blocker needs macOS 14 or newer and does not run on Windows or phones yet.

**Cold Turkey Blocker** is free for timed website blocks. [Pro](https://getcoldturkey.com/pricing/) showed €39.00 from France, “Pay once, own forever”. Pro adds app blocking, scheduled blocks and all locking features. One purchase covers the Mac and Windows computers you use. It also has the most detailed website rules of this list, with specific URLs and wildcards. [Compare Blocker and Cold Turkey](https://getblocker.app/vs/cold-turkey) .

**Focus** is a Mac app. Its [checkout page](https://heyfocus.com/checkout/) listed Focus 2 at $49 with one year of major updates, and Lifetime at $129. It blocks websites and apps, has schedules, Pomodoro breaks, and locked sessions that cannot be stopped once they start.

**Nudge** is the lowest one-time price here: its [website](https://nudgefocus.app/) says $9.99 once. It blocks apps and websites, and presets can start on set days and hours. It needs an Apple silicon Mac with macOS 13 or later. Its website does not say how hard a session is to end early, so test that during the trial.

## If you only need to block websites

**Cactus** costs [$19.99 once](https://usecactus.app/pricing) . It runs one recurring weekly schedule of websites, in every browser, with no extension. It has no manual focus sessions and does not block apps yet. An active block has no button to end it.

**Cloister** listed [€39 for one Mac](https://getcloister.app/pricing/) , €49 for two Macs and €79 for a two-Mac Lifetime licence at its launch price. It blocks websites only on the Mac, has recurring schedules and no cancel button. It needs macOS 15 or later.

**SelfControl** is [free and open source](https://selfcontrolapp.com/) . You choose sites and a duration, then the block stays on until the timer ends, even if you restart. Its website does not describe schedules or app blocking.

Apple’s [Screen Time](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mchl630bc02f/mac) is built in and free. It can set schedules and time allowances for apps on the days you choose. Check whether that approach suits a work block.

## Subscription apps with a lifetime plan

Some subscription apps also sell a lifetime plan. Freedom’s [Forever plan](https://freedom.to/premium) showed $99.50 on sale, against a $199 list price. It keeps Freedom’s sync across Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android and Chromebook. FocusMe’s [Lifetime plan](https://focusme.com/pricing/) showed $449 once, for Windows, Mac and Linux plus mobile devices. These cost more, but they make sense if you need one blocker on several kinds of device. [Freedom alternatives for Mac](https://getblocker.app/blog/freedom-alternatives-mac) explains that tradeoff.

## Which one fits?

1.  You want a free, strict website block: SelfControl. You want a built-in daily limit: Screen Time.
2.  You use a Mac and Windows: Cold Turkey Blocker Pro, one key for both.
3.  You want the lowest one-time price for websites and apps on an Apple silicon Mac: Nudge.
4.  You only need the same websites blocked at the same hours each week: Cactus.
5.  You want websites and apps blocked in every browser, and you want to choose how hard each block is to stop: Blocker.
6.  You need your phone blocked too: Freedom Forever.

For setup checks, screenshots and browser tests of more apps, read [7 best Mac website blockers](https://getblocker.app/blog/best-mac-website-blockers) . To compare Cold Turkey, SelfControl and Focus side by side, read [Cold Turkey vs SelfControl vs Focus](https://getblocker.app/blog/cold-turkey-vs-selfcontrol-vs-focus) .

## Check these before you pay

One payment does not always mean every future version. Focus 2 includes one year of major updates. Cloister’s one-Mac and two-Mac licences include one year of updates. Cold Turkey Pro includes free lifetime updates. Blocker’s licence includes [free updates within the version line](https://getblocker.app/terms) you buy.

Use the trial with your usual browsers and work apps. Start a short block first, then a schedule. If you want a weekly routine, follow [the schedule guide](https://getblocker.app/blog/block-websites-on-a-schedule-mac) .

## Keep going

-   [Freedom alternatives for Mac without a subscription](https://getblocker.app/blog/freedom-alternatives-mac)
-   [Cold Turkey vs SelfControl vs Focus on Mac](https://getblocker.app/blog/cold-turkey-vs-selfcontrol-vs-focus)
-   [7 best Mac website blockers in 2026](https://getblocker.app/blog/best-mac-website-blockers)
-   [Choose a focus setup to make your own](https://getblocker.app/focus-setups)