Cold Turkey vs Freedom: the short answer
Cold Turkey and Freedom both block websites and apps, but they suit different people. Pick Cold Turkey Blocker Pro if you want to pay once, skip the account, and use strict locks on a Mac or Windows PC. Pick Freedom if you need the same blocks on your computer and your phone, and an account and a yearly bill (or a $99.50 lifetime plan) are fine.
This page is written by Maxi, who makes Cactus, a different Mac website blocker. Cactus is neither of these apps and gets a short section at the end. All prices are US list prices as of October 2026, from getcoldturkey.com and freedom.to.
Comparison table
| Cold Turkey Blocker | Freedom | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; Pro $45 once | Free; $8.99/mo; $3.33/mo billed yearly; Forever $99.50 |
| Free tier | Website blocks, exceptions, timed blocks | "Start Now" sessions up to 2 hours, app blocking, sync |
| Platforms | Mac, Windows | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chromebook |
| How it blocks on Mac | Extension in each browser | Local proxy by default; optional non-proxy mode |
| Recurring schedules | Pro, weekly grid, several blocks | Premium, recurring and advance sessions |
| Locks | Pro: timer, time range, random text, delay, restart, password | Premium: Locked Mode (prevents quitting) |
| Uninstall during a block | Blocked when the block is locked | Not stated |
| App blocking | Pro only | Yes, including free (Mac, Windows) |
| Account | No, product key | Yes |
| Sync across devices | Not described | Yes |
| Trial | 7-day Pro trial | 7 days on the yearly plan |
Price: one payment vs a subscription
Cold Turkey Blocker Pro is a one-time purchase. Its pricing page loads the price from its payment provider rather than printing it, and that provider returns $45 for US buyers (EUR 39 in Germany). The purchase covers all computers you personally use, on Mac and Windows, includes lifetime updates, and comes with a 30-day refund. Students can ask for 20% off.
Freedom Premium is $8.99 a month, or $3.33 a month billed yearly. The site does not print the yearly total, which works out to $39.96 (the App Store lists $39.99). Freedom also sells a Forever plan for $99.50 once, shown as 50% off $199.
Over three years, Cold Turkey Pro costs $45, Freedom yearly about $120, and Freedom Forever $99.50. If cost decides it, see the no-subscription comparison.
Free tiers
Both free tiers are useful, in different ways.
- Cold Turkey Free blocks websites, supports exceptions and timed blocks, and shows statistics. Schedules, app blocking and the lock features are Pro.
- Freedom Free gives you sessions you start now, up to 2 hours, with unlimited devices, sync, custom block lists, desktop app blocking and website exceptions. Recurring sessions, advance scheduling and Locked Mode are Premium.
So Freedom's free tier covers more ground, including app blocking and your phone, while Cold Turkey's free tier is a website blocker you start by hand.
How they block websites on a Mac
This is the biggest practical difference.
Cold Turkey uses browser extensions. The user guide has you install its extension in every browser it finds and allow it in incognito windows. In Safari you enable the extension in Safari's Extensions settings. A locked block requires the extension to stay enabled and also blocks guest browsing and similar workarounds. The trade-off is that the block depends on that extension being present and active in each browser you use.
Freedom uses a local proxy by default. Its support page says that in default mode "Freedom requires the use of a proxy for blocks to be effective." An optional Non-Proxy Mode for Mac blocks Firefox outright and adds a 1 to 2 second delay before the block screen appears. Freedom has a Chrome extension and says there is no Safari extension.
If you use one mainstream browser, both approaches can work. If you switch between browsers, check each one before you commit.
Schedules
Both put recurring schedules behind the paid plan.
Cold Turkey Pro has a weekly grid. You click and drag to add a block, and the schedule repeats every week. You can have several blocks, each with its own schedule and list.
Freedom Premium has recurring sessions and advance sessions, so you can plan blocks ahead instead of starting them by hand.
Strictness and locks
Cold Turkey is built around being hard to undo. Pro includes these lock types:
- Timer
- Time range
- Random or custom text, from 1 to 5,000 characters
- Delay, from 1 minute to 40 days
- Schedule
- Restart
- Password
A locked block stops the uninstaller from working. Frozen Turkey goes further and can lock, log off or shut down the computer. The developer has said even Pro "doesn't let you undo a block either, it's the whole point of the app."
Freedom's Premium Locked Mode "prevents quitting so you stay committed." Freedom does not say what happens to a locked session across a restart.
If strictness is the main reason you are shopping, Cold Turkey has more options. On a Mac where you are the admin, neither can promise a block nobody can remove.
App blocking
Freedom blocks desktop apps on Mac and Windows even on its free tier. By default it hides blocked apps rather than quitting them, and you can turn on force-quit. It supports a single list of blocked desktop apps, and app selections do not sync between devices. See how to block apps on Mac with Freedom.
Cold Turkey blocks applications in Pro only.
Platforms, accounts and sync
Cold Turkey runs on macOS and Windows. Its site says Linux, ChromeOS, Android and iOS are not supported. There is no account; Pro uses a product key, and no sync is described.
Freedom runs on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and Chromebook. You need an account, and sync across devices is a core feature, included even on the free tier.
If your phone is the bigger problem, this alone may decide it for Freedom.
Cold Turkey vs Freedom: what Reddit users report
People searching "cold turkey vs freedom reddit" will find a few recurring reports. These are individual experiences, not tests.
- Cold Turkey before locking. A Mac user found guest mode, incognito and other Chrome profiles got around a block. The developer replied that "you need to lock the block to ensure the extension is there" (r/coldturkeyblocker).
- Cold Turkey in other Chromium browsers. Users report the extension staying inactive, or being removable, in Opera, Brave and Vivaldi (r/coldturkeyblocker).
- Freedom browser support. A user reports Firefox and Comet are unsupported on desktop, and calls the price "$8.99/month or $40/year. For a blocker." (r/nosurf).
- Freedom without Locked Mode. One user called it "too easy to circumvent", then took that back once they used Locked Mode (r/nosurf).
Which should you choose?
Choose Cold Turkey Blocker Pro if:
- You want to pay once and own it.
- You do not want an account.
- You want strict locks, including blocking the uninstaller.
- You use a Mac or Windows PC and do not need your phone covered.
Choose Freedom if:
- You need blocking on iPhone or Android as well as your computer.
- You want app blocking without paying, or sync between devices.
- You are fine with an account and a subscription, or the $99.50 Forever plan.
For more options in each direction, see Cold Turkey alternatives and Freedom alternatives.
A third option: Cactus, if you only need recurring website blocking on a Mac
Some people comparing these two only want one thing: the same websites blocked during the same hours every week, on one Mac. Cactus for Mac does just that, for $19.99 once with a 7-day free trial that needs no account or card.
It differs from both apps in how it blocks. A background helper uses the hosts file and the pf firewall, so the block applies in every browser without an extension or a proxy. Once a block starts, Cactus has no button to end it early. See how Cactus blocks.
It also does much less. Cactus has one schedule (one time range, chosen weekdays, one site list), no app blocking, no phone or Windows version, and fewer locks than Cold Turkey. A Mac admin can still remove it. Secure DNS in Chrome or Firefox, iCloud Private Relay, proxies and some VPNs can affect blocking. If you need any of the features above, Cold Turkey or Freedom is the better pick.
