# Freedom App Alternatives for Mac (Free and One-Time) > Freedom app alternatives for Mac, most with no subscription or account: Cactus, Cold Turkey, Focus, SelfControl, 1Focus and Screen Time, as of October 2026. Canonical: https://usecactus.app/compare/freedom-alternative Last updated: 2026-10-17 Freedom syncs blocks across every device, but scheduling needs a subscription, it needs an account, and on Mac it blocks through a local proxy by default. Here are the alternatives and who each one suits. ## The short answer The best Freedom app alternative depends on why you're leaving. If it's the subscription or the account, Cactus ($19.99 once, no account), Cold Turkey ($45 once) and Focus ($49 once) are one-time purchases, and SelfControl is free. If it's the proxy, Cactus and SelfControl block at the system level instead. If you need the same blocks on your phone and your computer, Freedom is still the better choice. This page is written by Maxi, who makes Cactus. Facts about other apps come from their official pages, and prices are as of October 2026. ## Why people look for a Freedom alternative [Freedom](https://freedom.to/premium) is one of the best-known blockers, and it covers more devices than anything else here. The complaints about it are mostly about cost, the account and how it blocks on Mac. ### Scheduling needs a subscription Freedom's free plan allows "Start Now" sessions of up to 2 hours. Its [plan comparison](https://support.freedom.to/en/articles/13764747-what-s-included-in-free-and-premium-plans) lists no recurring sessions, no advance scheduling and no Locked Mode on free. Those are Premium, at $8.99 a month or $3.33 a month billed yearly as of October 2026. The site doesn't print the yearly total; the App Store lists a yearly plan at $39.99. A Reddit user on r/nosurf put the reaction in one line: "$8.99/month or $40/year. For a blocker." ([thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/nosurf/comments/1r0kro7)). On r/macapps, one person asking for blocker recommendations led with the same point: "Every other app I can find has a stupid subscription model" ([thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/174x1ah)). To be fair, Freedom does have a no-subscription option. The Forever plan is one payment, shown as $99.50 (50% off $199) as of October 2026. ### It needs an account Freedom requires an account. Sync is a core Freedom feature, so the account makes sense for it, but plenty of people don't want one for a blocker on a single Mac. On r/macapps, the top comment on another blocker's launch was "requiring sign-up to use it is an immediate dealbreaker for me" ([thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/1wuxsrk)). ### On Mac it blocks through a proxy by default Freedom's [support docs](https://support.freedom.to/en/articles/4385704-non-proxy-mode-for-mac) say: "In its default mode, Freedom requires the use of a proxy for blocks to be effective." There's an optional Non-Proxy Mode, but it blocks Firefox outright and adds a "1–2 second delay before the block screen appears." There's a Chrome extension, but "there is no Freedom extension for the Safari browser." Some Reddit users blame Freedom for network trouble. One wrote, "I couldn't access the internet at all, and after the IT guy screwed around with it all morning, he figured out that it was my Freedom software which was causing the problem" ([thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/nckznw)). Another said "when I have no blocking turned on it makes my Internet very very slow" ([thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/1by3ilu)). These are individual reports, not a measured problem, but they explain why "no proxy" is a common request. ## What Freedom does better - **Every device.** Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and Chromebook, with blocklists synced across unlimited devices even on the free plan. Nothing else on this page matches that. - **App blocking for free.** The free plan blocks desktop apps on Mac and Windows. - **Website exceptions.** You can allow specific sites while blocking the rest, on Mac and Windows. - **Recurring and advance sessions** on Premium, plus Locked Mode, which stops you quitting. One Reddit user first called Freedom "too easy to circumvent", then took it back once they used Locked Mode ([thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/nosurf/comments/1isb12y)). If your phone is where the time goes, an alternative that only runs on a Mac won't fix that. ## Freedom alternatives for Mac ### 1. Cactus: one-time, no account, no proxy Cactus for Mac is a scheduled website blocker. A background helper writes blocked domains into `/etc/hosts` and adds pf firewall rules, so traffic doesn't go through a proxy and there's no browser extension. The block applies in Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Arc, Brave and other browsers. You set one schedule: weekdays, a start time, an end time and a site list. It starts on its own every week, and an active block can't be ended early. Your schedule and site list stay on the Mac. There's no account and no sync. The trade-offs: - Mac only, macOS 14 or later. No iPhone, Android or Windows. - One schedule, websites only, no app blocking and no allowlist mode. - Cactus blocks `domain` and `www.domain`, plus `m.youtube.com` for `youtube.com` and `twitter.com` for `x.com`. Add other hostnames yourself. - Secure DNS in Chrome or Firefox, iCloud Private Relay, proxies and some VPNs can affect blocking, and a Mac administrator can still remove it. See [how Cactus blocks websites](https://usecactus.app/how-cactus-blocks). - No notifications. The menu bar shows status while the app is open. It costs $19.99 once, and the 7-day trial starts when you turn on your first schedule, with no account or card ([pricing](https://usecactus.app/pricing)). Cactus suits people who only need to block websites on one Mac during the same hours each week, and want to pay once. ### 2. Cold Turkey: one-time, Mac and Windows [Cold Turkey](https://getcoldturkey.com/pricing/) Pro is a one-time purchase, $45 for US buyers at checkout as of October 2026, covering all the computers you personally use on Mac and Windows. Pro adds scheduled blocks, app blocking and many lock types. It uses a product key, not an account. On Mac it blocks through browser extensions installed in each browser. Cold Turkey suits people who use Windows too, or want app blocking and strict locks without a subscription. More in [Cold Turkey alternatives](https://usecactus.app/compare/cold-turkey-alternative) and [Cold Turkey vs Freedom](https://usecactus.app/compare/cold-turkey-vs-freedom). ### 3. Focus: one-time, Mac only [Focus](https://heyfocus.com/) is $49 for Focus 2, with one year of major updates, or $129 for lifetime updates, as of October 2026. It has multiple schedules, app blocking and a Locked Mode that keeps running through a restart. It controls browsers through macOS Automation permission, and Firefox needs its add-on. It's licensed by key, with a 7-day trial. Focus suits Mac-only users who want Freedom's scheduling and app blocking without a subscription. ### 4. SelfControl: free and open source [SelfControl](https://selfcontrolapp.com/) costs nothing and needs no account. It blocks with the pf firewall and hosts file, and a block can't be stopped until the timer ends. It has no schedule, so you start every block by hand, and it's Mac only. SelfControl suits anyone who wants free, strict, one-off blocks. ### 5. 1Focus: low-cost subscription, no account [1Focus](https://onefocusapp.com/) is still a subscription for schedules, but a small one: $1.99 a month or $9.99 a year for Pro. The free tier blocks unlimited websites and apps for up to 6 hours. It's sold through the Mac App Store, needs no account, and doesn't support Firefox. 1Focus suits people who don't mind a small subscription but don't want an account. ### 6. Screen Time: free and built in Screen Time's [Downtime](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-downtime-settings-screen-time-mac-mchl10157962/mac) runs every day or on custom hours, and Screen Time is built into both Mac and iPhone. Downtime limits the whole device to the apps you allow rather than blocking a site list, and "Block at Downtime" needs a Screen Time passcode. Screen Time suits people who want a free Mac and iPhone cut-off and can hand the passcode to someone else. ## Freedom vs the alternatives | App | Price (as of Oct 2026) | Subscription | Account | How it blocks on Mac | Platforms | App blocking | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Freedom | Free; $8.99/mo; $3.33/mo yearly; $99.50 Forever | Yes, or Forever | Yes | Local proxy by default | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chromebook | Yes | | Cactus | $19.99 once | No | No | Hosts file and pf firewall | Mac | No | | Cold Turkey | Free; Pro $45 once | No | No | Browser extensions | Mac, Windows | Pro | | Focus | $49 or $129 lifetime | No | Not stated | Browser automation | Mac | Yes | | SelfControl | Free | No | No | pf firewall and hosts file | Mac | No | | 1Focus | Free; Pro $9.99/yr | Yes, for Pro | No | Browser permission | Mac | Yes | | Screen Time | Free | No | Only for multiple devices | Built-in, Safari web settings | Apple devices | Yes | ## Which Freedom alternative should you pick? Stay with Freedom if you need blocking on your phone and computer together, or on Windows and Chromebook. If you like Freedom but hate the subscription, the Forever plan is worth a look before you switch. If you only need a Mac, pick Cactus for a recurring website block with no account, no proxy and one payment. Pick Cold Turkey if you also use Windows or want app blocking. Pick Focus for several schedules in a native Mac app, and SelfControl if free matters most. For more options side by side, see the [best website blocker for Mac](https://usecactus.app/compare/best-website-blocker-for-mac) or [website blockers with no subscription](https://usecactus.app/compare/website-blocker-no-subscription). ## Questions ### How much does Freedom cost? As of October 2026, Freedom Premium is $8.99 a month or $3.33 a month billed yearly, and the Forever plan is shown at $99.50, down from $199. The free plan allows Start Now sessions of up to 2 hours. ### Is there a free alternative to Freedom? SelfControl is free and open source on Mac but has no schedule. Screen Time is free and has Downtime, which limits the whole Mac to allowed apps. Cold Turkey and 1Focus also have free tiers. ### Does Freedom have a one-time purchase? Yes. Freedom Forever is a single payment, shown at $99.50 on its site as of October 2026. Cactus ($19.99), Cold Turkey Pro ($45) and Focus ($49) are also one-time purchases. ### Why does Freedom use a proxy on Mac? Freedom's support docs say that in its default mode Freedom requires a proxy for blocks to be effective. Its optional Non-Proxy Mode blocks Firefox outright and adds a 1 to 2 second delay before the block screen appears. ## Keep reading - [Cold Turkey alternatives for Mac](https://usecactus.app/compare/cold-turkey-alternative): Cold Turkey alternatives for Mac, free and paid: Cactus, SelfControl, Focus, Freedom, 1Focus and Screen Time, with prices as of October 2026 and how each works. - [Opal alternatives for Mac](https://usecactus.app/compare/opal-alternative-mac): Opal alternatives for Mac, since Opal's team says its Mac app is not currently maintained. Compare 6 apps like Opal for Mac, with prices as of October 2026. - [SelfControl alternatives for Mac, with a schedule](https://usecactus.app/compare/selfcontrol-alternative): A SelfControl alternative for Mac with a recurring schedule. Compare Cactus, Cold Turkey, Focus, Freedom and Screen Time, with prices as of October 2026.