The short answer
If you want an Opal alternative for Mac, pick an app that is built for the Mac and still maintained. Cactus blocks websites on a recurring schedule for $19.99 once. Focus and 1Focus block both apps and websites on Mac, and Freedom is the closest match if you want the same blocks on your phone and your Mac. Screen Time is the free option that is already installed.
This page is written by Maxi, who makes Cactus. Facts about other apps come from their official pages and are current as of October 2026.
Why people look for an Opal alternative on Mac
Opal is a screen time app built mainly for the phone. The Mac is a different story.
Opal's team says the Mac app isn't maintained right now
In a thread on r/opalapp, an Opal team member wrote: "Opal for Mac is currently not maintained. We hope to hop back on it as soon as possible but we have bigger priorities on mobile for now" (thread). The original post in that thread describes blocks stuck on and an app that couldn't be quit or deleted. That's one user's report, but a blocker you can't trust to end a block on time is a hard thing to keep installed.
The Mac page still offers the download, for macOS 13 or later. It says sync is "coming later this year" and that "App Limits and Locks will come at a later date". The page has no date, so treat those lines with care. Opal's help center is more direct: "Your Sessions will not sync or transfer between your devices." It also says the Mac app must be open to track screen time.
It's a subscription, and free is limited
Opal Free gives you one rule, such as a schedule or a time limit. Free users get one scheduled session up to 24 hours ahead. Pro removes those limits. As of October 2026, the pricing page lists $99.99 a year, $19.99 a month, or $399 for lifetime.
Subscription fatigue comes up often for this kind of app. When another phone-first blocker launched on Mac, one r/macapps reply said, "Looks nice, would love to use it on the Mac, but I just can't do with another subscription for things like these at this point" (thread).
It needs an account
Opal needs an account, with phone number, Apple or email sign-in. For some people that's fine. For others it's a reason to look elsewhere.
On Mac it controls the browser
Opal's help center says the Mac app uses browser Automation permission and supports Chrome, Safari, Opera, Edge, Brave and Arc. Firefox isn't on that list.
What Opal does better
- The phone. Opal runs on iPhone and Android. Most Mac blockers below don't.
- App blocking. Opal blocks apps as well as websites, including on the free plan.
- One subscription for every device. Opal's Mac page says you can use all iOS Pro features on the Mac at no extra cost. If you already pay for Pro, the Mac app costs nothing more.
- Hard Mode. On Pro, Opal's Hard Mode is described as "No way out. You can't turn Opal off."
- Refunds and discounts. Students get up to 50% off, and Stripe purchases have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If your phone is where the time goes, keep Opal on your phone. The question here is only what to run on the Mac.
Apps like Opal for Mac
1. Cactus: scheduled website blocking, paid once
Cactus for Mac blocks websites during the same hours every week. A background helper writes blocked domains into /etc/hosts and adds pf firewall rules, so the block covers Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Arc, Brave and other browsers without an extension or Automation permission. It keeps working if you quit the menu bar app. Once a block is active, you can't end it early.
It is narrower than Opal, and you should know how:
- One schedule: weekdays, one start and end time, one site list.
- Websites only. No app blocking, no time limits and no usage stats.
- Cactus blocks
domainandwww.domain, plusm.youtube.comforyoutube.comandtwitter.comforx.com. Add other hostnames, like an Instagram CDN, yourself. - Secure DNS in Chrome or Firefox, iCloud Private Relay, proxies and some VPNs can affect blocking, and a Mac administrator can still remove Cactus. See how Cactus blocks websites.
- No notifications. The menu bar shows status while the app is open.
- Mac only, macOS 14 or later. No iPhone app.
Cactus is $19.99 once, with no account. The 7-day trial starts when you turn on your first schedule and needs no card (pricing).
Cactus suits people who used Opal on the Mac mainly to block sites like YouTube, X or Reddit during work hours.
2. Freedom: the closest match across phone and Mac
Freedom runs on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and Chromebook and syncs blocklists across them, even on the free plan. It blocks desktop apps for free. Recurring sessions and Locked Mode need Premium, which is $8.99 a month, $3.33 a month billed yearly, or a Forever plan shown at $99.50 as of October 2026. It needs an account, and on Mac it uses a local proxy by default.
Freedom suits Opal users who want one blocklist on the phone and the Mac. See Freedom alternatives for its trade-offs.
3. Focus: a full-featured native Mac app
Focus is a one-time purchase: $49 for Focus 2, with one year of major updates, or $129 lifetime, as of October 2026. It blocks apps and websites, supports multiple schedules, and has a Locked Mode that survives a restart. Like Opal, it uses macOS Automation permission to control browsers. Firefox needs its add-on. There's a 7-day trial.
Focus suits people who want Opal's mix of app and site blocking with schedules, on Mac, without a subscription.
4. 1Focus: the cheap Mac App Store option
1Focus has a free tier with unlimited websites and apps and blocks of up to 6 hours, and "Active blocks cannot be canceled." Recurring schedules need Pro, at $1.99 a month or $9.99 a year. It needs no account. It supports Safari, Chrome, Brave, Edge, Opera and Arc, but not Firefox.
1Focus suits people who want app blocking on Mac for little or no money.
5. Cold Turkey: strict, Mac and Windows
Cold Turkey Pro is $45 once for US buyers at checkout as of October 2026. It adds scheduled blocks, app blocking and many lock types, and runs on Mac and Windows. There's no phone app. On Mac it blocks through browser extensions you install in each browser.
Cold Turkey suits people who want the strictest locks on their computers.
6. Screen Time: free on Mac and iPhone
Screen Time is built into macOS and iOS. Downtime runs every day or on custom hours per day, and app and website time limits cover daily allowances. Downtime limits the whole device to the apps you allow rather than blocking a list of sites, and "Block at Downtime" needs a Screen Time passcode. More on that in Cactus vs Screen Time.
Screen Time suits people who want something free on both devices, ideally with someone else holding the passcode.
Opal vs the alternatives on Mac
| App | Price (as of Oct 2026) | Platforms | How it blocks on Mac | Schedules | App blocking | Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opal | Free; Pro $99.99/yr, $19.99/mo, $399 lifetime | iOS, Android, Mac | Browser automation | Free: 1 rule; Pro: unlimited | Yes | Yes |
| Cactus | $19.99 once | Mac | Hosts file and pf firewall | One recurring schedule | No | No |
| Freedom | Free; from $3.33/mo yearly; $99.50 Forever | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chromebook | Local proxy by default | Premium | Yes | Yes |
| Focus | $49 or $129 lifetime | Mac | Browser automation | Multiple | Yes | Not stated |
| 1Focus | Free; Pro $9.99/yr | Mac | Browser permission | Pro | Yes | No |
| Cold Turkey | Free; Pro $45 once | Mac, Windows | Browser extensions | Pro, multiple | Pro | No |
| Screen Time | Free | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Built-in, Safari web settings | Downtime | Yes | Only for multiple devices |
Which Opal alternative should you pick?
Keep Opal on your iPhone if it works for you there. For the Mac, pick based on what you actually blocked.
If it was mostly websites during work hours, Cactus does that with one payment and no account. If you want the same blocks on phone and Mac, use Freedom or Screen Time. If you need apps blocked on the Mac too, Focus is the most complete native option and 1Focus is the cheapest. Pick Cold Turkey if strictness matters more than anything else.
For a broader comparison, see the best website blocker for Mac.
