10 Best Focus Apps for Developers in 2026
The best focus apps for developers block distracting sites and apps but leave documentation, GitHub and your terminal alone. For most people, Freedom (blocks across all devices) or Cold Turkey Blocker (the hardest to bypass on Windows and macOS) is the best paid pick. The best free picks are LeechBlock NG (browser) and SelfControl (Mac). Try the free focus mode already built into macOS, Windows, iOS and Android first, because it may be enough.
Prices and features below were checked on each app's official site in October 2026.
The 10 focus apps compared
| App | Platforms | Price (as of Oct 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in Focus (macOS, iOS, Windows, Android) | All | Free | Silencing notifications |
| Freedom | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chromebook | Free plan; Premium $8.99/mo, $3.33/mo yearly, $99.50 lifetime | Blocking on every device at once |
| Cold Turkey Blocker | Windows, macOS | Free; Pro is a one-time purchase | Blocks you truly can't undo |
| LeechBlock NG | Firefox, Chrome, Edge, other Chromium | Free, open source | Fine-grained browser rules |
| SelfControl | macOS | Free, open source | A simple, strict timer block |
| RescueTime | Desktop, web, iOS, Android | Solo from $7/mo (yearly) | Knowing where your time goes |
| Session | macOS, iOS, iPadOS | Free download; Pro is a subscription | Pomodoro with reflection |
| one sec | iOS, Android, browser extension | Free essentials; paid Premium | Breaking the phone-checking habit |
| Forest | iOS, Android, Chrome extension | Free core features | Gamified focus timer |
| StayFocusd | Chrome | Free | Daily time allowance per site |
What developers need from a focus app
Developers have different needs from a general "block social media" user:
- Allowlists, not just blocklists. You need docs, GitHub, Stack Overflow, your cloud console and localhost while you work. An "allow only these sites" mode is better than blocking the whole internet.
- App blocking. The distractions are often Slack, Discord, email and games, not just websites.
- Schedules. A recurring morning deep-work block works better than remembering to start one every day.
- Hard to bypass, but not too hard. If you can turn it off in two clicks, you will. If an incident hits and you can't reach the dashboard, you have a real problem. Choose a lock level you can live with when you're on call.
1. Built-in focus modes (start here)
Before you install anything, use what you already have:
- macOS / iOS: Open System Settings > Focus (on iPhone: Settings > Focus), add a Work focus, and set allowed people and apps. You can schedule it by time, location, or when you open an app. Set it to turn on when you open your IDE, and it syncs to your iPhone.
- Windows 11: Go to Settings > System > Focus and select Start focus session. It turns on Do not disturb and turns off taskbar badges for the length of the session (Microsoft support).
- Android: Digital Wellbeing's Focus mode pauses chosen apps.
The limitation: these modes silence notifications but don't stop you from opening a website. If you open X out of habit, you need a blocker.
2. Freedom
Freedom blocks websites, apps or the whole internet on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and Chromebook from one account. A session started on your laptop also blocks your phone. The free plan already includes blocking, custom blocklists and sync across unlimited devices. Premium adds scheduling, recurring sessions, Locked Mode (you can't end a session early) and sessions longer than 2 hours. As of October 2026, Premium costs $8.99 a month, $3.33 a month billed yearly, or $99.50 for lifetime access. Website exceptions (block everything except your docs) work on Mac and Windows only.
3. Cold Turkey Blocker
Cold Turkey Blocker is the strictest mainstream blocker for Windows and macOS. The free version blocks websites for a set time and supports exceptions. Pro is a one-time purchase that adds app blocking, schedules, a password lock, all locking options and "breaks and allowances." One license covers all the Windows and Mac computers you personally use. A locked block can't be removed by restarting or uninstalling the app, which is why people use it. For the same reason, don't lock a block during a week you're on call.
4. LeechBlock NG
LeechBlock NG is a free browser extension (MPL-2.0 open source) for Firefox, Chrome, Edge and other Chromium browsers. It's the most flexible free option. You can create up to 30 block sets, each with its own sites, schedule and time limit (for example, "10 minutes per hour on Reddit, only during 9-17"). It supports wildcards, exceptions, a lockdown mode and a password on the options page. It suits developers who want detailed rules and don't need app blocking.
5. SelfControl
SelfControl is a free, open-source Mac app. You enter a list of sites (or mail servers, or any host), set a timer, and start the block. Until the timer ends, the sites stay blocked, even if you restart your Mac or delete the app. It has no schedules or app blocking, but nothing else is this simple and this strict for free. Current version: 4.0.2.
6. RescueTime
RescueTime is mainly a time tracker. It records which apps and sites you use and categorizes them, so you can see how much of your "coding day" was spent coding. Paid plans add Focus Sessions that block distractions, and goals and alerts. As of October 2026, Solo costs $7/month billed yearly ($9 monthly), and every paid plan has a 14-day trial. It suits developers who want data first, or freelancers who need timesheets (Solo+).
7. Session
Session is a Pomodoro timer for macOS, iOS and iPadOS. You state what you'll work on, start a session, and it blocks distracting websites (in Safari, Chrome, Brave and Edge) and apps until the timer ends. Afterward it asks what you got done. Sessions sync between Mac, iPhone and iPad, and Pro can set your Slack status while a session runs. It suits developers who like timeboxing tasks and reviewing them afterward. (Note: getsession.org is an unrelated messaging app. Session the focus timer is at stayinsession.com.)
8. one sec
one sec adds friction instead of a hard block. When you open Instagram, X or YouTube, it makes you wait and take a breath, then asks whether you really want to continue. It works on iOS and Android, and as a browser extension on Windows, macOS and Linux, all with one account. Essentials are free, and one Premium purchase covers all your devices. It suits developers whose main problem is picking up the phone between builds.
9. Forest
Forest is a gamified focus timer. You plant a virtual tree, and it dies if you leave the app before the timer ends. It has 60M+ downloads. The free version includes the focus timer, Deep Focus app blocking and Plant Together for group sessions. A Chrome extension is available for desktop. It's a good fit if you want short timed sessions and a visible streak.
10. StayFocusd
StayFocusd is a Chrome extension that gives you a daily time allowance on sites you choose. When the allowance is used up, the sites are blocked for the rest of the day. It was still maintained in October 2026 (last updated on the Chrome Web Store on October 2, 2026). It suits you if you don't want sites blocked outright, just limited.
A setup that works for developers
- Schedule a recurring deep-work block (for example 9:00-12:00) in Freedom, Cold Turkey or LeechBlock. Allow docs, GitHub, your issue tracker and
localhost. - Turn on your OS focus mode automatically when the IDE opens (a macOS app-based schedule, or start a Windows focus session).
- Silence team chat. Pause Slack notifications and set your GitHub notifications to a daily email or GitHub's notification inbox instead of push.
- Leave yourself a way out for incidents. Keep PagerDuty or your on-call app on the allowlist, and don't lock blocks you might need to break.
- Review weekly with RescueTime or your OS screen-time report, and adjust the blocklist.
A focus app removes distractions, but slow tools break concentration too. If your workflow is slowed by long builds or flaky tests, see our top developer tools and open-source productivity tools.
FAQ
What is the best free focus app?
For a computer, LeechBlock NG (any major browser) or SelfControl (Mac). For phones, Forest's free version or one sec. Freedom's free plan also covers blocking and sync across unlimited devices. Premium is only needed for schedules and Locked Mode.
What are the best focus apps for PC?
On Windows, Cold Turkey Blocker is the strictest option and Freedom covers PC and phone together. Windows 11's built-in Focus session (Settings > System > Focus) is free for silencing notifications. LeechBlock NG and StayFocusd work in any Chromium browser on a PC.
What are the best focus apps for iPhone?
Start with iOS Focus (Settings > Focus) and Screen Time limits. For stronger blocking, Freedom, Session, one sec and Forest all have iPhone apps.
Can I block distracting sites but keep documentation and Stack Overflow?
Yes. Use an allowlist: Freedom website exceptions (Mac and Windows), Cold Turkey exceptions, or a LeechBlock block set that blocks all sites except the ones you list.
Do focus apps work for studying too?
Yes. The same tools work for studying. Forest and Session are popular with students because of their timers. LeechBlock and SelfControl are free, which matters on a student budget.