Is Focuh a free alternative to 1Focus?

Yes. Focuh is completely free with no paid tier and no subscription. 1Focus is a paid app. Both block websites and applications on macOS at the system level, so if cost is what's pushing you to look around, Focuh covers the core blocking 1Focus does at no charge — and bundles a focus timer and task management that a pure blocker leaves out.

Does Focuh block apps as well as websites like 1Focus?

Yes. Focuh blocks both distracting websites and native macOS apps during a focus session, using macOS Accessibility APIs. Start a session and your chosen sites and apps are blocked across every browser and the desktop at once. That's the same system-level scope 1Focus offers — Focuh just ties it to focus sessions rather than running purely as a standalone scheduler.

What does Focuh do that 1Focus doesn't?

Focuh combines blocking with a built-in focus timer, a drag-and-drop kanban task board, and Google Calendar sync, so planning, timing, and blocking live in one app. 1Focus is a dedicated blocker without task management or a timer. If you only want blocking, that simplicity is a feature. If you want your whole focus workflow in one place, Focuh covers more ground at no cost.

Where does 1Focus still have the edge?

1Focus is a mature, focused blocker with flexible scheduling and a polished blocking experience, and it supports iOS as well as Mac. Focuh is macOS-only and ties blocking to focus sessions rather than always-on recurring schedules. If you want set-and-forget scheduled blocking across iPhone and Mac, or you specifically don't want extra task and timer features, 1Focus may suit you better.

Can I use Focuh on Windows or iPhone instead of 1Focus?

No. Focuh's desktop app is macOS-only and there's no iOS version. 1Focus supports both Mac and iOS. If you need blocking on Windows or on an iPhone, Focuh's desktop app won't cover you — though the free Focuh Chrome extension works on any platform for in-browser blocking. For system-wide blocking, Focuh is a Mac-only solution today.

How hard is it to bypass Focuh compared to 1Focus?

Focuh blocks through macOS Accessibility permissions, which is effective and survives switching browsers, but a determined user can disable it in System Settings. 1Focus and stricter blockers like Cold Turkey can be harder to switch off mid-session. If unbreakable, lock-yourself-out blocking is your top priority, weigh that honestly — Focuh's aim is structured focus, not an inescapable vault.

Do I have to pay anything to switch from 1Focus to Focuh?

No. Focuh is free to download and use, with no trial that expires and no premium upgrade. You can install it, set up your blocklist of sites and apps, and start a focus session without entering payment details. If you also browse in Chrome, the free Focuh extension blocks sites there too, so you can cover both layers without spending anything.

1Focus Alternative

Best 1Focus Alternative for Mac (2026)

Q: Why look for a 1Focus alternative?

The most common reason is price. 1Focus is a paid Mac app, and people searching for an alternative usually want the same system-level website and app blocking without the cost — or they want more than a pure blocker. Focuh is a free macOS alternative that blocks sites and apps at the OS level and adds a focus timer, a kanban task board, and Google Calendar sync, so the blocker is part of a wider focus workflow rather than a standalone tool.

Looking for a 1Focus alternative on Mac? Focuh blocks websites and apps at the system level for free — plus a focus timer, task board, and calendar sync.

June 2, 2026

Why Look for a 1Focus Alternative?

1Focus is a capable website and app blocker for macOS and iOS. It blocks at the system level, supports scheduling, and does its one job well. If you're searching for an alternative, the reason is usually one of two things: it's a paid app and you'd rather not pay for blocking, or you want more than a standalone blocker — a timer, a task board, a way to plan the work you're protecting.

Focuh answers both. It's a free macOS app that blocks websites and apps at the system level, and it wraps that blocking in a focus timer, a kanban task board, and Google Calendar sync. The blocker isn't the whole product; it's one part of a focus workflow.

How Focuh Compares to 1Focus

Focuh and 1Focus overlap on the thing that matters most: both block distracting websites and native apps on a Mac at the operating-system level, not just inside one browser. Start blocking and the rule applies across Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Arc, and the desktop at once.

Where they diverge is scope and price.

Free, with no tier. Focuh has no paid plan and no subscription. 1Focus is a paid app. If cost is what sent you looking, that's the headline.

Blocking is part of a workflow. Focuh ties blocking to focus sessions: plan tasks on the board, start a timer, and your chosen sites and apps lock for the duration. 1Focus is a dedicated blocker — excellent at that, but you'd pair it with separate tools for tasks and timing.

Built for the way distraction actually works. Focuh counts the work you're doing, not just the sites you're avoiding. The timer and task board give the blocking a purpose, which is often what makes a block stick past the first frustrating week.

Feature	Focuh	1Focus
Price	Free	Paid
Website blocking	Yes (system level)	Yes (system level)
App blocking	Yes	Yes
Focus timer	Yes, built-in	No
Task management	Yes, kanban board	No
Google Calendar sync	Yes	No
Recurring schedules	Via focus sessions	Yes
Platforms	macOS	macOS, iOS
Unbreakable lock mode	No	No

What Focuh Does Better

The clearest gap is everything around the block. 1Focus blocks; Focuh blocks and then helps you use the silence.

When you start a Focuh session, three things happen at once: your distraction sites and apps lock, a focus timer starts, and the task you're working on is right there on the board. You're not blocking in the abstract — you're blocking to do this specific thing for this specific stretch. That framing is the difference between a blocker you fight and a blocker you forget is even on.

And it's free. You get system-level website and app blocking, a timer, task management, and calendar sync without a trial clock or an upgrade prompt. For the broader landscape of Mac blockers, the best website blockers for Mac roundup puts the main options side by side.

Where 1Focus Still Wins

A fair comparison admits the trade-offs. 1Focus is a mature, focused blocker, and focus is a feature. If you want a blocker and nothing else — no timer, no board, no calendar — its simplicity is cleaner than Focuh's all-in-one approach.

1Focus also supports iOS, while Focuh's desktop app is macOS-only with no iPhone version. If your distraction problem spans your phone and your Mac, or you want set-and-forget recurring schedules that run without you starting a session, 1Focus fits that shape better. Focuh's blocking is tied to focus sessions you choose to start, which suits a varying day but not always-on background blocking.

Neither app offers truly unbreakable, lock-yourself-out blocking. If that's your top requirement, a stricter tool is the honest recommendation — the Focuh vs Cold Turkey comparison covers that end of the spectrum.

How Blocking Works in Focuh

Focuh blocks through macOS Accessibility permissions. You grant the permission once, then each focus session enforces your blocklist across every browser and native app on the machine. Because it operates at the system level rather than as a browser extension, switching browsers doesn't get you around it — Safari is blocked just as Chrome is.

This is effective for the vast majority of people. It is not a vault: a determined user can revoke Accessibility access in System Settings to disable blocking. Focuh's goal is structured focus and breaking the autopilot reach, not locking you out of your own computer. The system-level website blocking on macOS guide explains the mechanics in more detail.

How to Switch from 1Focus to Focuh

Moving over takes a few minutes, and you don't have to uninstall 1Focus first if you want to compare them side by side.

Download Focuh free. No account is required to start.
Grant the macOS Accessibility permission when prompted — this is what lets Focuh block at the system level.
Add the same sites and apps you blocked in 1Focus to your Focuh blocklist.
Drop a task or two onto the kanban board so your session has a target.
Start a focus session. Your blocklist activates, the timer runs, and your task is in front of you.

If you also browse in Chrome, install the free Focuh extension for in-browser blocking on top of the desktop app — useful if you sometimes want blocking without a full focus session running.

Who Should Switch and Who Shouldn't

Switch to Focuh if you want free system-level blocking of sites and apps on a Mac, you want a focus timer and task board in the same place, or you want your blocking tied to deliberate focus sessions and calendar events rather than running a paid standalone blocker.

Stay on 1Focus if you need iOS support, you want always-on recurring schedules without starting a session, or you specifically want a pure blocker with no extra features and don't mind paying for it.

If the cost is what pushed you to look and you're on a Mac, the switch is genuinely free. Download Focuh and rebuild your blocklist in a few minutes — then add the free Chrome extension if your distractions live in the browser too.