Why does a browser extension only block one browser?

An extension runs inside the browser it's installed in, so it can only see and block traffic in that browser. Install it in Chrome and Safari is untouched; install it in Safari and Chrome is wide open. That's fine if you only ever use one browser, but the autopilot move when you hit a block is to open another browser. A Mac app that blocks at the operating-system level closes every browser route at once, which an extension can't do.

Is a Mac app harder to bypass than Screen Time or an extension?

Usually, yes. Screen Time and extensions can be toggled off in a couple of clicks. A system-level Mac app like Focuh ties the block to a running focus session using macOS Accessibility APIs, so there's no single switch to flip and the block resists a quick mid-session disable. Cold Turkey and SelfControl raise the friction further by refusing to end a block early once it's set. No tool is unbreakable, but OS-level apps add real friction.

Do these Mac apps block native apps too, or just websites?

It varies. Focuh and Cold Turkey can block distracting native apps alongside websites during a session, so a desktop client is covered, not just the browser tab. SelfControl and the hosts file block at the network level, which catches apps that use standard DNS but can miss apps with hardcoded servers. If your distraction is a native app rather than a browser tab, pick an app-aware blocker rather than a network-only one.

Is there a free Mac app to block websites across all browsers?

Yes. The Focuh Mac app blocks across Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Arc at the system level during a focus session and is free. SelfControl is also free and open-source, blocking every browser for a duration you set. The built-in /etc/hosts file is free too and universal, though it has no timer and is easy to edit out. Between them you can block every browser at once without paying for anything.

Will blocking across all browsers slow down my Mac?

No, in practice. System-level blockers check a domain against a local list when a connection is made, which is negligible work. The hosts file is even lighter — it's a lookup the OS already performs. The apps add a small background process for the timer and menu-bar display, but the blocking itself doesn't measurably affect browsing speed or battery. Heavier overhead usually comes from apps that sync to a server, which these don't require.

Can I block websites across all browsers on a schedule?

Yes. Cold Turkey is built around recurring schedules — block social media every weekday 9 to 5, for example. Focuh leans on focus sessions you start manually or tie to your calendar, so blocking begins when a work block does. SelfControl runs for a fixed duration you set each time rather than a recurring schedule. Pick schedule-first tools if you want hands-off recurring blocks, and session-first tools if you start work deliberately.

Do I still need a Chrome extension if I use a system-level Mac app?

Not for blocking. A system-level app already covers every browser, so a Chrome extension would be redundant on the same Mac. You might keep an extension for lightweight, browser-only blocking on a machine where you don't want a desktop app, or on Windows and Linux where the Mac app doesn't run. On a Mac, the OS-level app is the more complete option and makes per-browser extensions unnecessary.

macOSblock websites all browsersMac appwebsite blockerfocus

Best Mac App to Block Websites Across All Browsers (2026)

Q: What's the best Mac app to block websites across all browsers in 2026?

It depends on what else you want around the block. Focuh is the best fit if you want all-browser blocking tied to a focus timer, tasks, and a menu-bar countdown, and it's free. Cold Turkey is the strongest pure lockdown for fixed schedules but is paid for the full version. SelfControl is a free, open-source timed blocker with no timer-stop option. All three block below the browser, so Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Arc are covered at once.

June 24, 202610 min readFocuh

If you've blocked a site in Safari and then opened it in Chrome ten seconds later, you don't have a willpower problem — you have a scope problem. A browser extension only ever blocks one browser, and the moment you hit the wall, your hand reaches for another. The fix is a Mac app to block websites across all browsers at once, working below the browser so Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Arc are all covered at the same time.

This guide compares the best Mac apps for all-browser blocking in 2026 — what each one covers, whether it includes a timer, how hard it is to bypass, and which one fits which kind of person.

Mac apps to block websites across all browsers, compared

App	Free?	Covers all browsers	Blocks native apps	Timer / schedule	Bypass friction
Focuh	Yes	Yes (OS-level)	Yes	Focus session + calendar	High
Cold Turkey	Paid (free tier limited)	Yes	Yes (paid)	Recurring schedules	Very high
SelfControl	Yes (open source)	Yes	Network-level	Set duration, no early stop	Very high
Freedom	Paid (free trial)	Yes	Yes	Schedules + sessions	Medium
Screen Time	Yes (built in)	No (Safari only)	App limits	App/website limits	Low
Browser extension	Yes	No (one browser)	No	Sometimes	Low

The line that matters runs between the top four rows and the bottom two. Everything above Screen Time blocks below the browser, so it covers every browser at once. Screen Time and extensions don't — they each guard a single door and leave the rest open.

Why a Mac app beats a browser extension here

A browser extension blocks the browser it lives in. That's the whole limitation. It's genuinely fine if your entire distraction habit happens in one browser on one machine. But most people have two or three browsers installed, and the autopilot reaction to a blocked tab is to open the same site in whichever browser isn't blocked.

A system-level Mac app moves the block to the operating system, below all the browsers. The request never resolves, so it doesn't matter whether you open Safari, Chrome, Firefox, or Arc — the site is gone in all of them. For the deeper argument on where each layer wins and loses, see system-level vs browser website blocking.

Focuh — all-browser blocking tied to a focus session

The free Focuh Mac app blocks websites at the operating-system level during a focus session, covering Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Arc at the same time, plus distracting native apps. It uses macOS Accessibility APIs rather than a per-browser setting, so there's no single switch to flip mid-session, and the block resists a casual undo.

What sets it apart from a pure blocker is the wrapper: a focus timer, a menu-bar countdown in monospaced digits, a task list, and optional calendar sync so blocking starts when a work block begins. The block isn't a permanent toggle you forget to turn off — it turns on when you start working and off when you finish.

Strengths

Free, with no account required for blocking
Blocks every browser and native apps at the OS level
Ties blocking to a focus session and your calendar, not a manual switch
Menu-bar timer keeps the session visible

Limitations

macOS only — there's no Windows or Linux desktop version yet
Built around focus sessions, so it's less suited to a hands-off, always-on recurring schedule than a schedule-first tool

If you want the browser-only version on top, the free Chrome extension pairs with the app, though on a Mac the app alone already covers Chrome.

Cold Turkey — the strictest scheduled lockdown

Cold Turkey is the heavyweight for people who want blocks they genuinely cannot remove. Its "Frozen Turkey" mode can lock you out of the whole computer on a schedule, and once a block is running, there's no quick exit. It blocks every browser and, on the paid plan, native apps too.

The catch is price and feel. The free tier is limited, and the full scheduling and app-blocking features sit behind a one-time paid license. It's also a blunt instrument — superb for "no social media, weekdays, no exceptions," less suited to flexible, session-based work. If recurring lockdown is what you're after, it's the strongest option; see the Cold Turkey alternative breakdown if you want something lighter.

SelfControl — free, open source, no escape hatch

SelfControl is a free, open-source Mac app with one idea executed well: you add sites to a blocklist, set a timer, and start. Until the timer runs out, those sites are blocked across every browser — and you cannot stop it early, even by deleting the app or restarting. It blocks at the network level, so it covers all browsers at once.

That single-mindedness is the strength and the limit. There's no scheduling, no task list, no timer for your work itself — just a hard block for a fixed duration. If you want all-browser blocking with zero frills and zero cost, it's excellent. If you want the block wrapped in a focus workflow, you'll outgrow it. The SelfControl alternative comparison covers where it falls short.

Freedom — cross-platform, subscription

Freedom blocks across browsers and apps and syncs blocks across your Mac, iPhone, and other devices, which is its real selling point: one schedule that applies everywhere you work. It supports recurring sessions and a "locked mode" that raises bypass friction.

The trade-off is the model. Freedom is subscription-based after a limited trial, and the cross-device sync that justifies the price is overkill if you only block on one Mac. For a single-machine, all-browser block, a free tool covers the same ground.

How to choose

You want all-browser blocking wrapped in a focus timer, for free — choose Focuh. The cleanest fit for session-based deep work on a Mac.
You want an unbreakable recurring lockdown and will pay for it — choose Cold Turkey.
You want a free, no-escape timed block with no frills — choose SelfControl.
You block across a Mac, an iPhone, and other devices — Freedom's cross-device sync earns its subscription.
Your distraction lives only in Safari — Screen Time is built in and enough, with the caveat that it ends at Safari.

Every all-browser option here works because it blocks below the browser, not inside it. That's the whole game: the moment the block lives at the operating-system level, there's no other browser to escape to. If you want the fuller field of dedicated tools, the best website blockers for Mac in 2026 guide lines them up, and the step-by-step guide to blocking across all browsers covers the free hosts-file route too. To start now, download the free Focuh app.