SiteBlocker vs Freedom: Free Website Blocker vs Premium Subscription

Looking for a website blocker to help you stay focused? SiteBlocker and Freedom are two popular options, but they take very different approaches to solving the same problem. This guide breaks down the key differences so you can decide which one fits your needs and budget.

TL;DR

SiteBlocker gives you every blocking feature for free — custom block lists, scheduling, focus mode, whitelist mode, and password protection — with an optional Pro tier (from $2.99/mo) that adds keyword blocking and a full insights dashboard. Freedom is a well-established cross-platform app with a broader feature set including mobile blocking, focus sounds, and locked sessions, but it requires a paid subscription starting at $8.99 per month. If you primarily work in a browser and want powerful website blocking at zero cost, SiteBlocker is the clear choice. If you need native mobile app blocking and cross-device syncing, Freedom may be worth the investment.

Feature Comparison at a Glance

Feature	SiteBlocker	Freedom
Price	Free for all blocking; Pro from $2.99/mo	$8.99/mo, $39.99/yr, or $99.50 lifetime
Custom Block Lists	Yes	Yes
Scheduled Blocking	Yes	Yes
Focus Mode	Yes	Yes
Whitelist Mode	Yes	Yes (limited on free tier)
Password Protection	Yes	No (uses Locked Mode instead)
Locked Mode	No	Yes
Focus Sounds	No	Yes
Chrome Extension	Yes	Yes
Firefox Extension	Yes	Yes
Desktop Apps (Mac/Windows)	No	Yes
Mobile Apps (iOS/Android)	No	Yes
Data Collection	None	Account data, usage analytics
Chrome Web Store Rating	5.0 stars	4.9 stars

Features

Both SiteBlocker and Freedom cover the essentials well. You can create custom block lists, set schedules for when blocking is active, and start focus sessions on demand.

Where they differ is in the extras. Freedom offers Locked Mode, which prevents you from disabling a blocking session once it starts — helpful if you struggle with self-control in the moment. It also includes ambient focus sounds designed to help you concentrate, and the ability to block not just websites but also desktop and mobile applications.

SiteBlocker takes a different approach by offering password protection for your block settings, so you cannot impulsively remove a site from your block list. It also includes a dedicated whitelist mode for deep work sessions where you only allow access to a handful of essential sites, with everything else blocked by default. Every one of these features is available for free, right from your first install.

Pricing

This is where the two products diverge most significantly. SiteBlocker keeps every blocking feature free: there is no paywall on blocklists, scheduling, whitelist mode, focus mode, or cross-device sync. An optional Pro plan ($2.99/mo, $24.99/yr, or $49.99 lifetime) unlocks keyword blocking and the full insights dashboard, but you never need it to block sites.

Freedom operates on a subscription model. While it offers a limited free tier that lets you try a handful of blocking sessions, the full experience requires a paid plan. The monthly plan costs $8.99, the annual plan is $39.99 per year, and a lifetime license is available for $99.50. Over a year on the monthly plan, that adds up to nearly $108 — a meaningful expense for a productivity tool.

For users who only need browser-based website blocking, paying a recurring fee for Freedom can be difficult to justify when SiteBlocker delivers the core functionality at no cost.

Privacy

Privacy matters, especially for a tool that monitors your browsing behavior. SiteBlocker collects zero user data. It operates entirely within your browser without sending information to external servers. There is no account creation required beyond the initial setup, and your block lists and settings stay local.

Freedom requires an account and collects usage data to power features like cross-device syncing and session history. While Freedom’s privacy practices are standard for a SaaS product, users who are sensitive about their browsing data being stored on third-party servers will appreciate SiteBlocker’s local-first approach.

Platform Support

Freedom has a clear advantage in platform coverage. It offers native apps for macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android, alongside browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. This means you can block distracting apps on your phone, restrict desktop applications, and sync your blocking sessions across all your devices. Freedom reports over 50,000 Chrome Web Store users and holds a 4.9-star rating.

SiteBlocker is currently available as a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox. If most of your distractions happen in the browser — and for many people, they do — this covers the vast majority of use cases. The tradeoff is that SiteBlocker cannot block mobile apps or desktop applications outside the browser.

Who Should Choose SiteBlocker

SiteBlocker is the right choice if you want a straightforward, no-cost website blocker that works in Chrome or Firefox. It is ideal for students, remote workers, and freelancers who need to block distracting websites during work or study sessions without dealing with subscriptions or account management. If you value privacy and prefer tools that do not collect your data, SiteBlocker is especially appealing.

Who Should Choose Freedom

Freedom makes sense if you need blocking across multiple platforms, including mobile devices and desktop applications. If you find yourself reaching for your phone every time you block a website on your computer, Freedom’s cross-device approach addresses that gap. The focus sounds and Locked Mode features are also genuinely useful for people who need stricter enforcement. Just be prepared to pay for it.

The Bottom Line

Both SiteBlocker and Freedom are solid tools for fighting digital distractions. Freedom offers broader platform coverage and a few premium features that justify its price for certain users. But for the majority of people who need reliable website blocking in their browser, SiteBlocker delivers everything you need — scheduling, focus mode, whitelist mode, password protection — free, with an optional Pro tier for keyword blocking and full insights, and zero data collection.

Ready to take back your focus? Install SiteBlocker from the Chrome Web Store today and start blocking distractions in seconds.