Cold Turkey Alternatives in 2026: 5 Real Options, Compared Honestly
Short answer
Cold Turkey is a strong computer blocker with a one-time price, so people leave it for specific reasons. Freedom syncs a block across phone and computer. ScreenZen is the free option. Opal is the strongest iPhone blocker. AppBlock adds location and Wi-Fi triggers. Dopa Break blocks nothing and trains the attention span so you need the lock less.
- Freedom keeps one session running on six platforms, from Linux to Android, and charges a subscription after a free tier.
- ScreenZen costs nothing and asks you to pause before opening an app, on iOS, macOS, Windows and Android.
- Opal leans on Apple's own Screen Time tools, so it feels most at home on an iPhone.
- AppBlock can start a block when you arrive somewhere or join a network, and has browser add-ons too.
- Dopa Break is free on the web and is the only option here that does not block anything.
| App | What it does best | Platform | Price model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Turkey | Locked blocks on a computer, with uninstall prevention | Windows, macOS, browser extensions | Free version with limits; Pro as a one-time purchase |
| Freedom | A single session mirrored on all your devices, with a Locked Mode | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chromebook, Linux | Limited free tier; subscription after a 7-day trial; lifetime purchase available |
| ScreenZen | Pause screen, daily limits and open-count caps, no charge | iOS, macOS, Windows, Android | Free, funded by optional donations |
| Opal | Blocking that works with Screen Time, plus a wellbeing score | iOS, Android, Mac | Subscription with a free tier; lifetime purchase also offered |
| AppBlock | Profiles triggered by clock, location or Wi-Fi, plus Strict Mode | iOS, Android, Chrome, Edge, Brave | Limited free plan; paid subscription with a trial, or a lifetime purchase |
| Dopa Break | Attention training, so you lean on locks less | Any browser, phone or desktop | Free |
Disclosure: we build Dopa Break.
Where Cold Turkey has the edge
Cold Turkey is hard to beat for locking a computer. Lock a block in place, protect it with a password, and uninstall prevention stops you removing the program while it runs. Pro is a one-time purchase that covers every Windows and Mac you own, so nothing renews. If your distraction lives on a desktop and you would rather pay once, keep Cold Turkey.
Plans and features change: check Cold Turkey's official site for the current details.
Where Dopa Break fits in
The rest of this list is about gatekeeping. Dopa Break takes a different route: it leaves every app open and tries to loosen the grip, with short daily focus sessions and a calming reset for the jittery minutes after a scroll. You can use it in a browser on a phone, which Cold Turkey cannot do, and next to any blocker above.
Cold Turkey does one thing very well: it makes distractions unavailable on a computer, and makes the block hard to cancel. Almost nobody leaves because it is too weak. If you are searching for Cold Turkey alternatives, it is usually for one of three narrower reasons, and the right pick depends on which one is yours.
What if your distraction is on your phone?
Nothing on Cold Turkey's site mentions an iPhone or Android app, only Windows, macOS and browser extensions. When the scrolling happens on a handset you want something built for it. Opal suits iPhone owners, since it builds on Apple's Screen Time instead of fighting it. AppBlock handles both iOS and Android, and a profile can kick in when you walk into the office or join a particular Wi-Fi network. ScreenZen does the job for free on both, adding a pause screen whose question you get to write.
What if you want one block across every device?
A Cold Turkey block guards one computer and leaves the phone beside it wide open. Freedom exists to close that hole. You start a session, now or on a repeating timetable, and the same list is shut out across Mac, Windows, Linux, Chromebook, iOS and Android together, with a Locked Mode that stops you finishing early. You pay for that coverage through a subscription, although a limited free tier and a lifetime purchase exist. If a desktop is all you need, paying Cold Turkey once is the cheaper way.
What if you do not want to pay at all?
The free Cold Turkey covers basic website blocking; app blocking, schedules and locks all need Pro. ScreenZen unlocks everything without a charge and relies on optional donations, across iOS, macOS, Windows and Android. The catch is firmness. ScreenZen is designed around a pause and a decision, while Cold Turkey is designed around a lock, and a stubborn mood will find the pause easier to talk its way through.
What if the lock works but you still want to scroll?
No blocker on this list is aimed at that. Once the schedule ends the craving is as strong as it was at breakfast, since the habit underneath never changed. Dopa Break is aimed at that layer, with short daily focus sessions that stretch your attention span, a 90-second reset for after a long scroll, and phone changes such as making your screen grayscale and batching notifications into a few deliveries a day, each backed by published trials. It blocks nothing, so it complements Cold Turkey instead of replacing it.
Which Cold Turkey alternative fits you?
If the trouble is a phone, try Opal on iPhone or AppBlock and ScreenZen on Android. If you want a single rule on every device, Freedom. If money is the sticking point, ScreenZen. If the lock holds yet the craving stays, keep a blocker and add attention training, beginning with riding out the urge instead of fighting it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free alternative to Cold Turkey?
ScreenZen is completely free and covers limits, schedules and a pause on phones and computers. If the goal is training attention rather than blocking, Dopa Break is free on the web and works alongside any blocker.
Is there a Cold Turkey for iPhone or Android?
Its site lists Windows, macOS and browser extensions and no phone app. Opal, AppBlock, ScreenZen and Freedom all cover phones.
Why does a website blocker stop working after a while?
A block only holds while it is on, and a soft one can be worked around. A locked mode, a physical stop, or working on the pull itself with attention training are the usual next steps.