Cold Turkey

About

Cold Turkey is a website and app blocker for Windows and macOS, designed to help you focus by blocking distracting websites and applications. It can block specific sites or apps, entire categories such as adult websites, or the whole internet with a few exceptions. You can also set time limits on sites like YouTube, schedule breaks, configure weekly schedules, set passwords, and lock blocks in place so they are hard to bypass. The app supports uses such as cutting down on YouTube, preventing doomscrolling, avoiding gambling, and improving study habits, and it tracks website and app usage.

Setup involves installing the desktop app, then adding browser extensions for supported browsers, and starting a block. Once a block is locked, the website says you cannot simply uninstall the app to stop it. Cold Turkey states that it stores your settings and statistics locally on your device and does not collect your data. It is sold as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription, and includes free updates. A "Pause for a Cause" feature lets users donate to the World Wildlife Fund to temporarily pause blocks, and this feature can be disabled.

The website reports that the app has been downloaded millions of times and blocks over three million websites each month, and that 91% of users rated it 4 or 5 stars. Featured user reviews describe it as difficult to circumvent and effective at reducing distractions.