7 Free Focus Apps for Mac in 2026

Most "free focus app" lists include apps that are free for a week and then cost $50/year. This list doesn't. Every app here has a genuinely free tier that's useful long-term — no trial periods disguised as free apps.

Here are 7 focus apps for Mac that you can actually use without paying, with honest assessments of what each one does well and where it falls short.

Quick Comparison

App	Timer	Website Blocking	App Blocking	Task Management	Cross-Browser	Free
Focuh	Flexible	System-level	Yes	Kanban board	Yes	Fully free
SelfControl	Countdown	Irreversible	No	No	Yes	Fully free
Focus To-Do	Pomodoro	No	No	Yes (lists)	N/A	Freemium
Be Focused	Pomodoro	No	No	Basic	N/A	Freemium
Flow	Flexible	No	No	No	N/A	Freemium
Tide	Pomodoro	No	No	No	N/A	Freemium
Horo	Countdown	No	No	No	N/A	Fully free

1. Focuh

What it is: A focus timer with system-level website and app blocking, a kanban task board, and Google Calendar sync. Built as a native macOS app using Tauri/Rust.

What's free: Everything. Focuh is completely free with no paid tier.

Best for: People who want blocking + timer + tasks in one app, especially those with ADHD.

The good:

• System-level website blocking works across Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Arc, and every other browser — uses macOS Accessibility APIs rather than browser extensions
• Can also block native apps (not just websites)
• Kanban task board with drag-and-drop scheduling so you can plan what to work on during each focus session
• Google Calendar sync shows your schedule alongside your tasks
• Live countdown timer in the macOS menu bar
• Clean, modern interface

The less good:

• macOS only — no Windows, Linux, iOS, or Android
• Blocking can be disabled by revoking Accessibility permission in System Settings (requires navigating to settings, which provides some friction but isn't truly irreversible)
• Newer app, so the community and ecosystem around it are still growing

Who should use it: If you want one app that handles timer, blocking, and task management — particularly if you have ADHD and need system-level blocking that you can't just switch browsers to avoid.

2. SelfControl

What it is: A free, open-source website blocker for macOS that makes blocks irreversible. Once you start a SelfControl session, the blocked sites stay blocked until the timer expires — even if you restart your computer, delete the app, or reboot in safe mode.

What's free: Everything. SelfControl is fully open source.

Best for: People who need blocking they genuinely cannot bypass, no matter what.

The good:

• Truly irreversible blocking — the only tool where "I'll just disable it" isn't an option
• Open source and completely free
• Works across all browsers (modifies hosts file + firewall rules)
• Simple, focused interface — does one thing and does it well

The less good:

• No timer or task management — it's purely a blocker
• Irreversibility is a double-edged sword: if you legitimately need a blocked site, you're stuck
• Only blocks websites, not native apps
• Interface is dated and hasn't been significantly updated in years
• No scheduling — you manually start each session

Who should use it: People who have tried other blockers and keep finding ways to disable them. SelfControl is the nuclear option and it works.

3. Focus To-Do

What it is: A Pomodoro timer combined with task management. Think of it as a Todoist-Pomodoro hybrid.

What's free: Timer, basic task lists, and session history. The paid version ($2/month) adds sync across devices, advanced statistics, and some organizational features.

Best for: People who want a structured Pomodoro timer with task tracking.

The good:

• Clean task management with projects, tags, and due dates
• Pomodoro timer with customizable intervals
• Session statistics and daily/weekly reports
• Available on Mac, iOS, Android, and Windows

The less good:

• No website or app blocking of any kind
• Pomodoro-only — can't set arbitrary timer lengths in the free version
• Cross-device sync requires the paid plan
• The timer alone doesn't prevent distractions — it just tracks time

Who should use it: People whose main need is time tracking with task organization, and who don't need distraction blocking (or who use a separate blocker).

4. Be Focused

What it is: A straightforward Pomodoro timer for Mac with basic task tracking. No frills.

What's free: Core timer functionality and basic task lists. The Pro version ($5 one-time) adds customizable intervals, detailed reports, and sync.

Best for: People who want the simplest possible Pomodoro timer.

The good:

• Extremely simple — no learning curve
• Lives in the menu bar, stays out of your way
• Basic task list to track what you're working on
• Mac App Store app, well-maintained

The less good:

• No website or app blocking
• Strict Pomodoro format — the free version locks you to 25/5 minute intervals
• Task management is very basic (flat list, no projects or tags)
• Limited statistics in the free version

Who should use it: People who just want a timer ticking in their menu bar and nothing else.

5. Flow

What it is: A beautifully designed focus timer for Mac with flexible session lengths and a minimalist aesthetic.

What's free: Core timer with customizable durations. The paid version ($1/month) adds statistics and some customization.

Best for: Design-conscious users who want a clean, flexible timer.

The good:

• Beautiful, minimal interface — one of the best-designed timer apps on Mac
• Flexible timer lengths (not locked to Pomodoro intervals)
• Menu bar integration with countdown display
• Unobtrusive — feels like a natural part of macOS

The less good:

• No website or app blocking
• No task management
• Very minimal feature set — it's essentially just a pretty timer
• Statistics require the paid version

Who should use it: People who value design and want a clean timer without any extra features getting in the way.

6. Tide

What it is: A focus timer with ambient sounds — ocean waves, rain, forest, café noise. Combines Pomodoro timing with soundscapes designed to help concentration.

What's free: Timer and a selection of ambient sounds. Premium ($10/year) adds more sound options and sleep features.

Best for: People who find ambient sound helps them focus.

The good:

• High-quality ambient soundscapes
• Available on Mac, iOS, and Android
• Pomodoro timer with customizable intervals
• Sleep timer mode for bedtime wind-down
• Clean, calming interface

The less good:

• No website or app blocking
• No task management
• Many of the best sounds are behind the paywall
• The sound library is the main differentiator — if you don't use ambient sounds, there's no reason to choose Tide over other timers

Who should use it: People who focus better with background noise and want a one-app solution for timing + ambient sound.

7. Horo

What it is: A tiny, free timer that lives in your Mac menu bar. Multiple simultaneous timers, nothing else.

What's free: Everything. Horo is completely free.

Best for: People who need a simple, reliable countdown timer with no productivity framework attached.

The good:

• Completely free, no paid tier
• Multiple simultaneous timers
• Lives in the menu bar, takes up almost no space
• Incredibly simple — type a duration and press enter

The less good:

• No focus features at all — no blocking, no tasks, no Pomodoro structure
• It's literally just a timer
• No statistics or session history
• No break reminders or work-rest structure

Who should use it: People who already have their focus system figured out and just need a reliable countdown timer.

Which One Should You Pick?

Start with what you actually need:

• "I need to block distracting websites during work" → Focuh (free, system-level, with timer) or SelfControl (free, irreversible blocking, no timer)
• "I want a Pomodoro timer with task tracking" → Focus To-Do
• "I just want a simple, beautiful timer" → Flow or Horo
• "I want ambient sounds while I work" → Tide
• "I need a timer, blocker, AND task board in one app" → Focuh
• "I need blocking I literally cannot disable" → SelfControl

The biggest mistake people make with focus apps is choosing one based on features they think they should use rather than features they'll actually use. A simple timer you use every day is more valuable than a comprehensive system you abandon after a week. Start simple, and add tools only when you hit a specific problem that the current setup doesn't solve.