What's the best Mac app to block websites permanently in 2026?

Focuh and Cold Turkey are the strongest picks for long-term blocking. Focuh is free, blocks at the system level across every browser, and runs challenges measured in months, so a site can stay blocked indefinitely by chaining or renewing blocks. Cold Turkey's Locked mode and scheduling make a block extremely hard to lift early, though its best features are paid. For free, system-wide, long-duration blocking, start with Focuh; for a near-permanent paid lock, Cold Turkey.

Can you actually block a website permanently on a Mac?

Practically, yes — though 'permanent' really means 'very hard to undo and set to run indefinitely.' Tools like Focuh and Cold Turkey let a block run for months or on a recurring schedule with no easy off switch, which is permanent in every way that matters day to day. Truly irreversible blocking isn't the goal, since you own the machine; the goal is enough friction and duration that the site stops being a casual click.

Does permanent blocking work across all browsers on Mac?

It does if you use a system-level app. Focuh, Cold Turkey, and SelfControl block below the browser, so a permanently blocked site is unreachable in Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Arc at the same time. A browser extension only blocks the one browser it's installed in, so 'permanent' there is an illusion — you just open a different browser. For a block to stick, it has to live at the operating-system level.

Is there a free Mac app to block websites permanently?

Yes. Focuh is free and runs long, system-wide challenges, so you can keep a site blocked for months without paying. SelfControl is free and open-source, with an unbreakable timer, though each block maxes out at 24 hours, so permanence means restarting it daily. Cold Turkey has a free tier but its strongest locking and scheduling features are paid. For free long-term blocking with the least friction, Focuh is the cleanest option.

Can a permanent website block be bypassed on Mac?

Any block on hardware you own can technically be undone, so 'permanent' means hard, not impossible. SelfControl and Cold Turkey are the strictest — once a timed or locked block starts, it resists quitting, deleting, and restarting. Focuh uses Accessibility APIs that a determined user can disable, so it's strong friction rather than an absolute wall. The point of permanent blocking isn't to trap yourself; it's to make returning to a site a deliberate effort instead of a reflex.

How is permanent blocking different from a focus timer?

A focus timer blocks sites for a single session — 25 minutes, an hour, an afternoon — then everything reopens. Permanent blocking keeps a site blocked indefinitely, across sessions, restarts, and days. You'd use a timer for deep-work sprints and permanent blocking for sites you've decided you simply don't want back, like a news site or a particular social network. Focuh supports both: short focus challenges and very long blocks for sites you want gone for good.

Will permanently blocking websites slow down my Mac?

No. System-level Mac blockers are lightweight whether a block lasts an hour or a year. SelfControl edits system files with essentially zero overhead. Focuh runs as a small menu bar app that checks navigation against a local list. None of them scan or reroute your traffic in a way you'd notice. The length of a block has no effect on performance — a permanent block costs no more than a five-minute one.

Can I block websites permanently without an app, using the hosts file?

Yes, on macOS you can add domains to the system hosts file in Terminal, which blocks them across every browser and survives restarts. It's free and effectively permanent until you edit the file back. The downsides: it's easy to mistype, it doesn't block native apps, and anyone who knows the trick can undo it in a minute. A dedicated app like Focuh is simpler, adds real friction, and can block apps as well as sites.

macOSblock websites permanentlywebsite blockerdeep workfocus

Best Mac App to Block Websites Permanently (2026)

June 27, 202610 min readFocuh

A browser extension can't block a website permanently on a Mac — switch from Chrome to Safari and the site loads again. The best Mac app to block websites permanently works at the system level, so the block covers every browser at once and is hard to undo on a whim. For free, long-term blocking across all browsers, Focuh is the strongest starting point; for a near-unbreakable paid lock, Cold Turkey.

This guide compares the Mac apps that actually keep a site blocked for the long haul, and it's honest about what "permanent" can and can't mean on a machine you own.

Best Mac apps for permanent website blocking compared

App	Free?	Blocking level	Max duration	Hard to undo?	Best for
Focuh	Yes	System-wide (all browsers)	Months per challenge	Adds real friction	Free, long, cross-browser blocks
Cold Turkey	Free tier	System-wide	Scheduled / indefinite	Very (Locked mode)	Near-permanent paid lock
SelfControl	Yes	System-wide	24h per block	Very (can't lift early)	Free, unbreakable daily blocks
hosts file	Yes	System-wide	Until you edit it back	Low	DIY, no app needed

What separates the real options from the fake ones is the blocking level. A permanent block has to live below the browser. Anything that only blocks Chrome isn't permanent — it's one open browser away from doing nothing.

What does "permanent" actually mean on a Mac you own?

Be clear about the word. You own the machine, so no block is literally irreversible — you can always dig into settings, edit a file, or delete an app. "Permanent" in practice means two things working together: a block set to run indefinitely (months, recurring schedules, or chained challenges) and enough friction that lifting it early takes deliberate effort, not a reflex click.

That's the realistic target, and it's plenty. A news site or social network that's blocked for the next three months, across every browser, with no quick off switch, is gone from your day in every way that counts. The aim isn't to trap yourself — it's to make returning a decision you have to mean.

Why browser extensions can't block permanently

A Chrome extension blocks sites in Chrome and nowhere else. "Permanent" there is an illusion: the blocked site opens fine in Safari, Firefox, or Arc, and the extension itself can be switched off in chrome://extensions in seconds. Two clicks and your permanent block is gone.

System-level Mac apps block below the browser, so a single block covers every browser at once and resists casual disabling. For the full reasoning, see system-level vs browser website blocking. If you want browser blocking anyway for lighter distractions, our best free website blocker for Chrome guide covers those — but not for anything you want gone permanently.

Focuh — free, system-wide, built for long blocks

Focuh is a free Mac app that blocks sites at the operating-system level using macOS Accessibility APIs. Because it sits below the browser, a blocked site is unreachable in Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Arc simultaneously — there's no browser-switching escape. On macOS it can also block native apps, so a desktop client you want gone goes on the same list.

For permanence, the relevant feature is duration. Focuh runs challenges measured in days and months rather than minutes, so you can set a site to stay blocked for a season and renew it when it ends. It's also a genuine dual-use tool: short focus challenges for deep-work sprints, and very long blocks for sites you've decided you simply don't want back.

Strengths

Free, with system-wide blocking across every browser
Long challenge durations (weeks to months)
Blocks native Mac apps, not just websites
Lightweight menu bar app with no measurable slowdown

Limitations

macOS only — it doesn't block your phone
Uses Accessibility APIs, which a determined user can disable, so it's strong friction, not an absolute wall

Get the free Focuh Mac app.

Cold Turkey and SelfControl — the strictest locks

If your priority is making the block genuinely hard to defeat, these two are the benchmarks.

SelfControl is free and open-source. Once a timer starts, the block can't be lifted early — quitting, deleting, or restarting won't end it. The catch for permanent use is its 24-hour cap per block, so "permanent" means restarting it each day. Our SelfControl alternative covers options with longer sessions.

Cold Turkey offers Locked mode plus recurring schedules, which together get you about as close to a permanent, can't-touch-it block as macOS software allows. Its strongest features are part of a one-time paid license. See our Cold Turkey alternative if you'd rather not pay.

The hosts file route

You can block sites permanently on a Mac without any app by adding domains to the system hosts file in Terminal. It blocks across every browser, survives restarts, and stays in place until you edit it back — effectively permanent and completely free. The trade-offs: it's easy to mistype, it can't block native apps, and anyone who knows the trick can reverse it in a minute. Our block websites on Mac using Terminal guide walks through it if you want the manual approach.

Which Mac app should you choose?

"I want free, system-wide, and long-running" — Choose Focuh. Cross-browser, app-blocking, and built for month-long challenges you can renew.

"I want it impossible to lift early, and free" — Choose SelfControl, restarting the block daily.

"I'll pay for the closest thing to truly permanent" — Choose Cold Turkey with Locked mode and a recurring schedule.

"I don't want to install anything" — Use the hosts file, accepting that it's easy to reverse.

Permanent blocking on a Mac is really about duration plus friction, working at a level the browser can't undo. Block below the browser so the site is gone everywhere at once, set it to run for months instead of minutes, and pick the strictness that matches how much you don't trust your future self. For free long-term blocking with the least fuss, the Focuh app is the simplest strong start. For the step-by-step version, see how to block websites permanently on Mac.

Get the free Focuh Mac app — system-wide blocking, long challenges, no subscription.