Focus and app blocker apps for Mac and iPhoneHead to head
one sec vs Cold Turkey
one sec ranks #1 and Cold Turkey ranks #3 in our guide to the best focus and app blocker apps for Mac and iPhone. one sec is our pick for most people.
one secPick one sec if you open social apps on autopilot and a short pause is enough to change your mind.Free to start#3 in the guide
Cold TurkeyPick Cold Turkey if you always find a way to disable blockers and need one on your Mac you can't undo.Free to startWhat decides it
- On price: one sec is free for 1 app. Pro is $6.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $99.99 once. Cold Turkey is free. Pro is $45 once for every computer you use.
- Both run on Mac. Only one sec runs on iPhone and iPad.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | one sec | Cold Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for 1 app. Pro is $6.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $99.99 once | Free. Pro is $45 once for every computer you use |
| How you pay | Free, with paid upgrades | Free, with paid upgrades |
| 3 years of use | $59.97 Yearly plan | Depends on the plan |
| Free trial | Free to start | Free to start |
| Runs on | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Mac |
| Where to buy | App Store | Developer |
| Rating | 4.8 24K ratings | Too few ratings |
| Features | Family Sharing, Free trial | Free trial |
| Made by | riedel.wtf apps S.L. | Not listed |
| Last updated | 20 Oct 2026 | Not tracked |
Who should get which
Get one sec if
You reach for TikTok or Instagram on autopilot and want a moment to change your mind.
Get Cold Turkey if
You have installed blockers before and always found a way to switch them off.
Skip one sec if
You want a hard wall around an app; Screen Time's App Limits in Settings block it free.
Skip Cold Turkey if
You want a gentle reminder rather than a lock, and Screen Time's free limits are enough for that.
Our verdicts
one sec
If you open Instagram without ever deciding to, one sec makes you sit through a short breathing pause first, and often that is enough to close it. It delays apps instead of blocking them, and the developer reports a 57% average drop in app use from studies with the Max Planck Institute. The free version covers only 1 app, and Pro at $19.99 a year is far better value than $6.99 a month.
Cold Turkey
Screen Time limits on a Mac are easy to ignore, while Cold Turkey can lock a block in place and stop you uninstalling it mid-block. The free version blocks websites on a timer in Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Arc and most other browsers. App blocking, schedules and the locks need Pro at $45 once for every Mac and Windows PC you use, cheaper than Freedom's $39.99 a year, though Freedom also covers your phone.
What each one helps you do
one sec
- Pause before opening Instagram or TikTok
- Get kicked out after 5 minutes of scrolling
- Block distracting apps during set hours
- Interrupt distracting websites in your browser
Cold Turkey
- Block distracting websites in every browser
- Lock a block so you can't undo it
- Schedule blocks for your work hours
- Block games and apps, not just websites
Where to get them
Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best focus and app blocker apps for Mac and iPhone.
ScreenZenPick this if you want a pause plus daily open limits on your iPhone without paying anything.Free
FreedomPick this if you drift from your laptop to your phone and need both blocked at the same time.Free to start
OpalPick it if you keep tapping Ignore Limit in Screen Time and want iPhone sessions you can't cancel.Free to start
SessionPick this if you work in Pomodoro sprints on a Mac and want Slack and distracting sites silenced until the break.Free to start
EndelPick this if you want background sound that shifts with your day instead of a playlist that ends.Free to start
Read the full guideAll one sec alternativesAll Cold Turkey alternatives
More comparisons
- one sec vs ScreenZenPick this if you want a pause plus daily open limits on your iPhone without paying anything.
- one sec vs FreedomPick this if you drift from your laptop to your phone and need both blocked at the same time.
- ScreenZen vs Cold TurkeyPick it if you always find a way to disable blockers and need one on your Mac you can't undo.