Comparison

Cold Turkey vs
FocusJar

Cold Turkey locks you out. FocusJar makes you pay to get back in. Same system-level blocking, but with real financial stakes that make willpower optional.

Download FocusJar Free

The verdict

Cold Turkey is strict. FocusJar is strict and smart.

Cold Turkey is a solid blocker - one of the strictest out there. But it relies on a simple lock-and-wait model: you block sites, set a timer, and hope you don't find a way around it. FocusJar takes the same system-level approach but adds a financial penalty for early unlocking. The result? You're not just locked out - you're financially committed to staying focused.

Feature comparison

Side by side

Feature
FocusJar
Cold Turkey
System-level blocking (all browsers)
Financial accountability / unlock fees
Survives restarts
Bypass-proof (no incognito workarounds)
No account required
Free to use (pay only on unlock)
Session-based blocking
Preset site lists
macOS support
Windows support
iOS / mobile support
Browser extension alternative

Key differences

What sets FocusJar apart

Financial stakes, not just locks

Cold Turkey locks you out completely with no way back. FocusJar gives you a way out - but it costs real money. That financial consequence is what makes the difference between "I'll just wait" and "I genuinely don't want to break focus."

Free to use, pay only to fail

Cold Turkey requires purchasing a Pro license for full features. FocusJar is completely free - you only pay if you choose to unlock early. Your money goes toward accountability, not a subscription.

Behavioral science built in

Cold Turkey uses brute force. FocusJar uses loss aversion - the proven psychological principle that losing money hurts twice as much as gaining it feels good. It's a smarter approach to the same problem.

Ready?

Ready to try real
accountability?

FocusJar is free during beta. The only thing you pay for is giving up.

Download for macOS

Free during beta · macOS 13+ · No account required

FAQ

Common questions

There's no migration needed. Just download FocusJar, pick the sites you want to block, and set your stakes. You can run both side by side while you transition.
Both block sites at the system level, but Cold Turkey uses a strict lock-and-key approach - once blocked, there's no way out. FocusJar adds a financial penalty layer: you can unblock early, but it costs you real money. This financial stake leverages loss aversion to keep you committed.
Yes. FocusJar blocks at the system level across all browsers and survives restarts, just like Cold Turkey. The difference is the unlock mechanism: instead of being locked out with zero options, you have an escape valve that costs money - which most people never use.

Stop negotiating
with yourself.

Every minute you spend deciding whether to check Twitter is a minute lost. Let FocusJar make the decision for you - or make you pay for it.

Download for macOS

Free during beta · macOS 13+ · No account required to start