Cold Turkey Blocker vs FocusNod
Cold Turkey blocks the sites and apps you list, with locks that are very hard to undo. FocusNod blocks nothing: it notices when a window doesn’t fit your task and asks you back. Pick Cold Turkey if you need to be stopped. Pick FocusNod if blocks keep catching work you need, like a tutorial on YouTube.
Last updated 25 September 2026 (prices and platforms checked)
Which one is for you?
Pick Cold Turkey Blocker if…
- You need to be stopped, not asked.
- You want locks you can’t undo once a block starts.
- You also use Windows.
Pick FocusNod if…(our app)
- Your blocks keep catching work you need.
- You don’t want to keep a blocklist up to date.
- You want to be asked, and to say “it’s for the task” when it is.
Side by side
- Type
Cold Turkey Blocker: Blocker
FocusNod: AI focus app
- Price
Cold Turkey Blocker: Free version; Pro $45 once
FocusNod: $29 once for up to 2 Macs; $23 for the first 100 customers
- AI
Cold Turkey Blocker: No AI: you keep the lists
FocusNod: Built in, no key
- What it reads
Cold Turkey Blocker: The sites and apps on your list
FocusNod: App name and window title; never screen content
- Platforms
Cold Turkey Blocker: Mac and Windows
FocusNod: Mac (macOS 14+); launching October 2026
- How it works
Cold Turkey Blocker: Timed or scheduled blocklists with locks that are very hard to undo.
FocusNod: You set a task; each window you settle on is judged by its app name and title, and a small panel asks after about three minutes of clear drift.
Cold Turkey Blocker’s facts are from getcoldturkey.com/pricing, checked 25 September 2026.
Where each one wins
Cold Turkey Blocker
- Where it wins
- The strongest locks here: when a block starts, it stays.
- Watch out for
- Blocking apps, scheduling and locks need Pro; no phone version.
FocusNod(our app)
- Where it wins
- Tells a tutorial from a detour, never looks at your screen, and costs $29 once.
- Watch out for
- A nudge, not a lock; Mac only; launches in October 2026.
Launching October 2026
Try the nudge instead of the wall
FocusNod reads window titles, never your screen, and costs $29 once. The first 100 pay $23 (refundable), or get one email when it’s ready.
- No card for the waitlist
- Full refund until 7 days after launch
- No subscription, no account
Questions
Is Cold Turkey a one-time purchase?
Yes. Cold Turkey Blocker Pro is $45 once, and the free version blocks websites with timers (checked 25 September 2026). It runs on Mac and Windows.
Can I use Cold Turkey and FocusNod together?
Yes. A common setup is a short blocklist for sites that are never work, and FocusNod for everything in between, where the same site can be work or a detour.
Does FocusNod block anything?
No. It asks once after about three minutes of clear drift and never blocks an app or a site. If you want hard blocks, Cold Turkey is the better tool.