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Freedom Review Review

Block distracting websites and apps across all your devices

Freedom Review

Freedom Review

★★★★★★★★★★5.0

Block distracting websites and apps across all your devices

EASE OF USE4.5
VALUE FOR MONEY4.4
CUSTOMER SUPPORT4.6
FUNCTIONALITY4.5

Freedom Overview

Freedom is a popular cross-platform website and app blocker used by more than 3 million people to fight digital distraction. The app lets you block specific sites, entire categories (social media, news, gaming), or the whole internet on schedules you control — with sessions that sync across Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Originally launched in 2008 by Fred Stutzman as a Mac-only tool, Freedom has evolved into a polished productivity platform with features like Locked Mode, Focus Sounds, recurring schedules, and team plans. The brand emphasizes privacy — Freedom does not track browsing or app usage on any device.

Freedom Features — What You Get?

Freedom is designed to remove digital distractions across every device you use. The core engine blocks websites and apps via custom blocklists, schedules, or instant sessions, and syncs those sessions across desktop and mobile in real time. Locked Mode prevents you from disabling Freedom mid-session, Focus Sounds layers ambient noise to deepen focus, and the recurring scheduler runs daily routines automatically. Premium plans include unlimited devices, unlimited blocklists, and team management for organizations.

Top Freedom Services

Website Blocker — Block individual URLs or whole categories of sites

App Blocker — Stop social, gaming, and shopping apps on iOS and Android

Cross-Device Sync — One session blocks across all your devices simultaneously

Recurring Schedules — Auto-trigger blocks daily or weekly without manual setup

Locked Mode — Prevents disabling Freedom mid-session for true accountability

Focus Sounds — Ambient audio library to deepen concentration during sessions

Team Management — Centralized billing for organizations and schools

24/7 Customer Support — Responsive support team noted across reviews

Freedom Price Plans

Free — $0

Block apps, websites, or the entire internet across Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and Chromebook, with session syncing across devices. Premium can also be tried free for 7 days.

Monthly Plan — $8.99/month

Unlimited sessions and devices, recurring and advance scheduling, Locked Mode, and Focus Sounds.

Yearly Plan — $3.33/month (billed annually, Save 40%)

The most popular plan. Same Premium features as monthly at a lower effective monthly rate when billed once a year.

Forever Plan — $199 one-time

A single payment for lifetime access to all Premium features, including future updates and unlimited devices.

Pros and Cons of Freedom

Pros

  • Truly cross-platform — one session blocks across phone, tablet, and desktop simultaneously
  • Locked Mode genuinely prevents tampering once a session has started
  • Wide blocklist library covering social media, news, shopping, gaming, and adult sites
  • Privacy-respecting — no tracking of browsing or app usage
  • Forever plan offers exceptional long-term value at $99.50 one-time

Cons

  • Free tier is highly limited compared to competitors
  • Mobile setup requires installing a VPN profile that some users distrust
  • Occasional sync delays between desktop and mobile sessions
  • No granular per-app time-tracking dashboards
  • Locked Mode can backfire if you genuinely need access mid-session
Freedom holds an average rating around 4.4 out of 5 on G2 and 4.5 stars on the Apple App Store. Reviewers consistently praise the cross-device blocking and the supportive customer team. On Trustpilot, Freedom averages roughly 4.0 stars, with positive reviews citing focus benefits and critical reviews citing setup friction on iOS.

What real users say

Daniel P.
Daniel P.

Posting on G2 • February 2025

Freedom is the only blocker I have stuck with for over a year. The cross-device session is the killer feature — if I block Twitter on my Mac, my phone is also locked out, which removes the temptation to switch screens. Locked Mode is brutal but effective for real deep-work blocks. Source: paraphrased from public G2 review — g2.com
EASE OF USE4.5
VALUE FOR MONEY4.5
CUSTOMER SUPPORT4.5
FUNCTIONALITY5.0
Rachel K.
Rachel K.

Posting on Apple App Store • January 2025

I bought the Forever plan two years ago and it has paid for itself many times over. The recurring schedules mean I do not have to think about starting a focus block — it just happens at 9am every weekday. Customer support has been quick to respond when I had VPN profile issues on iOS. Source: paraphrased from public Apple App Store review — apps.apple.com
EASE OF USE4.5
VALUE FOR MONEY5.0
CUSTOMER SUPPORT4.5
FUNCTIONALITY4.5
Marcus J.
Marcus J.

Posting on Trustpilot • March 2025

Solid productivity tool. Works as advertised and the Focus Sounds are a nice bonus. The only frustration was the iOS setup — you have to install a VPN profile, which made me uneasy until I read their privacy policy. Once configured it just works. Source: paraphrased from public Trustpilot review — trustpilot.com
EASE OF USE4.0
VALUE FOR MONEY4.0
CUSTOMER SUPPORT4.5
FUNCTIONALITY4.0

Top Freedom Alternatives

Cold Turkey Blocker

— Powerful Windows/Mac blocker with strict modes that cannot be bypassed.

RescueTime

— Combines blocking with detailed time-tracking and productivity scoring.

Focus (Mac)

— Lightweight macOS-only blocker with Pomodoro timer integration.

SelfControl (Mac)

— Free open-source blocker for macOS that cannot be disabled mid-session.

BlockSite

— Browser-extension blocker with mobile apps and a focus mode.

Freedom Frequently Asked Questions

Does Freedom work on all my devices?+
Yes. Freedom Premium supports unlimited devices across Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Sessions sync in real time so blocking one device blocks them all.
What is Locked Mode and should I use it?+
Locked Mode prevents you from disabling Freedom or removing sites from a blocklist while a session is active. It is the strongest accountability option but can be inconvenient if you need access mid-session, so use it deliberately.
Does Freedom track my browsing?+
No. Freedom explicitly does not track browsing history, app usage, or any personal activity. The blocking happens locally on each device.
How much does Freedom cost?+
Free trial of 7 sessions, then $8.99/month, $39.99/year, or $99.50 for the lifetime Forever plan. All paid plans include unlimited devices and unlimited blocklists.
Can I cancel my Freedom subscription anytime?+
Yes. Monthly and yearly subscriptions can be cancelled from your account dashboard or via the App Store/Google Play depending on where you subscribed. The Forever plan is a one-time payment with no recurring billing.

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