Self Control -- Block sites and stay focused

A simple web site blocker to keep you focused and enhance your productivity

Self Control - Block Distracting Sites Easily

Self Control -- Block sites and stay focused is a simple app designed to improve your online productivity by blocking websites that distract you. With enhanced performance from recent updates, it allows you to block patterns in URLs, ensuring that even related sites are included in the block list. The focus-free mode prevents any changes to your block patterns for a set amount of time, making it easier to resist distractions. You can customize settings to toggle between always on or manual activation for focus mode.

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Extension stats

By: nhandyal

Users: 20,000+

Rating: 4.02

(235)

2 new ratings

Version: 3.1.2 (Last updated: 2025-01-18)

Creation date: 2017-05-15

Risk impact: Moderate risk impact

Risk likelihood:

Very low risk likelihood

Manifest version: 3

Permissions:

alarms
declarativeNetRequest
storage

Host permissions:

<all_urls>

Size: 966.66K

Email: nh*****@gmail.com

Ranking

# 5,414 ▲ 52

Other rankings

#3207 in Workflow & Planning ▲ 4,097

#1 in control keyword 20

#1 in self control keyword 40

#21 in stay keyword 44 ▲

#39 in website blocker keyword 59 ▲

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Other platforms

Not available on Android

Not available on Firefox

Not available on Edge

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Extension summary

Analyze keywords

V3 updates!

Enhanced Performance: Improved page blocking internals for a smoother browsing experience.
Bug Fixes:
- Fixed scroll for block patterns.
- Fixed bugs in focus mode where it didn't end on time.

-- Self Control -- A simple app to keep you focused online by blocking sites that you spend way too much time on.

Note that the app works by blocking patterns within the full url. For example if you were to block the pattern "book" the sites www.facebook.com and books.google.com would both be blocked.

Focus free mode prevents you from removing block patterns from the app for a fixed amount of time. By default this is one hour, but it can be changed in settings.

By default the extension is always running. To change this so that the extension only runs when focus mode is enabled, toggle 'Always on' in settings to Off.

User reviews

These summaries are automatically generated weekly using AI based on recent user reviews. Chrome Web Store does not verify user reviews, so some user reviews may be inaccurate, spammy, or outdated.

Pros

Generally effective at blocking distracting websites
"Wildcard" blocking feature is appreciated by users
Helps users stay focused and productive
Long-term reliability noted by many users before recent issues
User-friendly for most of its standard functionality

Cons

Recent updates caused functionality problems (sites not staying blocked)
Lack of user interface features such as scrolling can hinder usability
Some bugs remain unfixed, affecting blocking performance
Limited duration for "Distraction Free Mode" (max 24 hours)
Overall feeling of being outdated and needing updates

Most mentioned

Current functional issues following recent updates
The need for better user interface features (like scrolling)
Desire for longer duration in "Distraction Free Mode"
The effectiveness of the "wildcard" blocking feature
Frustration over lack of updates and bugs

User reviews

Best such app available. I've been reliant on it for years.

Robert Balicki, 2025-01-15

this was a great extension, really helped not getting distracted. But with the recent update, the sites added to be blocked are erased from the block list after some time. I cannot add the sites again and again for it to work.

Siddharth Agarwal, 2024-12-20

IDK what they did with the recent update, but it stopped working. Doesn't block sites at all anymore, please to back to the older version or fix it it was perfect before.