SelfControl
SelfControl is a free, open-source macOS application that blocks user-specified websites for a set period, persisting blocks even after restart. It serves individual productivity-focused macOS users — including students, writers, and developers — and operates entirely on optional donations with no paid tiers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What SelfControl does
SelfControl is a free, open-source macOS application maintained by co-creators Charlie Stigler and Steve Lambert since 2009. Its sole product lets users block their own access to specified websites, mail servers, and other Internet destinations for a configurable period via a timer. The blocking is implemented at the operating-system network layer by modifying the system's hosts file in Objective-C/Swift, which means blocks remain in force even if the user restarts the computer or deletes the application itself — a behavioral lock-in that distinguishes the product from browser-extension blockers that can simply be disabled.
The product is distributed under the GNU GPL with full source code on GitHub, alongside 12 community-contributed language translations. It is delivered as a direct ZIP download from the official site (selfcontrolapp.com), with no app-store, reseller, or enterprise channel. Distribution is purely product-led and viral — discovery is organic via search, GitHub, and word-of-mouth in productivity, developer, and student communities. There is no formal corporate entity, no institutional funding, no employees, and no offices; the project is sustained by volunteer contributors.
SelfControl's business model is non-commercial. The application is 100% free, with no paid tiers, subscriptions, or required payments. The only monetization is optional donations, which the site states are used first to cover server hosting, Apple Developer Program fees, and other small annual costs, then to optionally fund other open-source projects by the maintainers. Since version 4.0 in 2024 the application optionally collects anonymized system data for update checks and anonymized Sentry error reports, both user-disableable. There are no disclosed financials, no headcount beyond the two named creators, and no enterprise customers.
SelfControl firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SelfControl
- Legal name
- SelfControl
- Website
- https://selfcontrolapp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SelfControl is a free, open-source macOS application that blocks user-specified websites for a set period, persisting blocks even after restart. It serves individual productivity-focused macOS users — including students, writers, and developers — and operates entirely on optional donations with no paid tiers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where SelfControl is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
SelfControl business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel
Revenue model
- Donations (optional): SelfControl is 100% free with no required payments. Optional donations cover server hosting costs, Apple Developer Program fees, and potentially fund other open-source projects by the developers. No revenue is generated from the software itself.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free tier - complete application at no cost |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
SelfControl product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SelfControl is a free, open-source macOS application that lets users block their own access to distracting websites, mail servers, or any other Internet destinations for a configurable time period. Once the timer starts, blocked sites remain inaccessible even after restarting the computer or deleting the application, enforcing focus through system-level hosts file modification. The product is fully free, open-source under the GNU GPL, and supported only by optional donations.
Product overview
SelfControl is a single, standalone productivity application for macOS. It offers one core product—SelfControl—which allows users to block access to distracting websites and other Internet destinations by setting a timer. Users add sites to a blocklist, start the timer, and cannot access those sites until the duration expires, even if they restart their computer or delete the application. The product is free, open-source, and licensed under the GNU GPL.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SelfControl A free, open-source macOS application that blocks user-specified websites, mail servers, and other Internet destinations for a configurable duration. The block persists even after restarting the computer or deleting the application until the timer expires. It is licensed under the GNU GPL and targeted at individual macOS users seeking to reduce digital distractions.
Companies that use SelfControl
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
SelfControl technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SelfControl partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
SelfControl competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- LeechBlock: LeechBlock is a long-running open-source browser extension for blocking distracting sites, addressing the same productivity/focus use case as SelfControl but at the browser layer instead of the OS hosts-file layer.
- Freedom: Freedom is the most prominent cross-platform website and app blocker, offering scheduled focus sessions across Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android. It is the primary commercial analogue to SelfControl's blocking mechanic and competes for the same 'distraction-blocking' user.
- StayFocusd: StayFocusd is a Chrome extension that limits time spent on distracting websites, serving the same focus/productivity user SelfControl targets via a different delivery mechanism (browser extension vs. native OS app).
- Cold Turkey: Cold Turkey provides strict website and application blocking on macOS and Windows with a hard-to-bypass timer mechanism very similar to SelfControl. It directly competes on the same unbypassable-focus-session use case.
Emerging players
- RescueTime: RescueTime is a time-tracking and focus-productivity tool that includes focus-session blocking features. It overlaps with SelfControl on the 'productivity / attention management' category but emphasizes measurement and analytics rather than hard blocking.
- Focus: Focus (by Denys Yerenkov) is a macOS-native website and app blocker offering scheduled focus sessions, competing directly for SelfControl's Mac productivity user.
- Opal: Opal is a newer screen-time and app/website blocking app targeting knowledge workers and Mac users, overlapping with SelfControl on blocking mechanics with a more modern UX and freemium SaaS model.
- Be Focused: Be Focused is a macOS and iOS Pomodoro-style focus timer with task management, addressing the same 'focused work session' use case SelfControl targets for Mac users, though via timer discipline rather than network-level blocking.
- Forest: Forest is a consumer focus app that gamifies distraction-free work sessions, competing with SelfControl for the same productivity-seeking user segment and adjacent to blocking-based focus tools.
Broad incumbents
- Apple Screen Time: Apple Screen Time is a first-party OS-level content and app restriction feature built into macOS and iOS. While not a standalone product, it acts as the dominant incumbent alternative for users who want to block distracting sites, directly competing with SelfControl's core use case for Mac users.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SelfControl social profiles
Digital presenceSelfControl financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SelfControl leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
SelfControl funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SelfControl M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SelfControl
What does SelfControl do?
SelfControl is a free, open-source macOS application that lets users block their own access to distracting websites, mail servers, or any other Internet destinations for a configurable time period. Once the timer starts, blocked sites remain inaccessible even after restarting the computer or deleting the application, enforcing focus through system-level hosts file modification. The product is fully free, open-source under the GNU GPL, and supported only by optional donations.
Is SelfControl a public or private company?
SelfControl is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SelfControl founded?
SelfControl was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SelfControl based?
SelfControl is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does SelfControl make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations (optional).
Who are SelfControl's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are LeechBlock, Freedom, StayFocusd and Cold Turkey. Emerging players are RescueTime, Focus, Opal, Be Focused and Forest. Apple Screen Time is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does SelfControl have an API?
No public API is recorded for SelfControl.