Comparison
Cat Break vs Cold Turkey
Cold Turkey is the heaviest enforcement in this category. It runs as a desktop application on Windows and macOS, blocks at the operating-system level across every browser you have, and can lock you out so thoroughly that you cannot uninstall it mid-session. Cat Break is a browser extension that shows you a cat. These are not close relatives.
Pick Cold Turkey if…
You have already proved to yourself that anything escapable gets escaped. Cold Turkey's paid Pro tier adds app blocking, scheduling and a mode that locks down the entire computer — enforcement a browser extension is architecturally incapable of matching.
Pick Cat Break if…
You don't need to be locked out of your own machine, and a per-site timer in the browser where it actually happens is the right size of solution.
The architectural difference
This one isn't about philosophy, it's about where the code runs. Cold Turkey is a desktop app, so it sits underneath every browser at once. Switch from Chrome to Firefox to get around it and it's still there. A Chrome extension cannot do that, ever — open a different browser and Cat Break is simply not present. If you are the kind of person who would open a different browser, that matters more than any feature list.
Cold Turkey's free version blocks websites using the same system-level enforcement as the paid one; it is a real tool rather than a crippled trial. Pro is a one-time purchase (around $39 at the time of writing — check their site for current pricing) and adds application blocking, scheduling, Pomodoro timers, and locks that prevent you disabling it until a timer expires.
Cold Turkey is desktop-only. If your scrolling happens on your phone, it can't help you there either.
What Cat Break does instead
Cat Break doesn't try to be un-escapable, because it isn't trying to be a security control. It counts the minutes you spend actually focused on a site, and when you cross your limit it interrupts — full screen, video paused, countdown running — then gets out of the way on its own. Press Esc and you're back. The design assumes you want to be reminded, not restrained.
That means it installs in two clicks, needs no admin rights, and can't lock you out of anything at a bad moment. It also means that if you're determined to ignore it, you will, easily. We are not going to pretend otherwise.
Side by side
| Cold Turkey | Cat Break | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs as | Desktop app, Windows and macOS | Chrome extension |
| Covers other browsers | Yes, all of them | No |
| Blocks desktop apps | Yes, on Pro | No |
| Can you get past it? | Not while a lock is active | Yes, by design |
| Covers your phone | No | No |
| Price | Free tier; one-time Pro purchase | Free, no paid tier |
| Scheduling | Yes, on Pro | No |
| Time counted | Session and schedule based | Only focused, active-tab time |
| Playing video | Site blocked | Paused, then resumed |
| Install friction | Desktop install, system permissions | Two clicks in the Web Store |
| Open source | No | Yes, MIT |
Which one is actually right for you
Ask what happened the last time something got in your way. If you found a workaround within a minute — a different browser, disabling the extension, uninstalling it — then you need enforcement that sits below the browser, and that is Cold Turkey, not us. If instead you have never really tried anything and want the lightest thing that might work, starting with a system-level lockout is like fitting a deadbolt before trying a doorbell.
The honest summary
Cold Turkey is stronger, broader, and harder to escape, and for some people that is exactly and only what works. Cat Break is smaller, free, and lives in the one place most of this actually happens. Try the light one first; if you route around it in a week, you have learned something useful about which tool you need.
Questions
Is Cat Break as strong as Cold Turkey?
No, and it isn't trying to be. Cold Turkey enforces blocks at the operating-system level across every browser and can lock you out of your whole computer. Cat Break is a Chrome extension you can dismiss with Esc.
Is Cat Break free?
Yes, entirely, with no paid tier or account. Cold Turkey has a free version that blocks websites plus a one-time paid Pro upgrade.
Does Cold Turkey work on phones?
No. It is a Windows and macOS desktop application. Neither tool covers mobile.
Can I use both?
Yes. Some people run Cold Turkey for scheduled deep work and Cat Break as an everyday reminder in between.
Free forever · No account · Nothing leaves your device · MIT licensed