Refocus for Mac - Improve focus by blocking websites & apps on Mac

Hello friends! Happy New Year 🎉 I’m Kris, an indie developer behind Refocus, an iPhone, iPad, and now Mac app that helps you limit screen time. Self-improvement has always been a passion of mine. Many years ago, I started working on a VPN-based app blocker, but when Apple introduced Screen Time in 2018, I decided to shelve that project. Then, on June 6, 2022, during WWDC, Apple announced that third-party developers could finally build on top of Screen Time with iOS 16. That was the moment Refocus was born! After over two years of working on it part-time—juggling mornings, nights, and weekends—I took the leap and quit my full-time job to dedicate myself fully to Refocus. Refocus iPhone app by the numbers: - 📱 112,000+ active users every month - 🌟 18,865+ global ratings with a 4.8/5 average - 🚀 5.05x higher user retention compared to the top 10% of productivity apps (as per Apple benchmarks) Then, in the summer of 2025, I applied all the lessons from the iPhone app to start developing the Mac app. Refocus for Mac does the basics well: - Block websites by keywords, categories (ex. adult), and more - Block apps And it adds a lot of flexibility on top: - Unlimited schedules (morning, work hours, bedtime) - Timers (ex. block for a 30-minute focus session) - “Strict” mode: disable unblocking, limit unblocks, enforce cooldowns between unblocks (great for Pomodoro-style focus) - Every unblock is timer-based, so you don’t lose track of time - And more A few notes if you're interested in trying it out: - Currently, you'll need to create your account through the iPhone app first (after that, the Mac app works independently). - The iPhone app has a popular free tier; the Mac app requires a Refocus Pro subscription (7-day free trial available). - Major browsers like Safari and Chrome are supported, but some like Firefox will need future updates. All of this is built into an intuitive interface. Download + preview here: https://www.refocusapp.co/mac My favorite part of using a blocker is how it makes distractions intentional. Instead of habitually drifting onto distracting websites, Refocus ensures I have to consciously choose when to take a break.