The following Free or Low Cost Assistive Technology programs, software, websites, and apps focus on different forms of Focus and Distraction Free Support.
Cold Turkey
Features:
- Block distracting websites
- Set the websites you want blocked and for how long and go “cold turkey” from them
- If the timer is still going, you won’t be able to access your blocked websites
- Pro version provides blocking of Applications, White Listing, Break Intervals, and Frozen Turkey features
Cost: Free and Pro
Compatibility: Windows; Mac
Flora
Features:
- Focus and habit tracking app
- Set 25 minute timers to help with focus and a tree will begin to grow during that time
- Create to-do lists and track your progress overtime
- More Information: Flora Website
Cost: Free with in-app purchases
Compatibility: iOS
Flow
Features:
- Pomodoro timer app
- Includes an app blocker to help stay focused, adjustable timer durations, and notifications
- Track and view your progress overtime
- More information: Flow Website
Cost: Free or PRO version lifetime access for $20
Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, Mac
focus booster
Features:
- Pomodoro Timer to help you stay on task when completing work
- Using the Pomodoro Method of 25 minutes of work and 5 minute break, maximize your work session
- Track your time more efficiently within your account
- Productivity reports on your dashboard
- Different visual themes for your flexibility
- More Information: Focus Booster Website
Cost: Free for starter; Professional: $5/month
Compatibility: Online Resource; Windows; Mac
Focus Keeper
Features:
- Focus timer with built-in short breaks and long breaks
- The default timer settings are 25 minutes for focus, 5 minutes for short break, and 30 minutes for long break, but this can be customized in the app
- Works as an online resource and as a mobile app
- Sign in to track progress/usage overtime
- More information: Focus Keeper Website
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iOS, Android, Online Resource
Fokus
Features:
- Highlight only the text you want to read while Fokus dims and darkens the rest of your Chrome or Firefox window with an overlay
- Highlights the paragraph you’re reading with the ability to change the opacity of the background overlay
- Easy to install extension with the ability to turn the feature on or off
- More Information: Fokus Chrome Extension
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome and Firefox Add-On
Forest
Features:
- Customizable timers that grow trees during the time set
- Create blocklists for distracting websites while using the Chrome Extension
- Track your progress overtime and explore the gamification features in the mobile app
- More Information: Forest Website
Cost: Free for Chrome Extension and $3.99 for mobile app
Compatibility: Chrome Extension; iOS; Android
Just Read
Features:
- Chrome extension for distraction free reading
- Customizable platform
- More Information: Just Read Website
Cost: Free; $1/month Premium
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
MyTomatoes
Features:
- Use MyTomatoes to time and track your progress using the Pomodoro technique
- Start the timer and work for 25 minutes and then take a 5 minute break
- At the end of each work sitting, write what you did to track your progress
- More Information: MyTomatoes Website
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Online Resource
Page Eraser
Features:
- Assist with erasing unwanted parts of a webpage
- Minimize distractions while browsing
- Easily toggled on and off
- More Information: Page Eraser Chrome Extension
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
Reader Mode
Features:
- Distraction free webpage reader
- Clears webpages of any potentially distracting content so users can focus on the text
- Built-in text to speech and customizable fonts
- More Information: Reader Mode Website
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
RescueTime
Features:
- Personal-Analytic service to track how you spend your time on your computer, smartphone or tablet
- Get a customized report of what sites you visit and what you do on your devices
- No manual date-entry, it tracks as you work
- More Information: RescueTime Website
Cost: Free for Lite version and $6.50/month for Premium
Compatibility: Windows; Mac; Chrome Extension; iOS; Android
StayFocusd
Features:
- Increase your productivity by limiting the amount of time you spend on websites that waste your time
- Pre-program distracting and time wasting websites
- When your time limit is up, these sites will be inaccessible for the rest of the day
- More Information: StayFocusd Chrome Extension
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
Strict Workflow
Features:
- Use this Chrome Extension to enforce a 25 minute work and 5 minute break distraction-free work zone
- Uses the Pomodoro Technique
- Blocks you from distracting websites you have set in your customizable list
- More Information: Strict Workflow Chrome Extension
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
Time Timer
Features:
- Visual timer great for people of any age
- Visually structure your time or break time up into segments using this timer program
- Easy to use app interface with up to four visual timers and physical timers available as well
- Time seconds, minutes or hours with this timer
- More Information: Time Timer Website
Cost: Free for mobile app; $19.95 for Desktop app
Compatibility: Mac; Windows; iOS; Android
TimeTracker
Features:
- Track how long you’ve been off task in a website
- A running time clock appears at the top of the tab you have opened counting how many minutes and seconds you’ve been in that website
- More Information: TimeTracker Chrome Extension
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
Tomato Timer
Features:
- Using the Pomodoro Time method, break up your work or school tasks into manageable worktimes
- Use the 25 minutes of worktime and 5 minutes of break time pattern to maximize workflow
- After a set number of short Pomodoros, take a longer Pomodoro break
- More Information: Tomato Timer Website
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Online Resource
Witeboard
Features:
- Distraction-free virtual white board space
- Share your witeboard to collaborate with others
- Save your work as an image
- More Information: Witeboard Website
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Online Resource
