Freedom

Freedom app review: reclaiming deep work hours with Freedom.to

Can a simple app really help you block distractions and reclaim hours of deep, focused work? As a B2B marketer who wrestles with Slack pings, LinkedIn rabbit holes and a forest of open tabs, I put the Freedom app (Freedom.to) to the test. It may be the best distraction blocker for Mac and every other device I own.

Why I needed Freedom

I edit videos, write proposals and steer campaigns. Each activity demands concentration yet the lure of social media or YouTube is never far away. Willpower alone was not enough. I wanted a tool that would block distractions across all my devices. Freedom fit the brief: one account covers Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and browser extensions. Below is my hands-on guide to installing, configuring and squeezing every drop of productivity from Freedom.

Getting started with Freedom

Installation and first run

1. Create an account and download the desktop installer (Mac or Windows).
2. Create a free account and claim seven free blocking sessions – no card required.
3. Grant the permissions Freedom requests (macOS Accessibility, VPN profile on iOS, etc.) so it can block traffic system-wide.
4. Log in on any other device with the same credentials to enable cross-device blocking.

Sync across devices

If you start a session on your laptop, Freedom can also block the same sites on your phone and work PC. You can limit a session to one device, but simultaneous blocking prevents sneaky work-arounds.

Creating custom blocklists

Freedom lets you build unlimited blocklists and name each one. I began with preset filters for social, shopping and news then added personal kryptonite sites like YouTube and Reddit.

• Social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok
• Streaming: YouTube, Netflix
• News and blogs: BBC, NY times, NRC.nl, NU.nl, etc.
• Communication: Slack, Gmail during deep work blocks

Blocking desktop apps

In the Mac menu bar choose Manage blocked desktop apps and tick anything that tempts you – Slack, mail, even casual games. When a session runs, Freedom hides or quits those apps instantly.

Scheduling focus sessions and Pomodoro blocks

Recurring focus windows

From the dashboard I set a recurring Morning work focus session 09:00–12:00 Monday to Friday. At nine sharp Freedom blocks my Deep work list on every device.

Pomodoro sprints

For shorter bursts I launch a 25-minute session, mirroring a classic Pomodoro. During that time Freedom locks down every distraction. After the timer ends, a five-minute break window opens before the next sprint.

Locked mode

Premium users can enable Locked Mode, preventing you from quitting a session mid-way. Set it before the timer starts for non-negotiable deep work.

Using website exceptions

Sometimes you need just two or three online tools. Freedom’s Block all websites option combined with Website exceptions lets you allow only specific URLs. I whitelisted Google Docs and our internal wiki while blocking the entire internet during a report-writing block.

Real-world wins

• Video editing without Slack or YouTube: a two-hour blocklist that closes Slack and YouTube kept me focused until the cut was done.
• Proposal writing without LinkedIn: one hour with social, news and chat blocked resulted in cleaner copy in half the usual time.
• Pomodoro lockdowns: four consecutive 25-minute sessions with everything but Google Docs available delivered a full blog draft before lunch.

Pricing: free vs premium

Premium unlocks recurring schedules, Locked Mode, website exceptions and unlimited sessions. After my trial I chose the yearly plan – the cost is trivial compared with the hours of deep work I regain each month.

Complementary tactics

• Focus music: I pair Brain.fm with Freedom; start a matching timer in both apps and the music stops when Freedom’s session ends.
• Calendar signals: add a “focus time” event to your shared calendar so colleagues know you are unreachable.
• Prepare before each session: open required docs or apps first because Freedom will block distractions and possibly the sites you forgot to allow.

Try it yourself

Choose an important task you keep postponing. Create a blocklist, start a 45-minute Freedom session and work until the timer ends. You will likely finish more in that single session than in a typical distracted half day.

Have you tried Freedom? Share your experience below, or head to freedom.to and claim the seven free sessions. Let’s keep distraction where it belongs – outside our workday.