Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Beams VS SelfControl

Compare Beams VS SelfControl and see what are their differences

Beams logo Beams

Menu bar app to mindfully navigate your workday

SelfControl logo SelfControl

V2 updates! - Custom time interval for distraction free mode - Ability to turn off ' always on' mode - Improved UI -- Self Control -- A simple app to keep you focused online by blocking sites that you spend way too much time on.
  • Beams Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-19

Constant context switching, too many open tabs and distracting notifications - sounds familiar? beams gently guides you through your busy workday - directly from the menu bar. Joining a call or going into undisturbed focus time is now only a keystroke away.

  • SelfControl Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

Beams features and specs

  • meeting overview
    mininalistic workday navigation, easy accessibility to all your meeting
  • join meetings through shortcut
    easiest way to join all your meetings - be the first one in the meeting
  • focus mode โ˜‚๏ธ
    blocks notification and calender, included timer, break reminders

SelfControl features and specs

  • Effective Website Blocking
    SelfControl blocks access to distracting websites based on a customizable blocklist, helping users stay focused.
  • Timer Functionality
    Users can set a timer for how long they want websites to remain blocked, ensuring focused work periods without distraction.
  • Free to Use
    SelfControl is open-source and free to download and use, making it accessible to anyone without financial barriers.
  • Easy to Use
    The interface is straightforward and user-friendly, allowing users to quickly set their preferences and get started.

Possible disadvantages of SelfControl

  • Mac-Only
    SelfControl is only available for macOS, excluding Windows and Linux users from using the application.
  • No Undo Option
    Once the block period is set and started, it cannot be undone even by restarting the computer, which could be an issue if access to blocked sites is needed unexpectedly.
  • Limited Feature Set
    The app primarily focuses on website blocking, lacking additional productivity tools or features like app blocking or usage analytics.
  • No Scheduled Blocking
    SelfControl does not offer the ability to schedule block sessions in advance, meaning users must manually start each session.

Analysis of SelfControl

Overall verdict

  • Overall, SelfControl is a highly recommended tool for individuals looking to enhance their productivity by minimizing digital distractions. Its open-source nature and no-nonsense approach make it a popular choice among students, freelancers, and professionals alike.

Why this product is good

  • SelfControl is considered a good application because it effectively blocks distracting websites, helping users focus on their tasks without getting sidetracked by online distractions. It's simple to use, efficient, and highly customizable, allowing users to specify which sites to block and for how long, ensuring a tailored productivity experience.

Recommended for

    SelfControl is ideal for students who need to concentrate on studying, remote workers who want to avoid procrastination, freelancers who require discipline in managing their time, and anyone who needs a simple solution to reduce digital distractions during focused work periods.

Beams videos

Welcome to beams

More videos:

  • Review - DR BASS STRINGS | Hi-Beams, Sunbeams, Pure Blues & Lo-Rider
  • Review - 3SGE BEAMS SWAPPED HILUX REVIEW!
  • Review - Best Balance Beams Review [Top 5 Best Gymnastics Beams on The Market]๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ

SelfControl videos

How to block websites that distract you ? Selfcontrol [Mac App review and tutorial]

More videos:

  • Review - SelfControl Review - Block distracting websites

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Beams and SelfControl)
Productivity
50 50%
50% 50
Time Tracking
11 11%
89% 89
Mac Software
100 100%
0% 0
Time Management
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Beams and SelfControl

Beams Reviews

  1. Love the focus mode โ˜‚๏ธ

    beams focus mode really helps me a lot to get things done! It blocks incoming messages and gives me an overview of my focus goal and how much time I have left. For me, that's very helpful because I easily get distracted.

    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Beautiful minimalist design|Easy to use|Pleasant visibility|Break reminders

SelfControl Reviews

We have no reviews of SelfControl yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SelfControl seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 79 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Beams mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Beams yet. Tracking of Beams recommendations started around Jan 2023.

SelfControl mentions (79)

  • Oregon School Cell Phone Ban: 'Engaged Students, Joyful Teachers'
    A combination of https://selfcontrolapp.com/ and Hammerspoon automation and you can lock yourself out of pretty much everything. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Kiki โ€“ The accountability monster for people who are easily distracted
    Happy to see it still exists, and free https://selfcontrolapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • How do you fight YouTube addiction and procrastination? I'm struggling with it
    I have found that a useful method for getting distractions off my work laptop has been https://selfcontrolapp.com/ (if you're on mac). - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Using an $8 smart outlet to avoid brainrot
    Pro tip for macos/ios folks: - Macos: Install https://selfcontrolapp.com/, add every website and their alternatives you know, set it to 24 hours. Really hard to bypass this even if you know networking stuff - iOS: Enable downtime 24/7 ask someone else to set the password. I'm down to about 35 minutes a day of mobile usage, and laptop usage is only work related things. You really need two or three days to clear... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • My 30-Year Quitting Addiction
    There is a free and open source app called SelfControl for macOS. It allows one to block access to any site one adds to the list in the app for the amount of time the user chooses. Attempt to use multiple browsers, restarting one's machine, deleting the app, etc. won't get around the block either. It's been super helpful for me, so I thought I'd just throw it out there. https://selfcontrolapp.com. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Beams and SelfControl, you can also consider the following products

Focusmate - Distraction-free productivity via virtual coworking

Cold Turkey - Cold Turkey is a free productivity program that you can use to temporarily block distractions so that you can get your work done!

Campsite - A free way to solve the one link problem on Instagram

Freedom.to - Freedom is a productivity hack that lets you block apps, websites or the entire Internet on iPhones, iPads, Windows and Mac computers.

Workhub - Workhub is the first platform to provide compliance software and recognition programs for businesses to maximize productivity and efficiency.

Focus App - New Tab page that gives you a moment of calm and inspires you to be more productive.