Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

BeerSmith VS SelfControl

Compare BeerSmith VS SelfControl and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

BeerSmith logo BeerSmith

Learn to brew beer at home and join one of the most active homebrewing communities on the web.

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.
  • BeerSmith Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-25
  • SelfControl Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

BeerSmith features and specs

  • Comprehensive Features
    BeerSmith offers a wide range of tools for designing and managing beer recipes, including ingredient databases, mash profiles, and equipment configurations.
  • Recipe Sharing
    Users can share their recipes with others in the BeerSmith community, fostering a collaborative environment for homebrewers to learn and improve.
  • Mobile Access
    BeerSmith provides a mobile app, allowing brewers to use the program on the go, useful for brewing day activities away from a desktop.
  • Customizability
    The software allows for extensive customization of ingredients, brewing profiles, and equipment, catering to individual brewing preferences and techniques.

Possible disadvantages of BeerSmith

  • Complex Interface
    New users might find the interface overwhelming due to the multitude of features and options available, resulting in a steep learning curve.
  • Subscription Model
    BeerSmith follows a subscription model for some features, which might not be ideal for users who prefer a one-time purchase option.
  • Inconsistent Updates
    Users have occasionally reported that updates to the software are not as frequent or comprehensive as they would like, potentially affecting performance or missing features.
  • Limited Free Features
    The free version of BeerSmith has limited functionality, which may not meet the needs of hobbyists who are not ready to commit financially.

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.

BeerSmith videos

An Overview of BeerSmith 3 Software for Beer, Mead, Wine and Cider Making

More videos:

  • Review - Beersmith Features You Need to be Using Right Now! (2020)
  • Review - BeerSmith 3 and the Robobrew Profile - Brewzilla

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 BeerSmith and SelfControl)
Vacation Rental
100 100%
0% 0
Time Tracking
0 0%
100% 100
Food And Drink
100 100%
0% 0
Time Management
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using BeerSmith and SelfControl. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SelfControl seems to be a lot more popular than BeerSmith. While we know about 79 links to SelfControl, we've tracked only 6 mentions of BeerSmith. 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.

BeerSmith mentions (6)

  • brew software/app
    I have been quite happy with BeerSmith Web (at https://beersmithrecipes.com/). The integration with BeerSmith Web and the BeerSmith Mobile app are pretty decent. You can also just use the web version from mobile. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Finding recipes?
    Beer smith has a prettbig database of recipes. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Best homebrewing software?
    After using just BeerSmith Mobile for the past few years, I recently got a license so I could use the web editor (https://beersmithrecipes.com/). I am quite happy with the combo and the integration is quite solid. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Brewing software app?
    After just using BeerSmith Mobile for the past few years, I picked up a BeerSmith license. This was mostly motivated by the fairly new web editing features at https://beersmithrecipes.com/. I have been quite happy with the features and UI of the web editor. There is pretty decent integration between the Mobile app and the Web/Cloud recipes as well. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Best brewing app to use
    The fairly new online editing tools (at https://beersmithrecipes.com/) motivated me to purchase a license recent. I have been fairly happy with the features and usability. There is reasonable integration between the mobile app and the online editor. You can also use the web version from your mobile device, though I think I like using the app from my phone. Source: over 4 years ago
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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 / 5 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 / 7 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 / 12 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 BeerSmith and SelfControl, you can also consider the following products

Brewtarget - Brewtarget is free brewing software for Linux, Mac, and Windows. Compatible with ...

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!

Brew Recipe Developer - Brew Recipe Developer is a professional application for brew recipe calculations and development.

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

StrangeBrew Java - StrangeBrew - Java based Homebrew Recipe tool

FocusMe - The website blocker you can't cheat