Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Bing VS SelfControl

Compare Bing 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.

Bing logo Bing

Bing helps you turn information into action, making it faster and easier to go from searching to doing.

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.
  • Bing Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-09
  • SelfControl Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

Bing features and specs

  • User Interface
    Bing offers a clean and aesthetically pleasing user interface which many find more visually appealing compared to other search engines.
  • Rewards Program
    Bing Rewards allows users to earn points when using the search engine, which can be redeemed for gift cards and other items.
  • Image and Video Search
    Bing is known for its high-quality image and video search results, often featuring a more comprehensive gallery and visually engaging formats.
  • Integration with Microsoft Products
    Bing integrates seamlessly with Microsoft services like Office, Edge browser, and Windows OS, offering a cohesive user experience.
  • Privacy Features
    Bing offers decent privacy features, allowing users to clear search history and manage their data settings more transparently.

Possible disadvantages of Bing

  • Market Share
    Bing has a significantly lower market share compared to Google, which means less overall usage data and potentially less refined search algorithms.
  • Ad Intrusiveness
    Some users find that ads on Bing are more intrusive and more prominently displayed compared to those on Google.
  • Search Result Relevance
    While Bing has improved over the years, it still sometimes delivers less relevant search results compared to Google, particularly for niche or less common queries.
  • Global Reach
    Bingโ€™s search capabilities and features may not be as strong or comprehensive in languages and regions outside of the United States.
  • Third-Party App Integration
    Bing does not integrate as well with third-party applications and services when compared to its main competitor, Google.

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 Bing

Overall verdict

  • Bing is a solid alternative to other major search engines, particularly for users who are integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem or appreciate its distinct features. However, user experience may vary based on personal preferences and needs.

Why this product is good

  • Bing is a search engine that offers unique features such as a visually appealing homepage, integration with Microsoft services, and rewards for using the service. It provides a different algorithm for search results, potentially offering diverse perspectives compared to other search engines.

Recommended for

  • Users who are heavily invested in Microsoft products and services
  • Individuals seeking an alternative perspective in search results
  • People interested in earning rewards through the Microsoft Rewards program
  • Users who appreciate visually engaging homepage design

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.

Bing videos

Switching away from Google Maps : Here Maps, Bing Maps, OpenStreetMap...

More videos:

  • Review - Why Bing Isn't a Failure (& the Future of the Internet)
  • Review - Google vs Bing Search Results Comparison and Review in 2019 October 25th - Is Bing As Good As Google
  • Review - Bing Maps Preview Redesign 2015 (Trip Planning, Along the Route, Reviews)
  • Review - Palmer Candy Co. Twin Bing Bar and Owyhee Idaho Spud Candy Bar Review
  • Review - Did Microsoft Just Kill Google?? ft. New Bing
  • Review - A first look at Microsoftโ€™s new Bing, powered by upgraded ChatGPT AI
  • Tutorial - What is Bing AI (in 120 seconds) & How to start using Bing Chat

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 Bing and SelfControl)
Search Engine
100 100%
0% 0
Time Tracking
0 0%
100% 100
Internet Search
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 Bing and SelfControl

Bing Reviews

Best DuckDuckGo Alternative: Private Search Engines in 2024
Launched as the default search engine for the Brave browser in 2021, Brave Search has fast become a popular search engine. It does not track users and has an independent web index, which it uses to serve 92% of its search results. For the rest, it relies on Google and Bing. To prevent and minimize tracking, Brave Search retrieves Bing results via the server side and Google...
Top 31 ChatGPT alternatives that will blow your mind in 2023 (Free & Paid)
Based on OpenAI large language model, which is much more powerful than ChatGPT and GPT-3.5, Bing AI is specifically designed to take search to the next level, and it has been tailored to maximize speed, accuracy, and efficiency. It uses the key learnings and advancements from its predecessors to ensure users get the best possible results.
Source: writesonic.com
5 ChatGPT alternatives to try when the AI chatbot is at capacity
There's also a way you can try the AI-powered Bing without actually signing up. As Mashable's Cecily Mauran wrote, you can preview the tool on Bing's homepage. You just have to click "learn more" to a prompt about the new Bing coming down the pipeline.
Source: mashable.com
The Next Google
โ€œBrave Search can operate as stand-alone, the rest cannot as they rely on Google or Bing. Most search engines are not independent search engines, and while they may provide some value, they are qualitatively different from what Brave Search is doing. Independence is not something directly actionable, but itโ€™s a fundamental property. Independence means that Brave Search would...
Source: dkb.io
The Difference Between Search Engines
There are a whole lot of similarities among Google and Bing. Bing is completely different as a result of the highly advertised praise methods. It has many features identical to Google and that's the primary distinction between Bing and DuckDuckGo. The later has fewer features and it believes in the privacy of its users. As a result of that in contrast to Bing, it does now...

SelfControl Reviews

We have no reviews of SelfControl yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Bing should be more popular than SelfControl. It has been mentiond 341 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.

Bing mentions (341)

  • Bypassing the Great Firewall in 2026: Active Filtering & Protocol Obfuscation
    # Download the latest release Bash <(curl -fsSL https://get.hy2.sh/) # Configure config.yaml Listen: :443 Tls: cert: /path/to/your.crt key: /path/to/your.key Auth: type: password password: "your_secure_password" Masquerade: type: proxy proxy: url: https://bing.com rewriteHost: true. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Creators of Tailwind laid off 75% of their engineering team
    > they only get paid when people find value in what AI is producing for them The people "finding value in them" are other people with money to throw at businesses: investors, capital firms, boards & c suites. I'm not sure anybody who has been laid off because their job got automated away is "finding value" in an LLM. There's a handful of scrappy people trying to pump out claude-driven startups but if one person... - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • How to measure round-trip time (RTT) using cURL
    Curl -w "\nDNS: %{time_namelookup}s\nConnect: %{time_connect}s\nTTFB: %{time_starttransfer}s\nTotal: %{time_total}s\n" \ -o /dev/null -s https://bing.com/. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Ensuring Web Accessibility with Cypress: A Comprehensive Guide
    Feature: Web Accessibility Tests Feature: Web Accessibility Tests Scenario Outline: Verify all WCAG Violations Given I am on the "" page And Verify all Accessibility Violations Scenario Outline: Verify P1,P2 WCAG Violations Given I am on the "" page And Verify only P1, P2 issues Examples: | url | | https://google.com | | https://amazon.in | | https://agoda.com | |... - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Support Response on Auto Redeem Not Working
    Prior to the 15 minute delay being added, my daily search routine was to open 30 of the headline links on the bing.com homepage. I would briefly read some if they were interesting, glance at others and close some immediately. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

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
View more

What are some alternatives?

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

Google - Google Search, also referred to as Google Web Search or simply Google, is a web search engine developed by Google. It is the most used search engine on the World Wide Web

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!

DuckDuckGo - The Internet privacy company that empowers you to seamlessly take control of your personal information online, without any tradeoffs.

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

Google Maps - Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

FocusMe - The website blocker you can't cheat