Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

CrossBrowserTesting VS SelfControl

Compare CrossBrowserTesting VS SelfControl and see what are their differences

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CrossBrowserTesting logo CrossBrowserTesting

Browser Testing made simple! Run automated, visual, and manual tests on 1500+ real browsers and mobile devices. Test more browsers, in less time.

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.
  • CrossBrowserTesting Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-23
  • SelfControl Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

CrossBrowserTesting features and specs

  • Wide Range of Browsers and Devices
    CrossBrowserTesting offers a large selection of browsers and devices, allowing developers to test their applications in various environments to ensure compatibility.
  • Live Testing
    Users can perform live interactive testing on real devices, enabling them to manually verify the behavior of their application and catch issues that automated tests might miss.
  • Automated Testing Integration
    The platform provides integration with popular testing frameworks and tools such as Selenium, Appium, and others, facilitating automated testing workflows.
  • Visual Testing
    CrossBrowserTesting offers visual testing capabilities, allowing users to compare screenshots from different browsers to identify design inconsistencies.
  • Comprehensive Reports
    Detailed test reports with screenshots and logs are generated, helping users to quickly identify and address issues found during testing.
  • Parallel Testing
    The service supports parallel testing, enabling users to run multiple tests simultaneously, significantly reducing the overall testing time.
  • Easy-to-Use Interface
    The user interface is intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy for both beginners and experienced testers to navigate and utilize the platform effectively.

Possible disadvantages of CrossBrowserTesting

  • Cost
    CrossBrowserTesting can be expensive, especially for small teams or individual developers who might find the subscription plans to be cost-prohibitive.
  • Performance
    Tests on real devices can sometimes be slow due to the availability and network constraints, which can affect the overall efficiency of the testing process.
  • Limited Mobile Devices
    While the platform includes a variety of devices, the selection might not cover all the latest models or less common devices, potentially limiting testing coverage.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Some advanced features and integrations might require a learning curve, which could be challenging for users who are not familiar with automated testing or the specific tools supported.
  • Test Timeout Issues
    Occasional issues with test timeouts have been reported, which can disrupt the testing process and require reruns or additional troubleshooting.

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 CrossBrowserTesting

Overall verdict

  • CrossBrowserTesting is generally regarded as a good solution for cross-browser testing needs, particularly for teams that require real-time testing and robust automation capabilities. Its ease of use, extensive browser/device coverage, and integration options make it a strong choice for many development and QA teams.

Why this product is good

  • CrossBrowserTesting is considered a valuable tool because it provides a cloud-based platform for testing websites and mobile applications across different browsers, devices, and operating systems. It enables developers and QA teams to ensure that their applications function correctly on various platforms without needing to maintain a complex setup of physical devices. The platform offers real-time debugging, automated screenshot testing, and integration with various CI/CD tools, which streamlines the testing process.

Recommended for

    This service is highly recommended for software development teams, QA engineers, and web developers who need to ensure compatibility and functionality of their web applications across multiple browsers and devices. It is particularly useful for organizations with a focus on maintaining high-quality user experiences across various platforms.

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.

CrossBrowserTesting videos

Cross Browser Testing Tool Comparison โ€“ LambdaTest vs. CrossBrowserTesting

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 CrossBrowserTesting and SelfControl)
Website Testing
100 100%
0% 0
Time Tracking
0 0%
100% 100
Browser Testing
100 100%
0% 0
Time Management
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

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

CrossBrowserTesting mentions (6)

  • How can I test my site on safari if I don't have a Mac ?
    Yeah I moved on pretty quick from browserstack, but it seems to be the most popular. I've tried crossbrowsertesting.com but at the moment I really like app.lambdatest.com. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • great list of "cool" sites from hnews
    Https://geizhals.de/ - this is a german site but the UI is nice and you can find a lot of stuff. Https://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3? - a phone search site. When I was at https://crossbrowsertesting.com we used this site a lot Https://www.howacarworks.com/ - how a car works Https://www.mcmaster.com/ - the UI here is so nice. Those illustrations Https://ciechanow.ski/mechanical-watch/ - how does a mechanical... - Source: dev.to / about 4 years ago
  • Learn How To Create, Test and Deploy a Single Page App with Vue 3 + Vite and Pinia
    Fortunately we donโ€™t need to install, nor configure, any other tools, unless maybe some fancy reporters, but for now we can get everything we need in terms of end-to-end automated testing out of Nightwatch. Besides Chrome, Nightwatch has built-in support for all major browsers, including Firefox, Edge, and Safari, all thanks to its integration with the W3C Webdriver API and Selenium. It also allows you to use... - Source: dev.to / over 4 years ago
  • Free for dev - list of software (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, etc.)
    Crossbrowsertesting.com - Manual, Visual, and Selenium Browser Testing in the cloud - free for Open Source. - Source: dev.to / about 5 years ago
  • How do yโ€™all test responsiveness of website?
    Professionally, I do basically the same for dev testing. We also have various devices on different platforms/versions in the office when needed, and our QA team primarily uses Cross Browser Testing Tool. If I need to check something specific, I usually use CBT. Source: over 5 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 / 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 CrossBrowserTesting and SelfControl, you can also consider the following products

Sauce Labs - Test mobile or web apps instantly across 700+ browser/OS/device platform combinations - without infrastructure setup.

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!

BrowserStack - BrowserStack is a software testing platform for developers to comprehensively test websites and mobile applications for quality.

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

browserling - Live interactive cross-browser testing from your browser.

FocusMe - The website blocker you can't cheat