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Gmail VS SelfControl

Compare Gmail VS SelfControl and see what are their differences

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A simple way to keep all your data under control. Build your own business applications in just 4 minutes. featured
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Contents:
  1. ยป Base Details
  2. ยป Videos
  3. ยป Reviews
  4. ยป Alternatives

Gmail logo Gmail

Gmail is available across all your devices Android, iOS, and desktop devices. Sort, collaborate or call a friend without leaving your inbox.

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.
  • Gmail Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-02-13
  • SelfControl Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

Gmail features and specs

  • Generous Storage
    Gmail provides a large amount of free storage (15GB shared with Google Drive and Photos), allowing users to store a significant number of emails without frequently needing to delete old ones.
  • Integration with Google Services
    Gmail is seamlessly integrated with other Google services like Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Google Docs, enhancing productivity and ease of use.
  • Powerful Search Functionality
    Gmailโ€™s advanced search functionality allows users to quickly and efficiently find specific emails using keywords, filters, and operators.
  • Spam and Virus Protection
    Gmailโ€™s robust spam filter and virus protection features help in keeping your inbox safe from malware, phishing attacks, and unwanted emails.
  • Customizable Email Management
    Gmail offers various tools for organizing emails, such as labels, filters, and custom tabs, enabling users to manage their inbox efficiently.
  • Cross-Platform Accessibility
    Users can access Gmail from any device with internet connectivity, including via web browsers and mobile apps for both Android and iOS.
  • Offline Access
    Gmail offers offline access, allowing users to read, respond to, and search their emails without an internet connection.
  • Feature-Rich Interface
    Gmailโ€™s interface includes features like smart compose, email scheduling, integrated chat, and video calls, making it versatile for both personal and professional use.

Possible disadvantages of Gmail

  • Privacy Concerns
    As a Google product, Gmailโ€™s handling of personal data is subject to the companyโ€™s data policies, which might raise privacy concerns among some users.
  • Advertisements
    Free Gmail accounts come with targeted ads that appear in the inbox, which some users may find intrusive or annoying.
  • Complexity for New Users
    The wide array of features and customization options can be overwhelming for new users who may find it difficult to navigate and utilize all the functionalities effectively.
  • Dependence on Internet
    Though offline access is available, many Gmail features require an active internet connection to function optimally.
  • Synchronization Issues
    Some users may experience occasional issues with email synchronization across multiple devices, leading to delays or loss of recent email updates.
  • Limitation on Attachments
    Gmail has a per-email attachment size limit of 25MB, which might be restrictive for users needing to send larger files via email.
  • Potential for Over-reliance
    Given its extensive feature set and integration with other Google services, users might become overly reliant on Gmail, making it difficult to transition to other platforms if needed.

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.

Gmail videos

+ Add

QUITTING GMAIL - alternatives for email, calendar, contacts

More videos:

  • Review - Manage Multiple Email Accounts in Gmail - Save Time!
  • Review - The New Gmail - Everything You Need To Know

SelfControl videos

+ Add

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 Gmail and SelfControl)

Gmail

SelfControl

Email
100 100%
Email
0% 0
Time Tracking
0 0%
Time Tracking
100% 100
Email Clients
100 100%
Email Clients
0% 0
Time Management
0 0%
Time Management
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Gmail and SelfControl. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

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

Gmail Reviews

  1. marksachintha
    ยท CEO at ShiftX ยท
    Best Email Service I have ever used.
    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Slack, Microsoft Outlook, Mattermost
    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    No need email hosting|Can create groups/channels like slack
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Doesn't work with outlook
  2. Phil_is_ill01
    Great user interface, and ease of use. Not sure about the privacy though.

    Very happy with its offers, it has a full suite of tools. Also the user experience is great. I am not sure about the privacy though. I am not confident enough to use it for sending and receiving confidential documents.

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Mailfence, ProtonMail
    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Huge storage space|Mobile app|Easy to use|Organisation
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Security|Privacy|Data protection and security
  3. Marta Garcia
    Not good mail in terms of privacy and security

    I used to use Gmail until 4 months ago. I was really happy with this mail, it is easy to handle and, being a Google member, there are many tools available to use. However, I started to learn about the security and privacy offered by Google, which is NONE. We are selling our information and personal data to a technological giant and, many times, we are not even aware of it.

    This is why I deleted all but one of my Google-related accounts. As most people are still not aware of this, when working or contacting certain people for the first time, it is essential to do it through Gmail.

    Today, there are a few alternatives to solve this lack of privacy. After doing an intensive search and reading comments, I decided to get an account with Mailfence and, honestly, I'm very happy with their service. It's an easy to use email, with end-to-end encryption, digital signatures, calendar, document saving capabilities, ... I really recommend it for all those who are starting in the world of privacy and security. The best thing is that you can create a free account and, if you are happy with the service or need more storage space, you can switch to a paid account.

    I hope my opinion helps everyone, especially those who are thinking about whether it is really worth giving all our information in exchange for a free email.

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Mailfence
10 Best Alternatives to Microsoft Outlook to Try in 2023
Gmail also offers a number of powerful search features that make it easy to find specific emails. For example, you can search for emails by sender, subject, or keyword, and Gmail will return all relevant results.
Source: mysignature.io
11 Top Outlook Alternatives to Try
Google Workspace users can create email addresses with a custom domain, like [email protected], while Gmail users can only make Gmail.com addresses. Google Workspace offers shared drives and more storage space.
Source: kinsta.com
Superhuman vs. Gmail: A Tale of Two Email Experiences
In contrast, Gmail caters to a broader audience, offering basic email services (vanilla Gmail) and integration with the Google Workspace suite. This entails the use of Google Mail, Google Calendar integration, limited keyboard shortcuts, Docs, Sheets, messages (via Gmail's chat feature), and more!
Source: tatem.com
ProtonMail Compares Apple to Mafia, Says App Was Forced Into In-App Purchases in 2018
Yen believes Apple's 30 percent fee harms privacy-centric apps because it's difficult for a paid app to compete with free apps like Gmail while also having to pay โ€ŒApp Storeโ€Œ frees.
Source: www.macrumors.com
Moving away from GMail
But my GMail address can be lost for many reasons, many unrelated to GMail itself. I guess you can get the address suspended for spamming or doing other things, I'm not particularly worried about that. However, ToS violations of any kind, across other Google products, can lead to a ban on your account and implicitly, on your GMail address. There are many examples: reselling...
Source: rolisz.ro

SelfControl Reviews

We have no reviews of SelfControl yet.
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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.

Gmail mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Gmail yet. Tracking of Gmail recommendations started around Mar 2021.

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 / 3 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 / 5 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 / 10 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 Gmail and SelfControl, you can also consider the following products

Microsoft Outlook - Organize your world. Outlookโ€™s email and calendar tools help you communicate, stay on top of what matters, and get things done.

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!

ProtonMail - Secure email with absolutely no compromises. Get your free encrypted email account today.

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

Zoho Mail - Zoho Mail is a secure, encrypted, and enterprise-ready email solution, a suite of apps tailor-made for your organization's needs.

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

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