Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Jiffy Reader VS SelfControl

Compare Jiffy Reader VS SelfControl and see what are their differences

Jiffy Reader logo Jiffy Reader

Jiffy Reader is a browser extension that allows you to read any website faster.

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.
  • Jiffy Reader Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-01
  • SelfControl Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

Jiffy Reader features and specs

  • Speed Reading Enhancement
    Jiffy Reader is designed to improve reading speed by using techniques such as highlighting, which can help readers quickly grasp the essential parts of the text.
  • Customizable Settings
    The platform offers various customizable settings, allowing users to tailor their reading experience to their preferences, such as adjusting highlight colors and reading pace.
  • Ease of Integration
    Jiffy Reader can be easily integrated into web browsers, enabling users to enhance their reading speed on a wide range of digital content seamlessly.
  • Focus Enhancement
    By drawing attention to keywords and phrases, Jiffy Reader helps users maintain focus, potentially increasing comprehension and retention levels.

Possible disadvantages of Jiffy Reader

  • Limited to Digital Content
    Jiffy Reader is primarily designed for digital text, which means it cannot be used for physical books or offline content, limiting its usability to online reading tasks.
  • Adjustment Period
    Users may experience an adjustment period when first using Jiffy Reader, as the highlighting and speed techniques may initially feel unfamiliar or disruptive.
  • Potential for Overwhelm
    For some users, the rapid pace and visual stimuli designed to enhance speed reading may lead to overwhelm or fatigue, especially during long reading sessions.
  • Dependency on Tool
    Frequent use of Jiffy Reader might create a dependency, where users feel they cannot achieve the same reading speed or comprehension level without the tool's assistance.

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.

Jiffy Reader videos

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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 Jiffy Reader and SelfControl)
Productivity
26 26%
74% 74
Time Tracking
0 0%
100% 100
Browser Extensions
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 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.

Jiffy Reader mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Jiffy Reader yet. Tracking of Jiffy Reader recommendations started around May 2022.

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 Jiffy Reader and SelfControl, you can also consider the following products

Unclutter โ€” Modern Reader Mode - Read articles the way you want to.

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!

Dark Reader - Reduce eye strain in your browser with this extension that provides a dark theme for browsing.

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

Alfread - Actually read articles saved for later

FocusMe - The website blocker you can't cheat