SelfControl VS Workflowy

Compare SelfControl VS Workflowy and see what are their differences

Rating: 0 reviews
Pricing: Open source

Rating: 0 reviews
Pricing: Freemium Free trial $4.99 / Monthly (Workflowy Pro)

Notivo

Notivo is a private, per-person notebook for managers. Capture feedback, commitments, and 1:1 context as it happens — from web, iOS, WhatsApp, email, ChatGPT, or Claude — then get it back later, organized by person. sponsored

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.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, SelfControl seems to be a lot more popular than Workflowy. While we know about 79 links to SelfControl, we've tracked only 2 mentions of Workflowy.

social mentions: 79 vs 2
Time Tracking popularity: 100% vs 0%
alternatives listed: 183 vs 240+

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

	SelfControl	Workflowy
Website	selfcontrolapp.com	workflowy.com
Pricing	Open source	Freemium Free trial $4.99 / Monthly (Workflowy Pro) Official pricing
Platforms	—	Browser Windows Mac OSX Linux Android iOS +3
Company	—	Startup from the United States · 2010
Listed in	Productivity Time Management Time Tracking Focus +1	Task Management Note Taking Project Management Personal Notes Checklists Kanban Boards Note Management Bookmarks Lists +6

About SelfControl and Workflowy

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

SelfControl

Workflowy

No description of SelfControl yet.

Workflowy offers a simpler way to stay organized. If you have a crazy job or an ambitious project, we will be your trusty sidekick.

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

SelfControl 4 features

Workflowy 16 features

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

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.

Kanban boards
Tags
Search and Filtering
Files & Attachments
Mobile apps (iOS & Android)
Live copy
Bidirectional links
No-login Sharing
Text Highlighting
Dates and times
Publishing
Lists
Global Search
Notes
Todo's
Slash command

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

SelfControl

Workflowy

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.

Overall verdict

Overall, Workflowy is an excellent tool for those who appreciate a straightforward, yet powerful organizational system. Its ease of use combined with robust features makes it suitable for both personal and professional use. While it may require a bit of a learning curve to fully take advantage of all its features, many users find it invaluable once they integrate it into their workflows.

Why this product is good

Workflowy is considered good for its simplicity and powerful features. It offers a minimalistic, distraction-free interface that allows users to focus on their tasks efficiently. Its unique bullet-point organization system enables users to create infinitely nested lists, which can be expanded or collapsed as needed, offering flexibility in organizing tasks and ideas. Additionally, Workflowy supports tags, notes, and easy search functionalities, making it excellent for complex project management and note-taking. Its ability to sync across devices ensures that users can access their information anytime, anywhere.

Recommended for

Individuals who prefer minimalist yet powerful productivity tools
Writers or content creators needing to organize thoughts and notes
Project managers looking for a simple but effective way to track tasks
Users who appreciate flexibility in the organization of tasks and notes
People needing a tool that offers real-time, cross-device synchronization

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

SelfControl 2 videos + Add

Workflowy 7 videos + Add

How to block websites that distract you ? Selfcontrol [Mac App review and tutorial]

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100

SelfControl

Workflowy

100% 100%

0% 0%

100% 100%

0% 0%

100% 100%

User comments

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

Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

SelfControl no reviews yet

Workflowy no reviews yet

We have no reviews of SelfControl yet. Be the first one to post

20 Obsidian Alternatives: Top Note-Taking Tools to Consider
clickup.com · Feb 2024

Workflowy is a note-taking app with several task management tools. This app refers to itself as a sidekick for busy and ambitious people. Workflowy is on this list of Obsidian alternatives because of its simplicity....
The best note-taking apps for collecting your thoughts and data
www.theverge.com · Nov 2023

Workflowy is an online app that uses an outline format and is actually more flexible than it looks at first.
15 Best Notability Alternatives 2022
rigorousthemes.com · May 2022

WorkFlowy is another alternative to Notability that provides everything you need to take notes quickly and effectively. Instead of creating little notes represented by small cards, WorkFlowy helps you create elaborate...

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

SelfControl 79 mentions

Workflowy 2 mentions

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 / 7 months ago
Kiki – The accountability monster for people who are easily distracted
Happy to see it still exists, and free https://selfcontrolapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 9 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 / about 1 year ago

Adam Savage on Lists, More Lists, and the Power of Checkboxes (2019)
Have you seen Workflowy? https://workflowy.com/hello/. - Source: Hacker News / about 5 years ago
5 Alternatives to OneNote
Workflowy - The project management notetaking app. Source: over 5 years ago

Alternatives to SelfControl and Workflowy

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

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!

Compare Cold Turkey to SelfControl or Workflowy:

Cold Turkey vs SelfControl Cold Turkey vs Workflowy
Todoist
Todoist is a to-do list that helps you get organized, at work and in life.

Compare Todoist to SelfControl or Workflowy:

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

Compare Freedom.to to SelfControl or Workflowy:

Freedom.to vs SelfControl Freedom.to vs Workflowy
Trello
Infinitely flexible. Incredibly easy to use. Great mobile apps. It's free. Trello keeps track of everything, from the big picture to the minute details.

Compare Trello to SelfControl or Workflowy:

Trello vs SelfControl Trello vs Workflowy
FocusMe
The website blocker you can't cheat, on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone.

Compare FocusMe to SelfControl or Workflowy:

FocusMe vs SelfControl FocusMe vs Workflowy
Evernote
Bring your life's work together in one digital workspace. Evernote is the place to collect inspirational ideas, write meaningful words, and move your important projects forward.

Compare Evernote to SelfControl or Workflowy:

Evernote vs SelfControl Evernote vs Workflowy