About LockIn
LockIn MCP lets you tell your AI assistant to block distractions, and the block is applied for real. You install it with one terminal command, connect it to an MCP-capable assistant such as Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Perplexity, Gemini or Poke, and then say what you are working on and for how long. Blocks are system-level, written to the hosts file, so they apply in every browser and survive restarts, new profiles and private windows, and your assistant can grant a timed exception when you need a site back.
A task-aware Chrome extension adds blocking that knows what you are working on, letting documentation pass while rabbit holes are stopped, and only block attempts, never browsing history, reach the dashboard. It runs on macOS, Windows and Linux.
LockIn offers a 3-day free trial. Yearly billing is $29.99, shown as $2.50 per month, a monthly option is listed from $2.99 per month and a lifetime license costs $59.99 once. The site also lists resources, a Chrome extension and install instructions.
Key features
- Distraction blocking started through an AI assistant
- System-level blocking in every browser
- Persistence across restarts and private windows
- Timed exceptions granted by the assistant
- Task-aware Chrome extension
- Works with Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor
- macOS, Windows and Linux support
Good fit for
- Developers who want an AI assistant to enforce focus time
- Blocking social sites during deep work sessions
LockIn: questions and answers
- What is LockIn used for?
- LockIn is an MCP server and distraction blocker that lets AI assistants such as Claude and ChatGPT block sites system-wide on macOS, Linux and Windows. It is a good fit for developers who want an AI assistant to enforce focus time and blocking social sites during deep work sessions.
- How much does LockIn cost?
- Paid plans for LockIn start at $2.99 per month, and there is no free plan. A free trial is available.
- Is LockIn open source?
- No. LockIn is proprietary (closed-source) software. In the Productivity category, open-source options include Rectangle, Maccy and Vimium.
- What are some alternatives to LockIn?
- Other SaaS products in the Productivity category include SiteKeeper, StopThat and Superpower for AI.
Open-source alternatives to LockIn
See all
Rectangle
Productivity
Move and resize windows on macOS with keyboard shortcuts and snap areas
OSSvs BetterTouchTool★ 30k
Maccy
Productivity
Lightweight clipboard manager for macOS
MITvs Paste★ 22kVimium
Productivity
The hacker's browser.
MIT★ 27k
Moodist
Productivity
Ambient sounds for focus and calm.
MIT★ 3.9k
MarkerOn
Productivity
Lightweight (~1.5 MB) open-source screen annotation with click-through mode and keyboard-f
MIT★ 1.1k
RustCast
Productivity
An open source alternative to raycast, in rust!! (retired)
MITvs Raycast★ 1.1k
SaaS alternatives to LockIn
See all
SiteKeeper
Productivity
Chrome extension that tracks time on websites, sets daily or weekly limits and blocks distracting sites
SaaS
StopThat
Productivity
Mac app that blocks distracting sites and heckles you by voice and chat to get you back to work
SaaS
Superpower for AI
Productivity
Chrome extensions that add export, organisation and automation features to Gemini, Claude, NotebookLM and ChatGPT
SaaS
ZenBlock
Productivity
Chrome extension that blocks distracting websites with a mindful pause, Pomodoro timer and scheduled blocking
SaaS
1 Pixel Workout
Productivity
Site blocker that swaps distracting scrolling for short 60-second workouts
SaaS
ChatGPT Exporter
Productivity
Exports and organizes ChatGPT conversations as HTML, JSON or Markdown
SaaS

