Menu bar app for Mac and Windows

Social media off when you say so. One task at a time.

NetVow blocks social media on a schedule, blocks sites for good, and gives you a gentle nudge the moment you drift. Built with ADHD in mind. Living quietly in your menu bar.

Download for Mac Download for Windows

brew install --cask netvow

Free forever. No card. iPhone and Android coming soon

Everything in your menu bar

Promises to yourself, kept.

No main window, no dashboard to babysit. Click the icon, set it, get back to your day.

Social media blocked on a schedule

Mornings 6–10, work hours 9–5, up to 3 times a day, on its own. X, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Reddit and YouTube go quiet across every browser. A running block can’t be cut short, and today’s blocks can only grow.

One short task list and a focus timer

Up to seven open tasks, each with a time. Press start and one timer runs for the whole task in your menu bar. Done? Take a short break, start the next task or add more time.

Blocked forever

Some sites should just be gone. Add one and it stays blocked for as long as NetVow is installed. Changed your mind? Ask, and it opens after 3 days. A list of adult sites is always on.

Ending early costs $1

Need out of a block early? It costs $1 from a balance you top up in advance, plus a short wait. Small enough to be fair, big enough to make you stop and think.

A day planner with Lox

On the first click of a new day, Lox waves hello and plans today with you: when social media is off and what you’ll get done. Takes a minute. “Not today” is always fine.

Stay-on-task nudges · built with ADHD in mind

Drift happens. NetVow notices, kindly.

While a task runs, small glass banners keep you anchored. No shame, no streak lost for an unfinished task. Just a friendly tap on the shoulder.

Check-ins

Every 15 minutes (or 10, 20, 30) a banner slides down, then gets out of the way.

Drift nudges

Spend more than a minute on something that isn’t part of the task, and Lox shakes its head.

Read with me

A frosted strip glides along the top of your screen. Each word lights up as it passes, so you say it out loud: a line from your task, or your own words. Clicks pass straight through.

Nudges pause on their own while you share your screen, join a call or present. Which app you’re using is checked on your computer only, only while a task runs, and never sent anywhere.

No back door

Strict on blocks. Gentle on tasks.

Set it once
Pick a schedule, or block for 30 minutes or an hour right now. It holds offline, across restarts, in every browser. No extension to switch off.
It holds
A running block can’t be shortened or deleted. Today’s schedule can grow, never shrink. Quitting NetVow is off until it ends.
Out early? It costs you
Write why, pay $1 from your balance, then wait a few minutes. No balance, no way out but time.

“Ending early costs $1. Then you wait 5 minutes.” That pause is usually enough to change your mind.

Your focus buddy

Meet Lox.

A little padlock with a big heart. Lox plans your day with you, keeps you company while you focus, and its shackle pops open when a block ends.

HelloFirst click of a new day
CelebrateA block you kept to the end
DisappointedYou drifted off task
Block liftsA block ends

Pricing

Free forever. Pro when you want schedules.

Everything you need to focus is free. Want schedules? Try Pro for 2 weeks for $3.

Free

$0forever

No card, no catch.

Download free

Block social media now30 minutes or 1 hour
SchedulesNot included
Blocked foreverUp to 3 sites
Adult-site listAlways on
Tasks + focus timer7 open tasks, 25 minutes each
Block distractions while you focusNot included
Stay-on-task nudgesCheck-ins
Day planner with LoxYes
End a block early$1 from your balance, 5-min wait
Alarms + hourly chime3 alarms

Pro

Best value

$36/year

That is $3 a month. Save 40% against monthly.

Get the app, then go Pro

Block social media nowAny length you want
SchedulesBlock automatically, up to 3 times a day
Blocked foreverUnlimited
Adult-site listAlways on
Tasks + focus timer7 open tasks, any length
Block distractions while you focusYes
Stay-on-task nudgesCheck-ins, switch-away nudges, read with me
Day planner with LoxYes
End a block early$1 from your balance, wait 5, 10 or 20 min
Alarms + hourly chimeUnlimited alarms

Pro starts in the app: open Go Pro from the menu bar and finish checkout in your browser. Payments are handled by Polar. Ending a block early costs $1 from your balance on both plans, and you top up from $5.

Download

Get NetVow for your computer.

Set up takes about two minutes. NetVow asks for your computer password once, so it can block sites for every browser.

Download for Mac Download for Windows

Or with Homebrew on a Mac

brew install --cask netvow

Mac: macOS 10.15 or later, Apple silicon and Intel
Windows: Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit
iPhone and Android: Coming soon, with blocks that sync to your computer

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Is NetVow really free?

Yes. Free forever: block social media for 30 minutes or an hour, up to 3 sites blocked forever, a task list with a focus timer, check-ins and the day planner with Lox. Pro adds schedules, any length you want, blocking while you focus, switch-away nudges and read with me. Try Pro for 2 weeks for $3, or pay $5 a month, $36 a year ($3 a month) or $60 once.

Can I end a block early?

Yes, for $1 from your balance. You write a short reason, $1 is taken, and the block lifts after a short wait (5 minutes, or 5, 10 or 20 with Pro). There is no settings toggle, restart or reinstall trick. Sites blocked forever can only be removed with a request that opens after 3 days.

How does the balance work?

You top up your balance in the app with $5, $10, $20 or $50. Ending a block early takes $1 from it. That small cost is usually enough to make you think twice.

Does NetVow see what I browse?

To send drift nudges, NetVow checks which app or site is in front, on your computer only and only while a task timer runs. That is never stored or sent to us. Read the privacy policy.

How does blocking work?

At system level, through your computer’s hosts file, so it works in every browser with no extension to switch off. NetVow asks for your computer password once during setup.

I have ADHD. Will this help?

NetVow was built with ADHD in mind: short lists, one task at a time, check-ins every few minutes, a nudge when you drift, and read with me to pull your attention back. It is a tool, not a treatment, and it is gentle on unfinished tasks.

Do I need an account?

No. NetVow works on its own on your computer. Sign in from the menu bar when you want to go Pro or keep blocks and tasks in sync across devices.

When are the phone apps coming?

iPhone and Android apps are on the way. Blocks you set on your computer will apply on your phone within a minute, and the other way round.

How do I get Pro?

From inside the app: tap Go Pro and pick a plan. Checkout opens in your browser and is handled by Polar. The 2-week try costs $3 once, needs your card at checkout and does not renew. Monthly and yearly plans can be cancelled any time.

Something went wrong. Who do I talk to?

Email support@netvow.com. If you blocked a site forever by mistake, such as a site you need for work, ask to remove it in the app. The request opens after 3 days.