StayFocusd alternative for Chrome, Firefox and Edge

Why people look for a StayFocusd alternative

The reasons are structural, not a knock on what it does: StayFocusd is a time budget, and a budget answers "how much", not "why".

• It is Chrome-only. Its official listing is in the Chrome Web Store; we found no official Firefox or Edge version from Sensor Tower on Oct 23, 2026.
• Once Nuclear Option starts it cannot be cancelled (listing) — no exception gets through until it ends.
• The privacy panel discloses browsing categories, "Web history, User activity, Website content" (privacy details).

StayFocusd vs WhyFirst (as of Oct 23, 2026)

Time limits vs a reason: two different ideas

A time budget answers "how much". StayFocusd gives a site a daily allowance and enforces it; when the allowance is gone, the site is blocked. That is a good fit for a site where you want a hard number, and a bad fit for a site where ten focused minutes and forty unfocused ones look identical to the counter.

An intent check answers "why". WhyFirst does not count minutes. It interrupts the moment of opening and asks for a sentence. Ten minutes of tutorial work costs nothing; opening the feed to see what is new costs one question and, if you want, one of your daily exceptions.

Neither mechanism is stronger in general. The recipes differ:

• Time budget wins when the failure is volume — you genuinely spend three hours on a site and only notice afterwards.
• Intent check wins when the failure is the reflex — you were not planning to go there, and the tab opened by itself.
• Both is a common combination: a hard ceiling on the two worst offenders, a question on everything else.

Browser support

StayFocusd's official listing is in the Chrome Web Store. On Firefox, we could not find an official StayFocusd from Sensor Tower in Firefox Add-ons on Oct 23, 2026 — the results are third-party shortcut extensions rather than the blocker itself.

WhyFirst ships as one extension in three stores: Chrome, Edge and Firefox. The same rules and settings apply on all three.

What each store listing discloses about data

This section quotes what each product's own Chrome Web Store listing says, as shown on Oct 23, 2026. It is not an assessment of either product.

StayFocusd. Its Chrome Web Store privacy panel reads: "…has disclosed the following information regarding the collection and usage of your data … handles the following: Web history, User activity, Website content" (privacy details). Those category names come from Chrome Web Store's standard disclosure form. The same listing also states, in the developer's own words: "we will never collect personal data from the web page content that you are browsing," and that data is "Not being sold to third parties, outside of the approved use cases."

WhyFirst. What WhyFirst actually sends is written in its privacy policy: rules, reasons and statistics are stored in your browser; AI judgment is off by default; when you turn it on, the request carries your written reason, the domain and the purpose you set for that site to the AI endpoint you chose; browsing history, full URLs and page content are never sent. Account and purchase data exist only if you buy Pro or use the hosted AI endpoint.

If you prefer a tool whose listing discloses no data handling, compare the two listings yourself — that is the only way to make the call for your own threat model.

Where StayFocusd wins — and where WhyFirst does

Switching: start with five sites

There is no import feature, and this is a manual setup on purpose:

1. List the three to five sites where your time budget is routinely gone before you notice. Free covers up to 5 site rules.
2. Add each one in WhyFirst and write its purpose in one sentence you would defend.
3. Run both for a week: leave StayFocusd's budget on the sites that need a hard ceiling, and let WhyFirst handle the ones where a question is enough.
4. Look at what you wrote in WhyFirst's history. If most reasons were honest and you still went in, a time budget is the better tool; if the question stopped half the visits, keep the question.

FAQ

Is there a StayFocusd for Firefox?

We could not find an official StayFocusd from Sensor Tower in Firefox Add-ons as of Oct 23, 2026. WhyFirst supports Firefox, Chrome and Edge with the same extension.

What does StayFocusd's Chrome Web Store listing say about data?

Its privacy panel lists "Web history, User activity, Website content" as handled. The listing also states that it will never collect personal data from page content and that data is not sold to third parties outside the approved use cases. Read the privacy details for the exact wording.

What is the difference between a time limit and an intent check?

A time limit caps how long you stay. An intent check asks why you are going in. StayFocusd enforces a budget; WhyFirst asks for a written reason and then lets you proceed, take an exception, or go back.

Can WhyFirst block a site completely?

No. WhyFirst is soft friction: you can always spend a daily exception or turn the rule off. If you need an unbypassable block, StayFocusd's Nuclear Option or LeechBlock's Lockdown is the right tool.

Does WhyFirst work on Edge?

Yes. WhyFirst is listed in the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store as well as Chrome and Firefox.

Try WhyFirst

Try WhyFirst free on Firefox, Edge or Chrome, and keep StayFocusd where you need a hard ceiling.

Install WhyFirst free · Privacy policy

Last updated: Nov 3, 2026. StayFocusd figures and disclosures were read from its Chrome Web Store listing on Oct 23, 2026. Related: LeechBlock alternative, BlockSite alternative, all website blocker comparisons. Spotted an error? Email support@whyfirst.app.