Cold Turkey alternative

SlowDwn vs Cold Turkey

Cold Turkey is a wall. When it blocks a docs site you needed, spite scrolling and uninstall follow. SlowDwn targets the intention–reach gap: you meant to stop, but your hand was already mid-flick — so the product slows the feed instead of locking you out.

Also comparing Freedom · Do app blockers work?

Side by side

Cold Turkey vs SlowDwn

Same job — less doomscroll — different psychology.

Enforcement

Cold Turkey: Hard wall — blocked sites stay blocked until you fight the tool

SlowDwn: Ramp-down friction at the feed — you can still choose; choosing gets conscious

Reactance

Cold Turkey: “Screw you” sessions and rage-uninstall after false positives

SlowDwn: Calm pause calibrated as allowed-but-not-free — more steps = uninstall risk

Utility vs doomscroll

Cold Turkey: Often blocks the whole platform including docs you need

SlowDwn: Friction at the feed — a speed bump you can still choose through

Shame loops

Cold Turkey: Override → guilt → more scroll

SlowDwn: No streaks or badges; miss-a-day holds the program clock

Try path

Cold Turkey: One-time purchase you abandon

SlowDwn: 1 service free · 3 with account · Pro $9/mo or $99/yr

Anti-nanny by design

If hard blocks trigger reactance for you — even when you set the rules — graduated friction is the better experiment. No preachy copy, no streak shame. Ambient status over notification spam.

No commitment

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