Hidden Value vs BlockSite
The short version: BlockSite blocks distracting sites and apps across your phone, tablet, and every browser you use, synced through one paid subscription. Hidden Value blocks in Chrome too — pick a site, flip on Always Block, it's off limits, with Auto Close ready to shut a tab automatically once you hit a time limit. The difference is what happens on top of the block: Hidden Value shows the real dollar cost of every minute at your hourly rate, so the site stops feeling worth opening in the first place, while BlockSite only shows local usage stats. Chrome Web Store users rate BlockSite well (4.5 stars, 32,000+ ratings), but Trustpilot reviews skew sharply negative, with recurring complaints about billing and pushy upgrade prompts — worth knowing going in. Here's the honest breakdown.
Most "X vs Y" pages are thinly disguised sales pitches where the author's product wins every round. This isn't that. BlockSite does real, useful things Hidden Value doesn't — mainly, one blocklist that follows you across your phone and every browser. The honest answer to "which should I use" comes down to whether you need one blocklist everywhere you go, or a block that also makes the site stop feeling worth unblocking.
The quick verdict
Choose Hidden Value if…
You lose focus in Chrome on your work computer, you bill by the hour, and you want a real block — Always Block, Auto Close, friction — that also shows you the dollar cost so the pull actually fades instead of just waiting to be disabled.
Choose BlockSite if…
You need the same blocklist synced across your phone, tablet, and multiple desktop browsers right now, and you're fine paying a subscription for that reach.
Side-by-side comparison
| Hidden Value | BlockSite | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary platform | Chrome (desktop browser); iPhone app coming soon | Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, plus iOS and Android apps |
| Core approach | Always Block, Auto Close, and friction — plus opportunity-cost visibility | Site/app/category blocking with schedules and a Pomodoro-style Focus Mode |
| Hard-block feature | Always Block — a permanent, full-page "SITE BLOCKED" overlay on any site you pick | Scheduled or always-on block list, redirect on match |
| Time-limit feature | Auto Close — hit your limit and the tab warns, then closes itself, with escalating cooldowns | Usage Limit — a daily time cap that blocks/redirects once you hit it, no automatic tab close |
| Shows cost in dollars | Yes — your Hidden Cost at your hourly rate | No — activity/usage stats only, no dollar value |
| Free tier | Full core features free | Capped — reviewers report as few as a couple of sites blockable before it pushes Premium |
| Can you turn it off? | Technically, yes — but friction and visible cost mean you rarely feel the urge to | Yes, and often the only option — blocking is binary, so getting past even one site usually means disabling or uninstalling the whole thing |
| Pricing model | Free tier + optional Pro | Recurring subscription (monthly, annual, or multi-year plans) |
Pricing changes and is often tested, so we don't quote exact numbers — check each product's site for current plans.
What is Hidden Value?
Hidden Value is a Chrome extension that blocks the sites eating your time and reframes what's left as opportunity cost: a running dollar figure based on your hourly rate. Always Block puts a permanent, full-page "SITE BLOCKED — [site] is off limits" overlay on any site you choose. For sites you want to allow in limited doses, Auto Close gives you a time budget, then warns you and closes the tab automatically when you're over, with escalating cooldowns if you keep reopening it. And for everything in between, a friction screen and cost popups slow you down before you commit.
The part that makes the block stick is the cost layer underneath it. When every scroll shows its real dollar price, the pull itself weakens — you stop wanting the site as much, not just losing access to it — so there's less reason to go disable the extension in the first place. That's the piece BlockSite doesn't have: it tells you how much time you spent, never what it was worth.
What is BlockSite?
BlockSite is a well-established blocker with real reach: extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, plus native iOS and Android apps and a desktop app, all syncing one blocklist. You can block by exact site, by category (social, adult, gaming, news), or by keyword, set schedules, add password protection, and pair blocks with a Pomodoro-style Focus Mode. It's a genuinely capable, mature product — 1M+ users and a 4.5-star rating across more than 32,000 Chrome Web Store reviews back that up.
It's worth being precise about the rest of the picture, though. Trustpilot reviews tell a different story than the Chrome Web Store — 1.8 out of 5 stars, with recurring complaints about being charged after cancelling, refund refusals, and aggressive in-app upgrade pop-ups that some reviewers say are hard to dismiss. The free tier is capped tightly enough that several reviewers describe it as barely usable before Premium becomes necessary. And like any browser extension, BlockSite can be uninstalled in a few clicks — notable enough that BlockSite itself sells "uninstall prevention" as a Premium feature, an implicit admission that the base product is as easy to walk away from as any other extension. BlockSite's own privacy documentation also confirms it logs visited URLs, IP address, OS/browser, and timestamps to power its blocking and content filters — broader data collection than a simple blocklist strictly needs, even though BlockSite states it isn't sold to third parties.
Where BlockSite is genuinely useful: if you specifically need one blocklist that follows you from your laptop to your phone, BlockSite's cross-platform reach is real and still ahead of Hidden Value today. Focus Mode's Pomodoro pairing is a nice touch for people who already like timed work sprints.
BlockSite and Hidden Value both genuinely block — Always Block is every bit as hard a wall as BlockSite's blocklist. The difference shows up in what happens around the block. BlockSite adds friction to your settings with a password and sells you protection against your own uninstall button; Hidden Value adds a reason not to want the site back: when every scroll shows its real cost, in dollars, at your hourly rate, the pull loses its grip instead of just waiting behind a wall you'll eventually take down. And for sites where a hard "never" is overkill, Auto Close gives you a real time budget and closes the tab itself when you're over — something BlockSite's Usage Limit doesn't do; it just blocks. One tries to make the wall harder to climb. The other makes you stop wanting to climb it, with a real close-the-tab backstop if you don't.
Where Hidden Value is the better choice
- You want the pull itself to weaken, not just a wall to sit behind. Hidden Value's angle is making cheap dopamine stop feeling worth chasing in the first place — when every scroll shows its real cost, the craving loses its grip instead of waiting out a block.
- You want a real time-limit option, not just a hard wall. Auto Close gives distracting sites a time budget and closes the tab itself when you're over — BlockSite's Usage Limit blocks access but never closes anything for you.
- You bill by the hour and want to see the actual time wasted. A real dollar figure — your Hidden Cost — hits differently than a blocked-site message. Curious what your number is? Run it through the screen time cost calculator.
- You don't want a subscription just to block a handful of sites. Hidden Value's core blocking is free; BlockSite's free tier is capped tight enough that most people end up paying. More on the layered approach in our guide to blocking distracting websites during deep work.
Where BlockSite is the better choice
- You need one blocklist synced to your phone today. BlockSite covers iOS, Android, and multiple desktop browsers from one account; Hidden Value is Chrome-only right now, with an iPhone app coming soon.
- You like Pomodoro-style work sprints. Focus Mode pairs scheduled blocks with timed work/break intervals in one place, which Hidden Value doesn't build in.
Can you use both?
Yes, though most people who try Hidden Value in Chrome stop feeling like they need to. If your phone is where the real damage happens, BlockSite can cover that device until Hidden Value's iPhone app ships, while Hidden Value handles Chrome with Always Block, Auto Close, and cost visibility built in.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hidden Value or BlockSite better?
For distraction on your work computer, Hidden Value — it blocks the sites you choose with Always Block, and if a time limit is a better fit than a hard wall, Auto Close closes the tab for you automatically, all while showing the real dollar cost of every minute. BlockSite is a reasonable choice if you specifically need one blocklist synced across your phone and every browser you use, and don't mind a subscription. Chrome Web Store reviewers rate BlockSite well overall (4.5 stars across 32,000+ ratings), but Trustpilot reviews skew far more negative, with recurring complaints about billing and aggressive upgrade prompts — worth knowing before you subscribe.
Is BlockSite worth paying for?
It depends what you need. BlockSite's free tier blocks only a handful of sites before pushing you to upgrade, and Premium is a recurring subscription. If you genuinely need one blocklist synced across a phone, tablet, and multiple browsers, that cross-device reach is real and Premium unlocks it. If you only need to block distractions in Chrome on a work computer, Hidden Value does that for free without the multi-device subscription.
What is a good BlockSite alternative for Chrome?
Hidden Value is a strong BlockSite alternative for Chrome. It blocks the same way — pick a site, turn on Always Block, it's off limits — plus Auto Close for time-limited sites and friction screens for anything in between. On top of the block, it shows the real dollar cost of every minute at your hourly rate, which BlockSite doesn't do at all.
Can I use both Hidden Value and BlockSite?
Yes, though most people don't need to once they try Hidden Value in Chrome — BlockSite's main edge is syncing one blocklist to your phone, which Hidden Value doesn't do yet (an iPhone app is coming soon). Until then, BlockSite can cover your phone while Hidden Value handles Chrome with cost visibility built in.
See what distraction costs you on desktop
Hidden Value blocks the sites stealing your time in Chrome and reframes what's left as the dollars and hours you're not getting back.
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