Hawser is a Windows app that reads the one task you set each morning and compares it to what you're actually doing, so a CSS Grid tutorial on YouTube passes while a Minecraft speedrun on the same site triggers a check-in. Instead of locking your screen like Cold Turkey or Freedom, it asks what pulled you away and helps you get back to the task. It's $25/month after a 14-day free trial, Windows 10/11 only with a companion web app for your phone, and offers a fully local AI mode if you don't want any screenshot leaving your machine.
What holds up
- +Understands your task, not just the site — the same URL can pass or trigger a nudge depending on your mission
- +Fully local AI mode available if you don't want any screenshot leaving your machine
- +14-day free trial, no card required, before the $25/month charge starts
Mind the limits
- −Made by one person and still in open beta, by the maker's own admission — expect rough edges
- −Windows only for the full app; the phone companion is just a web app, not a native experience
- −$25/month after the trial — pricier than a plain site blocker like Cold Turkey or Freedom
Picked here? Add the badge
Put it on your site. It links back to this page. Free for every listed product.
<a href="https://stillworks.dev/products/p/hawser/"><img src="https://stillworks.dev/badge/hawser.svg" alt="Picked by StillWorks" width="230" height="54"></a>