YouTube blocker
Block YouTube, then earn it back with work.
Onus is a browser extension that seals YouTube until you've worked for it. Time on your work sites fills a bank, and the bank pays for YouTube: every 25 minutes of work buys 10 minutes back.
Why not just block it?
A blocker that says no all day gets switched off by the afternoon. Onus says "not yet" instead. You still get YouTube, you just get it after the work, and the bank shows exactly how much you've earned.
How it works
- Seal YouTube, and any other site that pulls you away, like Reddit, X or Instagram.
- Pick your work sites, like Google Docs, GitHub or your course pages. Active time there fills the bank.
- Spend from the bank. Open YouTube and Onus offers 5, 10 or 15 minutes from it. When the time runs out, the seal comes back.
The bank holds up to 2 hours and resets at midnight. Five emergency minutes a day never touch it.
Plain YouTube, even when it's open
Whenever Onus lets YouTube through, it shows only the search bar, the results and the video you opened. The home feed, Shorts, suggestions, comments and autoplay stay hidden, so a 10-minute video doesn't turn into an hour.
Hard to get around
- Unsealing a site takes a 10-minute wait, so a sudden urge passes before the change does.
- Strictness levels, a lock, sealed hours, and a partner who gets an email if you loosen the seal or remove Onus.
- Onus for Windows seals YouTube in other browsers too, and apps like Discord and Steam.
Where it works
Chrome and Edge on any computer, including Mac, Linux and Chromebooks, and Onus for Windows. Not on phones yet. Your site lists, bank and browsing stay in your browser (see the privacy policy).
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