Bonk
How to block all websites except a few
Free, takes two minutes · Updated
The internet has more distractions than you could ever list. Blocking them one at a time is a game you lose, because there's always another site. So flip it: list the few sites you need, and block everything else.
Bonk calls this allow-list mode. It's free, it needs no account, and it works well for deep work, exams and getting a focused day out of a distractible one.
Block everything except your sites in four steps
- Add Bonk to Chrome from the Chrome Web Store.
- Click the Bonk icon in Chrome's toolbar, open Categories and YouTube, and click More blocking options. This opens a page in a new tab.
- Under Allow-list mode, type the sites you need, like docs.google.com or github.com, and click Allow.
- Switch on Allow-list mode at the top of that section.
Every site that isn't on your list is now blocked, and Bonk's status line says how many sites are allowed. Allowing a site includes its subdomains, so allowing google.com covers docs.google.com too.
Don't forget search and login pages
Allow-list mode blocks everything, including the things you use without thinking. If you search the web, allow your search engine. If a site sends you somewhere else to log in, like a single sign-on page, allow that address too, or the login will fail.
When allow-list mode is on
It follows the rest of your blocking. It applies while Bonk is switched on and, if you use schedules, only during a schedule. It applies during a Pomodoro focus session and in hard mode, and it relaxes during a Pomodoro break. Pairing it with a schedule gives you an evening where only your study sites work, which is the setup in how to block distracting websites while studying.
Your block list still applies
If a site is on both lists, it stays blocked. Exceptions don't get past the allow list either, so to open a site you need to allow it. This keeps the mode strict, so a weak moment can't talk its way around it.
Turn it off
Switch Allow-list mode off in the same place, or from Bonk's Settings tab. If you've turned on the turn-off challenge, you'll type a sentence first, and during hard mode the switch is locked. See how to block a website so you can't unblock it.
Questions
How many sites can I allow for free?
Ten. Bonk Pro removes that limit. A list you've already built is never cut down.
Can I still search Google?
Only if you allow it. In allow-list mode every site that isn't on your list is blocked, including search engines, so add the one you use.
Does allowing a site include its subdomains?
Yes. Allowing a site includes everything under it, such as allowing google.com for docs.google.com.
Why can't I switch allow-list mode on?
The switch stays off until you've added at least one site, because an empty list would block everything. It's also locked while hard mode or a strict schedule is running.
Is allow-list mode a Pro feature?
No. It's free, with up to 10 allowed sites. Pro lifts the limit.