Buy Blocker icon

Buy Blocker

Buy Blocker is a free Chrome extension that pauses online shopping before checkout so users can decide whether a purchase is intentional. It also supports whitelists, custom keywords, and save-for-later reminders.

Buy Blocker

Overview

Buy Blocker is a Chrome extension that adds a pause before online purchases. It watches for common shopping actions such as clicking "Buy Now" or "Add to Cart" and shows a prompt that asks whether you really want to continue.

The extension is designed to reduce impulse shopping by creating a small moment of friction. Users can continue right away, save an item for later, whitelist trusted sites, or choose a more deliberate mode such as box breathing or a simple math check.

Key features

Purchase-button detection

When you click a purchase button such as "Buy Now," "Add to Cart," or "Checkout," Buy Blocker interrupts the flow with a popup so you can decide whether to continue.

Three blocking modes

Choose a simple confirmation, a 16-second box breathing exercise, or a short math question before proceeding to checkout.

Save-for-later timer

Save items for 3 days, a week, or a month, then revisit them later from the extension instead of buying immediately.

Whitelisting and temporary disable

Add trusted sites to a whitelist, or switch the extension off temporarily when interruptions would be inconvenient.

Custom keyword rules

Use built-in purchase keywords or add and remove your own trigger words in any language from the settings tab.

Common use cases

  • Breaking impulse purchases

    Use Buy Blocker while browsing shopping sites when you want a brief pause before clicking purchase buttons and prefer to decide intentionally instead of on autopilot.

  • Avoiding interruptions on essential purchases

    Add trusted merchants like grocery or utility sites to the whitelist so routine payments and errands are not interrupted by the extension.

  • Adding friction to high-spend moments

    Switch to Box Breathing or Math Mode when a stronger pause would help you slow down before checking out.

  • Adapting rules for different sites and languages

    Customize trigger words for local shops or non-English purchase buttons so the extension can respond to the wording used on the sites you visit.

  • Deferring non-urgent purchases

    Save items for later when you are not ready to buy, then return after the chosen delay to reconsider the purchase.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Works locally on the user's computer, and the site says it does not collect shopping or personal data.
  • Offers multiple interruption styles, including a quick confirmation, breathing exercise, and math mode.
  • Lets users whitelist trusted sites and turn the extension off temporarily when needed.
  • Supports custom trigger keywords in any language.
  • Is completely free according to the site FAQ.

Cons

  • It is a Chrome extension, so it is limited to desktop use and is not supported on mobile in the site FAQ.
  • The site notes that some sites may need custom trigger words if their purchase buttons are not caught by the default rules.

FAQ

How does Buy Blocker work?

Buy Blocker detects purchase-related buttons on shopping websites and shows a popup before you continue. You can continue immediately, save the item for later, or cancel.

Will it block all my purchases?

No. It gives you a choice each time, and you can click "Continue Anyway" to proceed right away. You can also whitelist trusted sites such as grocery stores or utility companies.

What blocking modes are available?

There are three modes: Normal, Box Breathing, and Math Mode. You can switch modes anytime in the extension settings.

Can I add my own trigger keywords?

Yes. You can add your own trigger words or phrases in any language and remove default keywords you do not need.

Is Buy Blocker really free?

Yes. The extension is completely free, with no hidden costs, premium features, or subscriptions mentioned on the site.

Quick Facts

Category
Chrome extension
Platform
Desktop Chrome; Chrome extensions are not supported on mobile, except for Chromium browsers on Android
Primary use
Interrupt impulse shopping before checkout
Data storage
Stored locally on the user's computer
Source domain
buy-blocker.com