Introducing StartSmall — A Pomodoro Timer That Also Blocks Distracting Sites
StartSmall is a free browser extension that combines a fully customizable Pomodoro timer with built-in site blocking — so you can time your focus sessions and cut off distractions in the same place.
Introducing StartSmall — A Pomodoro Timer That Also Blocks Distracting Sites
We're excited to launch StartSmall, the latest extension in the UnifyBrowse suite.
The Problem
You open a tab to work. Forty minutes later you've read three articles, scrolled Twitter, and checked your email twice. The Pomodoro technique is a proven fix — but most timer apps live outside the browser where the distractions actually are.
Worse, a timer without blocking is just a clock you can ignore.
The Solution
StartSmall puts a Pomodoro timer and a site blocker together in one extension. Start a focus session and your blocked sites go dark. Break time starts, they come back. You don't have to think about it.
✨ Key Features
- Pomodoro timer — Classic 25-minute focus / 5-minute short break / 15-minute long break cycle, all fully adjustable.
- Site blocker — Add any domain to your block list. Block it always, or only during active focus sessions.
- Session progress dots — Visual indicator shows how many Pomodoros you've completed toward your next long break.
- Auto-start — Enable auto-start for breaks and/or focus sessions to keep your rhythm without touching the extension.
- Desktop notifications — Get a notification the moment each session ends, even with the popup closed.
- Skip & reset — Jump ahead to the next session or restart the current one at any time.
🔒 Privacy First
StartSmall stores your settings and blocked site list locally in your browser using chrome.storage.local. Nothing is uploaded, no account is needed, and no page content or browsing history is ever read or transmitted. The site blocker works by applying URL matching rules — it blocks requests, it doesn't log them.
🚀 Get Started
- Install StartSmall from the Chrome Web Store
- Click the extension icon to open the timer
- Hit Start to begin your first focus session
- Switch to the Block tab and add any sites that pull you away
- Let the sessions run — StartSmall handles the rest
That's it. One focus session at a time.
StartSmall is free. Part of the UnifyBrowse suite — each tool solving one problem, cleanly.