Review: Covenant Eyes Porn Blocker and Accountability Software4 min read

I have been testing a couple of different porn blocking solutions over the years. I wanted a solution that is easy to install and reliably blocks porn sites on my computer and my mobile devices. Covenant Eyes does all that and adds an additional but very powerful accountability feature.

PORN BLOCKER

Hands down, Covenant Eyes has the best porn blocker on the market. It just does what it’s supposed to do without having to configure anything, really. It blocks all known porn sites by default and activates Safe Search on all search engines, including YouTube. Search engines have certainly been a vulnerability for me in the past.

Additionally, it adds a feature to block or whitelist specific websites. This option was especially important to me. On the one hand, some queer blogs I am regularly reading are on their default block list. I could simply add the URL and access them nonetheless. On the other hand, some websites such as Twitter and Reddit or online dating sites that I have identified as triggering are not on their default block list.

The blocking and safe search features alone would make Covenant Eyes the go-to solution for me, but there is more…

ACCOUNTABILITY

Covenant Eyes is, first and foremost, a powerful accountability software. In my experience, accountability is critical in recovery because any form of addiction creates and feeds off shame and isolation. Being open and honest with a person you trust can make a huge difference but might be tricky. A relapse can induce shame that subsequently prevents you from reaching out to your accountability partner, sending you another round in the shame-addiction cycle. This is where Covenant Eyes comes in.

Covenant Eyes monitors both your internet connection and your screen for sexual imagery and sends a regular report to your accountability partner. The accountability report includes a list of blocked URLs you tried to access and blurred screenshots that have been identified to contain pornographic imagery. This then allows you to be truly accountable and have an open and honest conversation with your accountability partner.

Knowing that your accountability partner will get these information might be another important aspect that could prevent you from relapsing. It certainly worked wonders for me. If you want to see what an accountability report looks like, check out the Screen Accountability Report Basics here.

I was a bit cautious at first when I heard that Covenant Eyes wants to take a screenshot of my devices every minute. According to Covenant Eyes, the screenshot gets analyzed, shrunk, and blurred on your device. Then, the blurred image gets transmitted to their 256-bit encrypted server using HTTPS. The images are stored for 30 days on their server before they get irretrievably deleted. To learn more, check out their screen accountability technology FAQ.

CONCLUSION

Covenant Eyes is the best porn blocker I have tested. The additional accountability feature makes it an essential tool in quitting porn for me. 16$ per month might sound a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. It’s easy to install, works on all devices including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, and customer support was quick and friendly whenever I encountered a problem or had a question.

One of the cons for me is that you can’t use the blocker without the accountability feature. Still, since I consider the accountability feature very helpful, it’s more of a technicality. What was a little off-putting for me at first was that the company has a religious background, and their resources (e.g., newsletter and blog) feature much religious content for Christians. But this is only additional content and does not interfere with the use of the software.

Also, I do like their marketing:

If you are ready to make Covenant Eyes an essential part of your recovery, make sure to check out my tutorial How to Block Porn On All Your Devices With Covenant Eyes. I’ll guide you through installing Covenant Eyes properly and avoid the loopholes and pitfalls I had to discover the hard way.

In the end, a porn blocker can always only be just one piece in overcoming porn addiction. Find out more in The Ultimate Guide On How to Stop Watching Porn.

Let me know if this review was helpful or share your experience with Covenant Eyes in the comments.