# Emphasis: Flow & Focus Timer — ADHD-friendly Pomodoro Timer

> Focus timer app for deep work, productivity, and ADHD support. (iPhone/iPad app by Aleksandr Fiodorov.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emphasis-flow-and-focus-timer/id733300214 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Aleksandr Fiodorov](https://appshunter.io/developer/571378481)
- Category: Productivity, Education
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 1,058 App Store ratings · 1,107 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 73 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2014-01-28
- Data updated: 2026-08-26
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emphasis-flow-and-focus-timer/id733300214/reviews.md

## What is Emphasis?

You sit down to work. 40 seconds later, your hand is already reaching for your phone. Familiar?

You’re not lazy. Modern life is engineered for distraction, and trying to force yourself to focus through sheer willpower simply doesn't work. 

Emphasis doesn’t force you to fight your own brain. One tap, a gentle ambient sound, a steady rhythm—and you’re already in a session. Ended a focus block after 12 minutes instead of 25? That’s 12 minutes of deep work you didn't have before. In Emphasis, every minute counts. 

4.7 · 20,000+ reviews · Lightweight at just 75 MB

Whether you’re navigating an ADHD brain, tackling a heavy study load, or trying to find clarity in a chaotic work week, Emphasis is a sanctuary from the digital noise. We took the science of the Pomodoro technique and turned it into a gentle, intentional rhythm that respects your natural energy levels. 

DESIGNED FOR YOUR FLOW STATE:

*  Immersive Sonic Spaces: Silence background distractions with curated ambient soundscapes. From subtle rhythmic pulses to meditative nature tones, create an environment where getting started feels effortless.
*  The Focus-O-Meter: Awareness is the first step to change. Select the apps that pull you away from your work and watch your Focus-O-Meter rise as you choose presence over the scroll. It’s not about restriction—it’s about reclaiming the time that belongs to you.
*  Tailored Focus Blueprints: No two brains work the same. Our onboarding learns your workflow needs from the start, letting you fully customize your session lengths and restorative breaks to prevent burnout before it begins.
*  Progress, Not Perfection: Focus is a practice, not a destination. Use beautiful, minimalist progress charts and calendar stats to recognize your personal patterns of success and celebrate your consistency.
*  Apple Ecosystem Sync: Your focus journey shouldn't be tied to one desk. Emphasis syncs seamlessly across your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch to keep your rhythm steady wherever you go.

At just 75 MB, Emphasis won’t bloat your device, but it will help clear your mind. 
Join thousands of us who are choosing a kinder, more intentional way to live and work. Download Emphasis today and let’s find your rhythm together.

https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

## Key features

- Customizable focus intervals
- Ambient background sounds
- Focus-O-Meter for distraction tracking
- Personalized progress statistics
- Cloud sync across devices
- Highly customizable sessions

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Emphasis Premium Subscription | $3.49 | per month |
| Emphasis Premium Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Emphasis Premium Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Feature (Yearly Promo) | $12.99 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime premium | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime premium | $59.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Emphasis?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Minimalistic and simple design
- 👍 Customizable timer settings
- 💡 Helpful for productivity and focus
- 🚀 Sleek and intuitive interface
- 👍 Visually appealing countdown timer
- 👍 Useful for students and professionals

**Cons**

- 🔒 Subscription model required for full features
- 🐛 Sync and login issues
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes after updates
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications and alerts

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Timer not working correctly after breaks
- Task lists not saving properly
- App crashing on launch for some users
- Sync issues causing data loss

**Most requested features**

- Ability to track individual tasks and time spent
- Landscape mode support
- Apple Watch app integration
- More color theme options
- Improved statistics and progress tracking

## Recent user reviews (10 of 1,107)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emphasis-flow-and-focus-timer/id733300214/reviews.md

### 1/5 — theres a bug

*2026-06-17, version 10.6.0*

The app appears to have a localization/UI bug: instead of displaying proper labels and questions, it shows raw internal translation keys (e.g. “onboarding_v2.questions.focusAreas.question”), making the onboarding process unusable. Because of this issue, I’m unable to complete the setup or use the app properly.

### 3/5 — Getting worse with every update

*2026-03-24, version 10.5.0*

First - the single tap was broken. And it took some time to find out that it can be changed back in the settings. Why don’t leave it as it is and just add a new setting for a new feature such as long press? Why break user experience.
Second - some “cheering” (but I would rather say annoying) notifications were added. And it’s not even possible to disable them.

### 4/5 — need more improvement

*2026-03-08, version 9.2.1*

love the simplicity of the app but have a small request: may we allow longer timeline for the study hours history section on the left? I can only access my history of study hours within 2 months but I also want to check my study hours happened a year ago. Shamely it cannot be shown....

### 5/5 — Problem After last update

*2026-02-07, version 10.2.0*

It stopped auto starts for breaks and focus session, even though u keep this on in settings.

### 5/5 — Great tool from a great app

*2026-02-05, version 10.2.0*

I really want to express how helpful this app has been to let me focus. I wouldn’t have imagined that tracking my focus and the time i invested in things, could relived my anxiety and make me more comfortable, aware and confident in my abilities and effort.
Im truly greatfull for thi amazing app and also for the wonderful designe, which my seem irrelevant for the functionality of the app, but it makes it more smooth and enjoyable to use.

### 4/5 — Love it

*2026-01-20, version 10.0.1*

But please fix iOS app, it still has lot of bugs that weren’t there before

### 4/5 — Unable to mute and its under paywall

*2026-01-16, version 10.0.1*

Was very good but now with this mandatory sound can’t go ahead. Sorry to leave this wonderful app. Now to mute Is under Pay wall.

### 5/5 — I have updated but there is the bug still alive

*2026-01-15, version 10.0.1*

Idk why but it works good in ipad, but in iphone, the bug is not fixed. Still it shuts down when i open the settings menu, and all of the texts are come out like “calendar.weekdays.full.blahblah~”. And this bugs is annoying me almost a week. I have reinstalled it multiple times and even i have tried to downgraded the ios from 26.3(dev version) to 26.2. But it still remains. Please fix it. This is my fav app. Due to this bug, i can’t focus on my study well.

### 2/5 — What’s happened to Emphasis?

*2026-01-05, version 10.0.0*

I’ve paid for the Emphasis app since late 2023. I dearly wish I could continue using it as I loved its simplicity, but it’s become oddly prescriptive and less customisable. Such a pity. I don’t want soundscapes playing, but apparently they can’t be turned off.  It’s no longer possible to insert time of day periods. The app now feels rigid and programmed according to a single user’s preference.

### 3/5 — Do not like the latest design

*2025-12-29, version 10.0.0*

The design is getting more and more unclear… it’s becoming very hard to visualise how many hours you spent on doing certain work in certain weeks or months and you cannot see month on month easily… and if you want to see what you did in previous month, you have to click 5 times more than before to locate the study hours…. Also I don’t seem to find any way to tailor the colour or sounds of the profile . I have used this app for more than 2 years and its design is getting worse and worse. I regret paying for the membership.

## Frequently asked questions about Emphasis

### What does Emphasis do?

Emphasis is a focus timer app designed to help users achieve deep work by providing customizable focus intervals and ambient soundscapes. It aims to create a sanctuary from distractions, helping users stay present and connected to their work.

### What are the key features of Emphasis?

Key features include customizable focus and break intervals, ambient background sounds to create a flow state, a Focus-O-Meter to track distractions, personalized progress statistics, cloud sync across iPhone and iPad, and highly customizable session lengths.

### How much does Emphasis cost?

The app is free to download and use, but it offers in-app purchases for additional features or content. Specific pricing for in-app purchases is not detailed in the provided description.

### What devices is Emphasis compatible with?

Emphasis is compatible with iPhone and iPad devices. It offers cloud sync, allowing your focus journey to continue seamlessly across these Apple devices.

### Who would benefit from using Emphasis?

Emphasis is beneficial for students, creators, professionals, and individuals navigating an ADHD brain who struggle with distractions. It helps users build a healthier relationship with their to-do list and break procrastination cycles.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 10.6.1 — 2026-07-06

A few behind-the-scenes tweaks to keep things running smoothly

### 10.6.0 — 2026-05-05

We’ve polished the experience from the ground up, featuring a redesigned onboarding flow and smoother navigation throughout the app.

### 10.5.2 — 2026-04-09

Enjoy a dramatically faster start! The app now launches in a flash!!

### 10.5.1 — 2026-04-08

I've made thoughtful improvements throughout the app to elevate your experience. Enjoy smoother interactions, clearer navigation and a more polished look.

### 10.5.0 — 2026-03-20

NEW FEATURE: The Focus-O-Meter
To get started with Focus-O-Meter, choose the apps on your device that you consider time‑wasting. Time spent in the apps you select is used to calculate your focus level, so the less you use them, the higher your Focus‑O‑Meter will be.
Get more out of Focus‑O‑Meter by adding the widget to your Home Screen, so your focus is always within reach.

## Apps similar to Emphasis

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Flow: Focus & Pomodoro Timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-focus-and-pomodoro-timer/id1423210932) | 4.8 (1,740) | Free | Productivity |
| [Focus Traveller - Flow Timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-traveller-flow-timer/id1559730367) | 4.9 (3,882) | Free | Productivity |
| [Flipd: focus & study timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flipd-focus-and-study-timer/id1071708905) | 4.5 (6,948) | Free | Productivity |
| [Focus To-Do: Focus Timer&Tasks](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-to-do-focus-timer-and-tasks/id966057213) | 4.8 (14,555) | Free | Productivity |
| [Be Focused – Deep Focus Timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/be-focused-deep-focus-timer/id973130201) | 4.7 (4,318) | Free | Productivity |
| [Focus Keeper - Pomodoro Timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-keeper-pomodoro-timer/id867374917) | 4.8 (31,537) | Free | Productivity |

## More apps by Aleksandr Fiodorov

- [HighNotes](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highnotes/id1249114868)
- [Emphasis: Kanban Made Simple](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emphasis-kanban-made-simple/id6737130715)
- [Personal AI Fashion: Capsula](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/personal-ai-fashion-capsula/id6739749124)
- [Emphasis: Sonic Spaces](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emphasis-sonic-spaces/id6762841982)

All apps by Aleksandr Fiodorov: https://appshunter.io/developer/571378481

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[emphasis](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/emphasis) · [adhd focus timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/adhd-focus-timer) · [Flow Focus](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/flow-focus) · [ufuk cetinkaya](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ufuk-cetinkaya) · [xmoment building focus to flow](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/xmoment-building-focus-to-flow) · [awesome pomodoro simple timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/awesome-pomodoro-simple-timer) · [scsd focus](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/scsd-focus)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*