# Pond - Screen Time & Pomodoro — App Blocker & Website Control

> Mindful app blocker and screen time tracker for digital wellbeing. (iPhone/iPad app by PIXO Incorporation.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pond-screen-time-and-pomodoro/id830466924 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [PIXO Incorporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/541568418)
- Category: Productivity, Utilities
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 844 App Store ratings · 346 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.0 · 350 MB
- Languages: American English, Arabic, French (France), German (Germany), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Chinese (Simplified, China) and 2 more
- Released: 2014-04-08
- Data updated: 2026-08-24
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pond-screen-time-and-pomodoro/id830466924/reviews.md

## What is Pond?

Pond - Your Digital Sanctuary

A mindful app blocker for screen time balance and digital wellbeing

You already know the feeling. Another evening lost to scrolling. Reaching for your phone during dinner. The exhaustion of being always on.

Your phone promised connection. Instead, it scattered your attention into a thousand pieces.

Pond is different.

A gentle app blocker and screen time tracker that helps you reclaim your time. Not through guilt or gamification, but through quiet intention and mindful awareness.


Three Things That Matter:

Daily Balance Score
One number that shows the quality of your digital day. Are you creating or consuming? Connecting or scrolling? Resting or stimulating? Not to judge—to help you notice. Track your digital wellbeing and build healthier phone habits.

Mindful Blocking
Set focus sessions for work, meditation, meals, or sleep. Block distracting apps and social media automatically. Your scattered attention becomes whole again. Just you and what you chose to do.

Your Lotus Garden
Each moment of presence blooms a lotus in your pond. Not points or streaks—just quiet beauty that grows with your practice. A visual reminder of time well spent and focus reclaimed.


What You Can Do:

• Block distracting apps during focus time
• Set daily limits on social media and screen time
• Schedule recurring sessions (work, sleep, meals, study)
• Track your balance and phone usage without judgment
• Take mindful breaks with breathing prompts
• See weekly patterns in your digital life


This Isn't Another Productivity App

Pond won't buzz you to work harder. Won't shame you for a bad day. Won't turn presence into competition.

Just a quiet space. A gentle reminder. A place to return to stillness.

Perfect for those seeking digital detox, building healthier phone habits, improving focus, or simply using their phone more intentionally.

Pond — a calmer way to use your phone.


Your Privacy Matters

Everything stays on your device. No tracking. No social comparison. No data collection.


Terms & Conditions
https://go.pixo.co/pond-terms

## Key features

- Mindful app blocking
- Screen time tracking
- Daily balance score
- Scheduled focus sessions
- Lotus garden visualizer
- Breathing prompts

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pond Plus 1 Year | $49.99 | per year |
| Pond Plus 1 Month | $7.99 | per month |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pond Plus Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Pond?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Simple and effective
- 👍 Customizable
- 🚀 No in-app purchases
- 👍 Minimalist design
- 👍 Helpful for focus and productivity
- 👍 Great for studying and writing
- 👍 Excellent Pomodoro timer

**Cons**

- 🐛 Timer stops when app is in background
- 🐛 Bugs with color selection and settings
- 🔋 Battery drain
- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🔒 Developer stored unrelated app data in user's iCloud

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Timer inaccuracies
- Interface issues on Mac
- Inability to share audio with other apps
- Unreliable auto-reset functionality
- Subscription issues

**Most requested features**

- Auto-reset option
- Ability to assign tasks to Pomodoros
- Project/focus area tracking
- Cross-device sync
- Apple Watch support
- Ability to skip long breaks
- Playlist support for sounds

## Recent user reviews (10 of 346)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pond-screen-time-and-pomodoro/id830466924/reviews.md

### 2/5 — 无法恢复购买

*2026-07-27*

如题无法恢复我的终身会员

### 1/5 — Down the drain

*2026-06-24, version 2.0.8*

Once great app for simple time keeping and focus now turned into an overreaching subscription based bs. The dev team can pound sand.

### 1/5 — What the heck?

*2026-05-28, version 2.0.6*

Like others, I was surprised to see a once-great timer app completely change into something else with no warning. Originally it was the Focus Keeper app, and now it’s a garbage app that wants your data.

### 2/5 — Nice idea but very buggy

*2026-05-20, version 2.0.6*

I like the idea of this app and the features, but it would be nice if it worked a bit better.

The active notifications banner stays wide so I can’t see the clock or battery indicator whenever a block period is going.

The block scheduling also just doesn’t work reliably. I just had to play with the settings on a block to get the app to notice that it was scheduled and actually activate it.

It’s also weird to market a nice simple, bug-free pomodoro timer app (which attracted lots of appropriately great reviews) and then suddenly replace it on everyone’s devices with this really heavy, kind of invasive app with paid features. I actually like what “Pond” is going for but… kinda skeevy tbh.

And buggy.

### 1/5 — App changed fundamentally

*2026-05-17, version 2.0.6*

This used to be a pomodoro timer and is now a spyware app (asked for screen time access?!?!).

### 4/5 — It Works

*2026-05-15, version 2.0.6*

my apps are blocked regularly, i like the haikus and pop culture etc “do something else!” pop ups on blocked apps

the focus timer still works lovely, i’ve been a fan for a while. i actually got the focus timer because it didn’t list “in-app purchases”. adding the subscription when focus timer updated to pond was almost a deal breaker but i gave the free version a shot. it’s not perfect, but it gets the job done. i’ve been looking for an app like this for a while so im pleasantly surprised :)

you can create and select block/allow lists when starting a focus session which is great! but i’m not sure how to access the lists otherwise 

screen time section says to go to settings to exclude apps from screen time (i’d like to remove my tv remote app), but neither Pond settings nor ios settings allow me the option?

sometimes, unblocking or taking breaks is buggy. also sometimes buggy when the app is not open in the background, but it mostly fixes when you open the app

for the most part, im happy with this app. i’ve started painting and sewing again, and i feel more fulfilled in how im using my time <3

### 1/5 — What did you do

*2026-05-13, version 2.0.6*

This used to be a simple, nonintrusive timer. Now it requires additional access. I don’t need all these stupid bells and whistles - I just want my pomodoro timer

### 1/5 — Pourquoi ?

*2026-05-13*

Pourquoi exploser une application qui fonctionnait très bien en en faisant une usine à gaz ?
Si vous vouliez faire faire une appli de maîtrise du temps d’écran, OK, mais pourquoi ne pas en faire une nouvelle plutôt que de prendre une appli qui n’a rien à voir, et d’en exploser la SEULE fonctionnalité qu’elle avait au passage ?
Maintenant le compteur pomodoro s’arrête sans raison, changer le son de ticking ne marche plus, mais félicitations : vous avez mis de superbes images… et des fois que ce soit trop subtil pour des gens manquant de sens commun, oui, la dernière remarque est sarcastique.

### 1/5 — Perfectly good app updated and ruined

*2026-05-08, version 2.0.6*

Liked this app, focus keeper just fine. Updating and changing the name and nature of it, including asking for new permissions is a great way to get me to instantly uninstall. Launch a new app if you must, don't 'fix' what isn't broken

### 1/5 — App completely changed

*2026-05-08, version 2.0.6*

A week ago this was a perfectly good Pomodoro timer app, but the developer has changed it into a screen-time management app that I did not consent to downloading. Deleting and getting a new pomodoro timer

## Frequently asked questions about Pond

### What does Pond do?

Pond is a mindful app blocker and screen time tracker designed to help users balance their digital lives and improve focus. It allows you to block distracting apps during designated focus sessions and tracks your overall digital balance without judgment.

### What are the key features of Pond?

Key features include a Daily Balance Score to assess your digital day quality, Mindful Blocking to set focus sessions and block distracting apps, and a Lotus Garden visualizer that grows with your focused time. It also offers scheduled recurring sessions and breathing prompts for mindful breaks.

### How does Pond handle pricing and cost?

The application is available for free with in-app purchases. This suggests that while core functionalities may be accessible without cost, certain advanced features or customization options might require a purchase.

### What is the main purpose of the Lotus Garden feature?

The Lotus Garden is a unique visual representation of your focused time. Each moment of presence and focus blooms a lotus in your digital pond. It serves as a quiet, beautiful reminder of time well spent and focus reclaimed, encouraging mindful practice.

### Who is Pond best suited for?

Pond is ideal for individuals looking for a digital detox, aiming to build healthier phone habits, improve their concentration, or simply use their phone more intentionally. It's designed for those who want a calmer, more mindful approach to their digital interactions.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.0.8 — 2026-06-15

• Bug fixes and performance improvements

### 2.0.7 — 2026-06-09

Welcome to Pond — your calm space for daily balance.

New Features:
• Screen-time blocking to reduce distractions
• Focus sessions with custom schedules
• Daily Balance Score to measure your day and spot patterns
• Lotus Garden visualization
• UI refresh, bug fixes, and performance improvements

### 2.0.6 — 2026-03-27

Welcome to Pond — your calm space for daily balance.

New Features:
• Screen-time blocking to reduce distractions
• Focus sessions with custom schedules
• Daily Balance Score to measure your day and spot patterns
• Lotus Garden visualization
• UI refresh, bug fixes, and performance improvements

### 2.0.5 — 2026-03-04

Welcome to Pond — your calm space for daily balance.

New Features:
• Screen-time blocking to reduce distractions
• Focus sessions with custom schedules
• Daily Balance Score to measure your day and spot patterns
• Lotus Garden visualization
• UI refresh, bug fixes, and performance improvements

### 2.0.4 — 2026-02-27

Welcome to Pond — your calm space for daily balance.

New Features:
• Screen-time blocking to reduce distractions
• Focus sessions with custom schedules
• Daily Balance Score to measure your day and spot patterns
• Lotus Garden visualization
• UI refresh, bug fixes, and performance improvements

## Apps similar to Pond

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Focus Keeper - Pomodoro Timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-keeper-pomodoro-timer/id867374917) | 4.8 (31,537) | 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 |
| [Structured: Daily Planner Todo](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/structured-daily-planner-todo/id1499198946) | 4.8 (164,432) | Free | Productivity |
| [Flora - Green Focus](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flora-green-focus/id1225155794) | 4.8 (82,451) | Free | Productivity |
| [Habit Tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/habit-tracker/id1438388363) | 4.8 (145,477) | Free | Productivity |
| [ATracker Time Tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atracker-time-tracker/id522008611) | 4.7 (3,174) | Free | Productivity |

## More apps by PIXO Incorporation

- [Tiny Month - Easy Calendar](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tiny-month-easy-calendar/id763303815)
- [Focus Keeper - Pomodoro Timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-keeper-pomodoro-timer/id867374917)
- [VICO: AI Video Generator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vico-ai-video-generator/id956162595)
- [Shift Day Work Calendar: Spoke](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shift-day-work-calendar-spoke/id1016565262)
- [Baby Story: Pregnancy Pictures](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/baby-story-pregnancy-pictures/id1068110571)

All apps by PIXO Incorporation: https://appshunter.io/developer/541568418

## Related topics

[pixo incorporation](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/pixo-incorporation) · [social limits](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/social-limits) · [pond](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/pond) · [focus keeper](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/focus-keeper)

---

*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 2026-08-24.*