Comparison

Zone vs Focused Work

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Zone

This app helps you maintain focus and boost your productivity using a time management technique. It provides a simple interface to manage your work and break intervals effectively.

Highlights
  • Focus management
  • Efficiency improvement
  • Time management tool
  • Work interval tracking
  • Break interval tracking
Features
Read full description

Make time for focused work and restful breaks. Zone combines a simple focus timer with ambient sounds for work, study and reading. • Set your rhythm: customize work sessions, short breaks, long breaks and the number of sessions per round. • Independent ambient audio: choose rain, forest, night, campfire or airplane sounds. Listen in the background, with or without the timer. • Review your progress: view completed sessions and total focus time by day, week or month. • Optional iCloud sync: synchronize focus records through your own iCloud account. • Your language and layout: switch languages in the app and use layouts adapted for iPhone rotation and iPad windows. Choose a time. Start focusing.

About

Focused Work

This app helps users improve focus and productivity through structured timed sessions. It offers customizable timers, goal setting, and distraction blocking to build healthy work habits.

Highlights
  • Customizable focus sessions
  • Pomodoro and Flowmodoro templates
  • Distraction blocking
  • Reflection and goal tracking
  • Statistics and charts
  • Live Activities and widgets
Features
Read full description

## Featured by App Store in 150+ Countries & Regions # Hot This Week # Apps We Love Right Now # Big Apps From Small Teams # New Apps, Features, and Content ## What People Are Saying "A simple, but valuable utility for creating timed focus sessions of productivity." - MacStories "Focused Work helps you stay on track better than ever" - iMore "Focused Work makes it easy to create and manage Focused Sessions." - 9to5Mac "A tool that helps overcome that first step." - Knapsack Focused Work is a powerful timer that helps you focus and be productive. It's purpose-built for people who want to focus for long periods and struggle with this. Add structure to your day with "Focus Sessions" that encourage you to complete goals, tasks, and help you divide your time into Focus, Break, and Prepare stages. Pick from a selection of templates, including a simple timer, Pomodoro - inspired by the Pomodoro Technique, Flowmodoro - inspired by the Flowtime Technique, and other various sessions. You can also create repeatable sessions specifically tailored to your needs. Add stages, set time limits, and much more. Ultimately, Focused Work helps you be more accountable by reminding you to focus, reflect, and build healthy productivity habits by completing various daily goals. **Core Features** · A simple, powerful timer that keeps you on-task Choose what to focus on. Start the timer. Get stuff done! · Curated Basic Sessions to get started Run a Pomodoro session, Flowmodoro session, or even just a simple timer · Create Focus Sessions Tailor them to your needs with a plethora of configurable options · Reminders Be reminded to stay focused, when to take breaks, and also to start a focus session! · Reflection Track what went well for you during your focus session and what you can improve upon · Scratch Pad Jot down thoughts that come to mind during your session and return to them after · Daily Goals Completing your daily focus goals earns you a streak and helps you form healthy productivity habits · Statistics & Charts Review recent productivity across the past week, month, and year · Block Distractions Select apps and websites you want to restrict access to during a session · In-app Shortcuts Automation Automatically perform actions as you progress through your session, such as turning on Focus · Link with Toggl Track Explore advanced time tracking by linking with Toggl to create time entries, assign projects and tags · Productivity Export Export completed sessions in CSV format **iOS & iPadOS Features** Focused Work is available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with extensive support for each platform; · Live Activities Control your session from the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island · Interactive Widgets Control your session, view daily goals, and start a session from the Home Screen · Control Center Widgets Start a session or access the Scratch Pad with Control Widgets · StandBy Interact with your session while iPhone is in StandBy · Spotlight Search Quick start and interact with sessions from search · Focus Filters Filter which sessions can be viewed & started based on the active Focus · App Shortcuts & Siri Start and interact with a session via various shortcuts that can also be linked together · Picture-in-Picture Show a floating timer above other apps with Picture-in-Picture mode · Session Alerts on all devices Start a session on one device and receive update alerts on others with Focused Work installed · iCloud Syncing Sync productivity stats & created sessions between devices · Privacy Focused Your data is securely stored and managed via iCloud. No account registration. · And much more Mac Support, Share Sheet controls, App Icons, Keyboard Shortcuts, VoiceOver, Split View & Slide Over, Low Power Mode, Drag & Drop, Dark Mode, URL Schemes If you have any questions, please reach out to focusedworkapp@michaeltigas.com.au Privacy Policy: https://focusedwork.app/privacypolicy/ Terms of Use: https://focusedwork.app/terms/

Screenshots

Zone4 screens
Focused Work4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Zone at none against Focused Work's 14. Zone also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Focused Work's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 24 months) and ratings volume (605 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Focused Work sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Zone asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Zone holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Focused Work has 605 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Zone ships an update every 24 months, Focused Work weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Zone versus Focused Work: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZoneFocused Work
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.7 (605 ratings)
Positive reviews—84.9% of reviews
Number of ratings1605 — better
Update frequencyEvery 24 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB155 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer灿锋 朱Michael Tigas

Customer experience

Zone

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Focused Work

All ratings603 ratings
Positive93.2%
Neutral3.5%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews166 reviews
Positive84.9%
Neutral4.2%
Negative10.8%

Bugs and requests

Zone

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Focused Work

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login screen freezes
  • Incompatible with older devices
  • Stuck on a session: Gap time
  • Desktop doesn't sync with phone

Requested features

4 requests
  • Need iwatch app
  • Calendar integration?
  • Dark mode option
  • Advanced analytics dashboard

In-app purchases

None

Zone

No in-app purchases

14 purchases

Focused Work

Subscriptions6
  • Focused Work Pro (1 month)$2.991 Month
  • Focused Work Pro - Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Focused Work Pro (1 month)$6.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Focused Work Pro (1 year)3 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Focused Work Pro - Yearly3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Focused Work Pro (1 year)3 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time8
  • Little Tip$0.99
  • Small Tip$1.99
  • Medium Tip$4.99
Show 5 more
  • Large Tip$9.99
  • Massive Tip$19.99
  • Focused Work Pro Lifetime$59.99
  • Focused Work Pro Lifetime$89.99
  • Focused Work Pro Lifetime$119.99

Questions

Is Zone free?
Zone is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Focused Work free?
Focused Work is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Zone or Focused Work?
Zone is rated higher. Zone averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Focused Work averages 4.7 from 605 ratings.
Do Zone or Focused Work have ads?
Neither Zone nor Focused Work shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Zone or Focused Work?
Zone ships an update every 24 months, and Focused Work weekly. Most recently, Zone was updated on October 20, 2026 and Focused Work on October 22, 2026.

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