Comparison

Silo vs Bear Focus Timer

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

Head to head
About

Silo

This app provides a distraction-free Pomodoro timer specifically designed for Apple Watch. It uses subtle haptic feedback to guide focus and break sessions, helping users stay on track without auditory alerts. Ideal for quiet environments, it supports task management and progress tracking.

Highlights
  • Apple Watch native design
  • Discreet haptic alerts
  • Focus and break cycles
  • Adjustable timer intervals
  • Distraction-free operation
  • Task management and reminders (Pro)
  • Focus stats tracking (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Silo is a Pomodoro-style focus timer built for Apple Watch and iPhone. It uses subtle wrist haptics to guide focus and break sessions without loud alerts, distracting notifications, or constant phone checking. Perfect for students, people with ADHD, deep-work professionals, and anyone who wants a calmer way to stay on track. Silo is especially powerful on Apple Watch: a tap on your wrist tells you when to focus, when to take a break, and when to return. It’s ideal for libraries, offices, meetings, and anywhere silence matters. “To add something to your daily life without intrusion or complication—that’s what the Apple Watch is about, and this app does a great job of that.” — Apple WatchCast Podcast FEATURES • Apple Watch-first focus timer • Pomodoro-style focus and break sessions • Gentle haptic alerts on your wrist • Adjustable timer intervals on Apple Watch and iPhone • Pause and resume anytime • Quiet, distraction-free design • Great for silent environments • Works great with Airplane Mode SILO PRO • Apple Watch Complications • Plan your day with tasks and reminders • Assign tasks to focus sessions • Mark tasks complete • Custom focus presets • Track daily and weekly focus stats • iCloud sync for tasks and stats Support: support@silofocus.com Terms: silofocus.com/terms Privacy: silofocus.com/privacy

About

Bear Focus Timer

This app helps you stay focused by using a unique face-down timer. It incorporates forest-style white noise to enhance concentration and rewards you with praise cards upon completion of focus sessions. Customize your work and break times for optimal productivity.

Highlights
  • Face-down focus mode
  • Pomodoro focus and break cycles
  • White noise sounds
  • Customizable durations
  • Praise cards
  • Apple Watch support
Features
Read full description

Turn your phone over. Leave the screen behind. Focus with Tom. Bear Focus Timer is a simple Pomodoro timer for work, study, reading, writing, and everyday tasks. Choose a session, place your iPhone face down, and let Tom the bear keep you company while the timer runs. When focus time ends, take a break and receive an illustrated praise card. FLIP TO FOCUS • Choose your focus time and place your iPhone face down to begin • Keep the screen out of sight while you work or study • Build a small physical ritual around starting a focused session CUSTOM POMODORO CYCLES • Alternate focus sessions with breaks • Adjust focus and break durations • Choose a rhythm that fits the task in front of you FOREST-STYLE WHITE NOISE Add an optional nature-inspired background sound to your session. The calm audio and hand-drawn black-and-white design create a simple setting for time spent on one task. TOM AND PRAISE CARDS Tom is friendly, but he notices when it is time to concentrate. Complete a session to receive an illustrated praise card, then save a favorite card to Photos. Praise cards are available in English, Korean, and Japanese. APPLE WATCH SUPPORT Use the Apple Watch version when you want focus and break timing on your wrist. Available alerts and session behavior can vary according to your device and operating system settings. USE IT FOR • Study sessions and exam preparation • Reading, writing, and creative work • Work sprints and personal projects • Chores or any task that benefits from a defined focus period and break Bear Focus Timer keeps the experience straightforward: set your time, turn the phone over, focus, and take a break with Tom. Support: BearFocusTimer@gmail.com

Screenshots

Silo4 screens
Bear Focus Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bear Focus Timer at 4.3 against Silo's 3.4. Bear Focus Timer also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (70% vs 38%). Silo's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $2.99) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On update cadence, ads and device support 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

Silo costs $1.99 and Bear Focus Timer $2.99 up front. Silo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Bear Focus Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bear Focus Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bear Focus Timer has 155 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Silo's written reviews are positive against 70% of Bear Focus Timer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Silo ships an update every 3 weeks, Bear Focus Timer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Silo versus Bear Focus Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSiloBear Focus Timer
Price$1.99 — better$2.99
Rating3.4 (10 ratings)4.3 (155 ratings) — better
Positive reviews37.7% of reviews70.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings10155 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple WatchiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB119 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRainbox StudioEUIHYUNG JUNG

Customer experience

Silo

All ratings10 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative30.0%
Written reviews77 reviews
Positive37.7%
Neutral18.2%
Negative44.2%

Bear Focus Timer

All ratings155 ratings
Positive83.2%
Neutral5.8%
Negative11.0%
Written reviews407 reviews
Positive70.3%
Neutral13.8%
Negative16.0%

Bugs and requests

Silo

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Bear Focus Timer

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Timer not starting reliably when phone is flipped
  • Settings menu not functioning properly after updates
  • Compatibility issues on certain devices/iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Option to start/stop timer without flipping phone
  • Ability to customize white noise/background sounds
  • Sync and history tracking across devices
  • Notifications/alerts for break time ending
  • Detailed usage statistics and progress tracking

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Silo

Subscriptions1
  • SILO Pro7 Days trial$1.991 Month
One-time1
  • Unlock Pro Features$2.99
None

Bear Focus Timer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Silo free?
Silo costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Bear Focus Timer free?
Bear Focus Timer costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Silo or Bear Focus Timer?
Bear Focus Timer is rated higher. Silo averages 3.4 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Bear Focus Timer averages 4.3 from 155 ratings.
Do Silo or Bear Focus Timer have ads?
Neither Silo nor Bear Focus Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Silo or Bear Focus Timer?
Silo ships an update every 3 weeks, and Bear Focus Timer fortnightly. Most recently, Silo was updated on September 28, 2026 and Bear Focus Timer on September 30, 2026.

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