Focus Matrix vs Alora Planner
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Focus Matrix
Organize your tasks efficiently using a priority matrix based on urgency and importance. This app helps you focus on what truly matters by categorizing tasks and providing tools for scheduling, reminders, and detailed tracking. Sync across devices and export your lists for seamless productivity.
- Eisenhower Box priority matrix
- Task categorization and sorting
- Drag-and-drop task management
- Due dates and reminders
- Recurring tasks
- Cross-device synchronization
- Task export to PDF
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Focus Matrix is a smart personal organizer based on the so-called Eisenhower box, a personal productivity strategy created by Dwight Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States. The principle uses a special priority matrix that helps break your tasks into several groups depending on their urgency and importance, and work your way through your daily agenda in the most efficient way possible. This app will help you focus on what really matters, and get rid of the things that can be painlessly delegated to others or postponed indefinitely until you have time for them. Task Organization • Two views: Matrix and List of Sections • “Unsorted” section to hold incoming tasks until you categorize them • Move tasks between sections using drag-and-drop • Maximize sections to focus on specific content Task Scheduling and Reminders • Assign due dates to tasks • Set “All day task” for whole-day planning • Create recurring tasks with customizable repeat options • Set reminders to never miss an important deadline Advanced Task Features • Automatically move a task to 'Urgent' as its deadline approaches, with timely notifications • Automatically move a task to 'Urgent' when a linked task is completed • Track task creation and completion dates for detailed management • Paste multiline text as individual tasks to speed up input Sorting, Filtering, and Tags • Sort tasks by title, due date, or manually • Use tags to organize tasks effectively • Filter tasks by tags and statuses (completed/uncompleted) • Save and quickly apply custom filter presets for easy navigation Synchronization and Integration • Sync data across all your devices • Sync tasks with Calendar • Integrate with Be Focused*: Sync tasks between apps and start timer in Be Focused directly from Focus Matrix Exporting and Reporting • Export task lists to PDF or print them for offline use • Configurable statistics and reports for completed tasks Security and Privacy • Password and Face ID protection for secure task management Platform Compatibility • Fully available for Mac and iOS Pro Version Features • Cross-device synchronization • Synchronization of tasks with Calendar • Integration with Be Focused*: Sync tasks between apps and start timer in Be Focused directly from Focus Matrix Focus Matrix is free to download and use forever. However, if you want to access the Pro features on all your iPhones, iPads, and Macs, you can upgrade to the Pro version. The Pro subscription comes in three different options: Monthly, Yearly with a 7-day trial, and Lifetime (one-time payment). Payment will be charged to your App Store account and will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Subscription may be managed and auto-renewal may be turned off in your App Store account settings. Privacy Policy: https://xwavesoft.com/privacy-policy.html Terms of Use: https://xwavesoft.com/terms-of-use.html * Be Focused helps you get things done by breaking up individual tasks among discrete intervals. It’s available for Mac and iOS devices in App Store. Integration with Be Focused requires the Pro version of Be Focused, sold separately.
Alora Planner
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Most planners assume you'll remember to open them, know what to do next, and never miss a day or time slot. Alora is built around how ADHD and AuDHD brains actually work: get everything out of your head before it vanishes, see today in one calm view, and never get punished for a hard day. Some days are hyperfocus. Some days the to-do list might as well be in another language. Alora is built for all of those days, not just the good ones. YOUR DAY AND GOALS, IN ONE CALM VIEW No more holding fourteen things in your head at once or seeing your whole calendar. Alora gives you today. Tomorrow will show up tomorrow. Anything you are not ready to address can wait quietly in your Queue. - Today's focus, surfaced first - A separate daily win chosen by you - Overdue and due-today tasks flagged without the panic - Start, desired end, and hard end dates that leave room for real life - BRAIN DUMP NOW. SORT IT LATER. When a thought arrives, get it out of your head before it is gone. Type it or say it. Alora separates your brain dump into individual tasks for you to review. Nothing is added until you confirm it. Keep what matters in your Queue until you have the bandwidth for it. A CALM START. A DAY THAT ENDS WITH CLARITY. A five-minute morning brief brings together your brain dump, tasks, routines, intentions, focus, and win. An evening reflection celebrates what mattered, helps prepare tomorrow, and lets you put the day down. Always skippable. No streak guilt. No broken chains. BUILD YOUR FUTURE WITH BLUEPRINTS A goal is not a plan. Tell Alora what you want, why it matters, and when you want it. Alora can break it into milestones and concrete steps in the order they need to happen. Or build the Blueprint yourself when you already know the way. A missed day does not erase the goal. You keep building from where you are. VISION: THE BIGGER PICTURE Alora's Vision board keeps the life you are working toward one tap away. When the day gets loud, it brings the bigger picture back into view and reminds you why any of this matters. NO GUILT, BY DESIGN Nothing in Alora runs on willpower or streaks. There is nothing to keep alive and no chain to break. Skip a day and Alora meets you where you are when you return. No guilt. No punishment. No starting over. WHY I BUILT IT I have lived with AuDHD since before AuDHD was a thing. I tried the apps. The spreadsheets. The paper lists. The notebooks. I could make them look right. I could even use them for a day or two. Then I would forget they existed. So I stopped trying to adapt myself to the tool and built a tool around how I actually operate. I built Alora for myself. It is here because the people who saw it kept telling me to hand it over. A paid subscription is required to use Alora. Monthly subscriptions begin immediately and do not include a trial. Annual subscriptions include a free 14-day trial. Every feature is included with either subscription.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Alora Planner at none against Focus Matrix's shown. Alora Planner also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 7 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support 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
Both are free to download. Focus Matrix sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Alora Planner sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Focus Matrix ships an update every 7 months, Alora Planner every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Focus Matrix | Alora Planner |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (1.6K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 82.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 33 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Denys Ievenko | Matthew Harrison |
Bugs and requests
Focus Matrix
Reported bugs
4 issues- Sync issues causing data loss
- Frequent crashes
- Inability to log in across devices
- Calendar integration not working as expected
Requested features
7 requests- Ability to have multiple matrices (e.g. work, personal)
- Recurring tasks
- More export options (e.g. CSV)
- Dark mode
- Better sync reliability across devices
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- Subtasks or nested tasks
- Ability to archive completed tasks
Alora Planner
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Focus Matrix
- Monthly Pro$2.991 Month
- Yearly Pro7 Days trial$17.991 Year
- Lifetime Pro$34.99
Alora Planner
- Alora Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
- Alora Pro Annual14 Days trial$64.991 Year
Questions
Is Focus Matrix free?
Is Alora Planner free?
Do Focus Matrix or Alora Planner have ads?
Which is updated more often, Focus Matrix or Alora Planner?
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