Comparison

Productivity Challenge Timer vs Engross

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

Head to head
About

Productivity Challenge Timer

This app gamifies productivity by challenging users to work harder and track their habits. Earn ranks, unlock achievements, and monitor your work patterns over time to identify peak productivity periods. It focuses on intense work sessions and detailed time tracking for projects.

Highlights
  • Gamified productivity challenges
  • Rank and achievement system
  • Detailed work habit tracking
  • Project-specific time logging
  • Focus on uninterrupted work sessions
  • Productivity analytics by day/hour
Read full description

Productivity Challenge Timer aims to help you be more productive, more focused, waste less time and so on, you already know all that stuff. What this app is really about is challenging you to work harder and tracking your work habits. You'll earn/lose ranks depending on your performance, earn achievements and track your productivity over time, so you'll know how long you worked on what and during which days of the week and hours of the day you're at your most productive. Now here's a few things you should know before downloading: - This is not an organizer. If you can't keep track of what you're supposed to be doing, this is not the app for you. The app includes tracking of projects so you know how much time you spent working on each of your clients/books/websites/whatever - like a time sheet, but it's not meant to be an organizer or a to-do list. - This app will not let you pause work sessions or finish them early, so if you have a tiny baby-sized bladder and you need to pause every few minutes, this is not the app for you. The shortest work session you can set is 10 minutes and you're not supposed to be interrupted. Besides, I use this app too, and I'd be the first to abuse that pause feature to go look up useless nonsense instead of getting work done. - The purpose of this app is not to promote a healthy work-life balance, but to get you to work harder. Because of this, it does not recognize weekends or holidays or parenting or any other excuse people come up with to take time off, and it will demote you if you start slipping. Please don't expect the app to validate your personal goals, its sole purpose is to make you work harder, even when you shouldn't. That's it, thanks for reading and I hope you find this app as useful as I do.

About

Engross

This app helps users improve focus and productivity, especially those with ADHD or time blindness. It offers customizable focus sessions, task management, and analytics to understand work patterns. Features include distraction alerts, planning tools, and ambient sounds.

Highlights
  • ADHD-Friendly Pomodoro Timer
  • Distraction detection and training
  • Task breakdown for executive function
  • Integrated daily planner
  • Deep work analytics and charts
  • Immersive white noise ambience
  • Minimalist black theme
Features
Read full description

Whether you're working on big projects, studying for exams, or just trying to improve productivity, Engross combines the power of the Pomodoro Technique, to-do lists, day planner, and focus analytics to help you stay organised and distraction-free. Why Engross? Its timer uses a unique ‘Hit me when you are distracted’ hack that makes you more focused & engaged whether you are working or studying. To-do list has features designed keeping in mind the approaches that help in getting things done faster. Calendar is neat & simple so that you can keep your days organised effortlessly. The app is designed to help you achieve more. Key Features: Focus Timer with Pomodoro Technique • Customise focus & break durations with ease • Use the Stopwatch when you simply want to track your time effortlessly • Attach a timer/stopwatch and start sessions right from the To-do list or Calendar • Session tagging for productivity insights To-Do List • Repeat tasks with flexible repeat options like twice a week, every alternate day etc. • Track progress of your long & big tasks with a flexible progress tracker • Reminders that can notify you up to 24 hours in advance • Break the big tasks into smaller & achievable sub-tasks and achieve bigger goals effortlessly Daily Planner/Calendar • Create events and plan routines • From main tasks of the day to lunch break & meditation time, get notified with reminders for everything and stay on track with your schedule • Create Recurring events for your regular routine & keep your days organised Productivity Analytics • Track your focus trends & peak performance times • Session history with charts and detailed insights • Understand where your time goes Clean, Distraction-Free UI • Minimalist design focused on getting work done White Noise • Soothing sounds help to be more focused & engaged when working Engross is perfect for: College Students & High Schoolers Remote Workers & Freelancers ADHD & Neurodivergent Users Writers, Designers, and Creators Anyone looking to work smarter, not harder For Students (High School & College) Study smarter, not harder.
 Engross is an ultimate study partner, combining the Pomodoro technique, task planner, and focus tracking to help you crush exams, stay ahead of assignments, and make every study session count. Key Benefits for Students: * ‘Hit me when you are distracted’ helps a lot in staying focused * Flexibility of focus timer * Plan out study blocks, breaks, and classes * Stats Dashboard shows how long you study daily, weekly, monthly * No Ads For Professionals * Pomodoro Timer: Stay productive without burning out * To-Do List + Calendar: Manage client tasks, meetings, and deadlines * Session Tags & Stats: Track work hours by client or label * Minimalist Interface For ADHD & Neurodivergent Users Engross supports focus, structure, and routine — helping people with ADHD or executive function challenges stay organised and productive. It's simple and flexible. * Flexible Pomodoro Timer: Adjustable sessions and breaks * Simple Task List: Break big tasks into smaller, doable steps * Visual Stats: Get dopamine boosts from seeing your progress * Routine Builder: Create and stick to daily structures * Low Clutter Design: No overwhelming menus or distractions No pressure. Just the tools you need to build focus, one session at a time. See real progress, every day. Don’t just manage your time — take charge of it. Whether you want to beat procrastination, develop discipline, or simply get more done, Engross gives you the clarity and control you need to succeed. Pomodoro™ and Pomodoro Technique® are registered trademarks of Francesco Cirillo. This app is not affiliated with Francesco Cirillo.

Screenshots

Productivity Challenge Timer4 screens
Engross4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Productivity Challenge Timer at 95% against Engross's 49%. Productivity Challenge Timer also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and ratings volume (215 vs 46). Engross's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Productivity Challenge Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Engross sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Productivity Challenge Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 215 and 46 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of Productivity Challenge Timer's written reviews are positive against 49% of Engross's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Productivity Challenge Timer ships an update every 3 months, Engross every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Productivity Challenge Timer versus Engross: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterProductivity Challenge TimerEngross
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (215 ratings) — better4.6 (46 ratings)
Positive reviews95.1% of reviews — better48.8% of reviews
Number of ratings215 — better46
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB30 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperVladimir JovanovicHusain Haidery

Customer experience

Productivity Challenge Timer

All ratings210 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews267 reviews
Positive95.1%
Neutral1.9%
Negative3.0%

Engross

All ratings46 ratings
Positive91.3%
Neutral4.3%
Negative4.3%
Written reviews41 reviews
Positive48.8%
Neutral14.6%
Negative36.6%

Bugs and requests

Productivity Challenge Timer

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Occasional sound issues
  • Slow loading of historical data
  • Inconsistencies between iOS and Android versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Apple Watch support
  • Customizable timer durations
  • Ability to add notes to sessions
  • Weekend/holiday mode to avoid demotions
  • More advanced goal-tracking and analytics

Engross

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Productivity Challenge Timer

One-time1
  • Pro mode$8.99
1 purchases

Engross

One-time1
  • Engross Premium$5.99

Questions

Is Productivity Challenge Timer free?
Productivity Challenge Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Engross free?
Engross is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Productivity Challenge Timer or Engross?
Productivity Challenge Timer is rated higher. Productivity Challenge Timer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 215 ratings, while Engross averages 4.6 from 46 ratings.
Do Productivity Challenge Timer or Engross have ads?
Neither Productivity Challenge Timer nor Engross shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Productivity Challenge Timer or Engross?
Productivity Challenge Timer ships an update every 3 months, and Engross every 4 weeks. Most recently, Productivity Challenge Timer was updated on October 24, 2026 and Engross on October 29, 2026.

Other comparisons