# Focus timer vs Focus Up

The clearest difference is rating: Focus timer at 4.6 against Focus Up's 4.0. Focus timer also leads on ratings volume (1.8K vs 1) and device support (4 vs 2). Focus Up's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 77%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Focus timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Focus Up sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Focus timer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Focus timer has 1.8K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 77% of Focus timer's written reviews are positive against 100% of Focus Up's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Focus timer ships an update every 5 weeks, Focus Up every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Focus timer | Focus Up |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-timer-time-keeper/id1239133490/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-up-ai-pomodoro-timer/id6739946418/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 76.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 44 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [书敏 贾](https://appshunter.io/developer/989212128) | [Zara Mehboob](https://appshunter.io/developer/1787583267) |

## What reviewers say

### Focus timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-timer-time-keeper/id1239133490)

Enhance concentration with a Pomodoro-style timer. Choose from various ambient sounds to create a focused work or study environment. Customize focus and break durations, and receive end-of-timer reminders with a selection of sounds.

**Highlights:** Pomodoro timer with customizable intervals, Ambient soundscapes for focus, Customizable focus and break times, End-of-timer reminders with sound options, Minimalist interface with flip animation, Background running support

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Version | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and functional
- 👍 Minimalistic and aesthetic design
- 🚀 Helps with focus and concentration
- 👍 Useful for studying and work
- 👍 Customizable timer settings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Timer inaccuracies
- 🔊 Loud alarm/notification sound
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💰 Limited features in free version
- 🔇 No option to disable background sounds

**Reported bugs**

- Timer stops when device is locked or app is minimized
- Inconsistent timer behavior when switching between apps

**Requested features**

- Ability to set custom alarm/notification sounds
- Option to disable background sounds
- Automatic start/stop of focus and break timers
- Customizable timer duration
- Dark mode or theme options


### Focus Up

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-up-ai-pomodoro-timer/id6739946418)

This minimalist Pomodoro app uses customizable timers and breathing exercises to enhance concentration and reduce stress. It offers AI-powered focus insights and task organization to help users work smarter and achieve deep focus for work and study.

**Highlights:** Customizable Pomodoro timer, AI-powered focus insights, Breathing techniques for calm, Task organization with tags, Progress tracking and sharing, Ambient sounds for focus, Beautiful themes

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Plan | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Annual Plan | $9.99 | per year |
| Lifetime PRO | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Focus timer free?

Focus timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Focus Up free?

Focus Up is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Focus timer or Focus Up?

Focus timer is rated higher. Focus timer averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Focus Up averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Focus timer or Focus Up have ads?

Focus timer shows ads; Focus Up does not.

### Which is updated more often, Focus timer or Focus Up?

Focus timer ships an update every 5 weeks, and Focus Up every 3 weeks. Most recently, Focus timer was updated on September 25, 2026 and Focus Up on September 26, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*