# Flow vs SEMA3

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Flow at 86% against SEMA3's 40%. Flow also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.4) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 7). SEMA3's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Flow sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. SEMA3 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Flow holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Flow has 1.8K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Flow's written reviews are positive against 40% of SEMA3's.

Flow ships an update every 4 weeks, SEMA3 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flow | SEMA3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-focus-and-pomodoro-timer/id1423210932/reviews)** | [3.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sema3/id1427120118/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **86.1% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 80 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yugen GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1362171211) | [Richard Sinnott](https://appshunter.io/developer/1080236817) |

## What reviewers say

### Flow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-focus-and-pomodoro-timer/id1423210932)

Enhance your concentration and productivity with a scientifically proven method. This app divides your workflow into focused work intervals and scheduled breaks, helping you reduce stress and stay motivated. Ideal for work, study, or any task requiring deep focus.

**Highlights:** Pomodoro timer with work intervals and breaks, App and web blocking, Statistics tracking, Commitment mode, Inspirational quotes, Home & Lock Screen Widgets

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $17.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Pro Access | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🚀 Minimalist and uncluttered design
- 💡 Customizable work and break durations
- 🔒 No ads or unnecessary features
- 🤖 Responsive and helpful developers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔇 Notification sound could be louder
- 📊 Lack of detailed statistics and analytics
- 🔀 Inability to pause or resume a flow session
- 🖥️ Inability to minimize the timer window

**Reported bugs**

- Live activity feature not working consistently
- Timer not recording sessions accurately
- App blocking functionality not working as expected
- Crashes and freezes on certain macOS versions

**Requested features**

- Allow custom work and break durations
- Add option to pause and resume flow sessions
- Implement real-time sync across devices
- Provide more detailed productivity tracking and reporting
- Include an Apple Watch app with complication support


### SEMA3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sema3/id1427120118)

Design and conduct smartphone-based survey research with this comprehensive software suite. It offers tools for creating and deploying ecological momentary assessments directly on mobile devices.

**Highlights:** Design survey research, Conduct smartphone surveys, Ecological momentary assessment, Mobile survey deployment, Research software suite

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flow free?

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

### Is SEMA3 free?

SEMA3 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Flow or SEMA3?

Flow is rated higher. Flow averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while SEMA3 averages 3.4 from 7 ratings.

### Do Flow or SEMA3 have ads?

Neither Flow nor SEMA3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Flow or SEMA3?

Flow ships an update every 4 weeks, and SEMA3 every 2 months. Most recently, Flow was updated on October 19, 2026 and SEMA3 on October 4, 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.*