Comparison

Charcoal vs FocusFlow

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

Head to head
About

Charcoal

This app offers a simple yet powerful sketching experience with rich tools and beautiful color palettes. Easily create and export your artwork for use in other graphics programs. It supports modern iOS features like multiple windows and dark mode for enhanced productivity.

Highlights
  • Simple sketching interface
  • Rich drawing tools
  • Beautiful color palettes
  • Export sketches
  • Multiple window support
  • Dark mode
Features
Read full description

• Charcoal is incredibly easy to use: Just create or open a sketch and start sketching. There are no layers or confusing settings. Instead, Charcoal features rich tools and beautiful color palettes. • Charcoal allows you to export a sketch to use it in your favorite graphics program. • Charcoal supports modern iOS and iPadOS features like multiple windows and dark mode: use it at night or open multiple sketches, even side by side.

About

FocusFlow

Features
Read full description

Master Deep Work with the Pomodoro Technique FocusFlow Pomodoro is the ultimate productivity companion for students, professionals, and anyone who wants to get more done. Built on the scientifically-proven Pomodoro Technique, FocusFlow helps you work smarter, not harder -- breaking your day into focused 25-minute sprints with refreshing breaks in between. WHY THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE WORKS The Pomodoro Technique, developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, is one of the most widely used time management methods in the world. By working in short, focused intervals separated by brief breaks, your brain maintains peak concentration while avoiding the mental fatigue that comes from prolonged work sessions. Studies show that this structured approach can increase productivity by up to 25%. FEATURES DESIGNED FOR SERIOUS FOCUS Persistent Timer -- Our intelligent timer uses date-based calculation so it never loses track of your session, even when you switch apps or lock your phone. Your focus session keeps running in the background, and you'll get a notification the moment your Pomodoro is complete. Beautiful Statistics -- Track your productivity journey with rich charts powered by Swift Charts. See your daily progress ring, weekly bar charts, current streak, total focus hours, and your personal bests. Data that motivates. Focus Sound Engine -- Immerse yourself in productivity-boosting audio. Choose from White Noise for deep concentration, Lo-Fi Vibes with binaural beats (200/240 Hz) to enhance focus, or soothing Rain sounds with pink noise for creative flow. All sounds are generated in real-time by our DSP audio engine. Home Screen Widget -- Glance at your daily progress without opening the app. The FocusFlow widget shows your completed sessions and goal right on your home screen or lock screen. Fully Customizable -- Tailor every aspect to your workflow: adjust focus sessions from 5 to 90 minutes, set short breaks from 1 to 30 minutes, configure long breaks, choose how many Pomodoros before a long break, and set your daily session goal. Smart Notifications -- Never miss the end of a session. FocusFlow schedules precise notifications so you're always in the loop, even in the background. FOCUSFLOW PRO Unlock the complete experience with FocusFlow Pro: - Unlimited daily sessions (free tier: 5/day) - Full statistics dashboard with weekly charts - All focus sounds including Lo-Fi Vibes and Rain - Priority support Available as monthly ($1.99/month) or yearly ($9.99/year) subscription. Cancel anytime. Start your first Pomodoro today. Your best work is one session away.

Screenshots

Charcoal3 screens
FocusFlow1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: FocusFlow at every 2 days against Charcoal's every 2 months. Charcoal's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Charcoal ships an update every 2 months, FocusFlow every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Charcoal versus FocusFlow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCharcoalFocusFlow
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (144 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews76.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings144 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLars AugustinDatachain Consulting Pty Ltd

Bugs and requests

Charcoal

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Saved sketches lose quality
  • Palette colors change unexpectedly
  • Freezing when opening color palette

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to change brush/pen size
  • Layers and blending tools
  • Color wheel and custom color selection
  • Import/export options

FocusFlow

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Charcoal

No in-app purchases

None

FocusFlow

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Charcoal free?
Charcoal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FocusFlow free?
FocusFlow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Charcoal or FocusFlow have ads?
Neither Charcoal nor FocusFlow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Charcoal or FocusFlow?
Charcoal ships an update every 2 months, and FocusFlow every 2 days. Most recently, Charcoal was updated on October 17, 2026 and FocusFlow on October 7, 2026.

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