# NotePlan vs Session Pomodoro Focus Timer

The clearest difference is monetization model: Session Pomodoro Focus Timer at free with in-app purchases against NotePlan's subscription. Session Pomodoro Focus Timer also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly) and review sentiment (93% vs 85%). NotePlan's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 364). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NotePlan sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Session Pomodoro Focus Timer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for NotePlan against 4.8 for Session Pomodoro Focus Timer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.5K and 364 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of NotePlan's written reviews are positive against 93% of Session Pomodoro Focus Timer's.

NotePlan ships an update monthly, Session Pomodoro Focus Timer every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NotePlan | Session Pomodoro Focus Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteplan-to-do-list-and-notes/id1505432629/reviews) | [4.8 (364 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/session-pomodoro-focus-timer/id1521432881/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 364 |
| Positive reviews | 85.0% of reviews | **93.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 210 MB | 107 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NotePlan LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1137020763) | [Translucent LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1540058390) |

## What reviewers say

### NotePlan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteplan-to-do-list-and-notes/id1505432629)

Organize your tasks, notes, and calendar in one unified app. Quickly plan your day with Markdown, link notes bi-directionally, and stay on top of your to-dos with powerful review and search features. Seamlessly integrates with your existing calendars and syncs across all your Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Unified task, note, and calendar view, Markdown for quick task and note creation, Bi-directional note linking, Calendar integration (iCloud, Google, Exchange), Flexible recurring tasks, Global Command Bar for fast navigation, Plaintext note storage

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Personal Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Personal Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Personal Monthly | $12.00 | per month |
| Personal Annual | $59.99 | per year |
| Personal Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Personal Annual | $119.99 | per year |
| Business Class | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful note-taking and task management
- 👍 Seamless calendar and reminders integration
- 💡 Flexible and customizable workflow
- 🔒 Secure and open-format data storage
- 👍 Responsive and helpful developer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Occasional sync and performance issues
- 👤 Limited collaboration and sharing features

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent sync between devices
- Crashes when opening certain files

**Requested features**

- Improved iPad and mobile app experience
- Better integration with other productivity apps
- More automation and scripting capabilities
- Weekly or monthly calendar view


### Session Pomodoro Focus Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/session-pomodoro-focus-timer/id1521432881)

This app helps users improve focus and productivity by guiding them through timed work sessions and breaks. It blocks distracting websites and apps, mutes notifications, and automates workflow elements like Do Not Disturb and music playback. Users can also track their time and review their progress.

**Highlights:** Timed work and break sessions, Website and app blocking (Mac only), Mute Slack notifications, Automated Do Not Disturb, Music playback automation, Apple Calendar sync, Session progress tracking

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Session monthly subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Session yearly subscription | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Most complete Pomodoro timer
- 👍 Excellent focus app with great features
- 🔒 Helps with ADHD and focus
- 👍 Beautiful, intuitive, and user-friendly design
- 👍 Seamless sync across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional syncing issues between devices
- 🔒 Expensive subscription model, no one-time purchase option
- 👎 Some features like app blocking not working as expected
- 👎 Tedious to adjust session times

**Reported bugs**

- Issues with editing past sessions
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between devices

**Requested features**

- Integrate with more productivity apps and to-do lists
- Add Apple Watch app support
- Expand customization options for themes and sounds
- Improve documentation and onboarding for advanced features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NotePlan free?

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

### Is Session Pomodoro Focus Timer free?

Session Pomodoro Focus Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, NotePlan or Session Pomodoro Focus Timer?

NotePlan and Session Pomodoro Focus Timer are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.5K and 364 ratings respectively.

### Do NotePlan or Session Pomodoro Focus Timer have ads?

Neither NotePlan nor Session Pomodoro Focus Timer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NotePlan or Session Pomodoro Focus Timer?

NotePlan ships an update monthly, and Session Pomodoro Focus Timer every 5 days. Most recently, NotePlan was updated on October 12, 2026 and Session Pomodoro Focus Timer on October 13, 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.*