# Focus Quest vs Beacon

The clearest difference is ads: Beacon at none against Focus Quest's shown. Beacon also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Focus Quest's advantage is ratings volume (505 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.5). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Focus Quest sells 32 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Beacon sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Beacon holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Focus Quest has 505 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Focus Quest ships an update every 2 months, Beacon fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Focus Quest | Beacon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (505 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-quest-study-buddy/id1516624331/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beacon-focus-with-friends/id6785140782/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **505** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 83.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 230 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Shikudo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1089497060) | [John Cain](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785140784) |

## What reviewers say

### Focus Quest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-quest-study-buddy/id1516624331)

This app combines a study timer with RPG elements to help users improve self-control and reduce phone distractions. Earn in-game resources by focusing to train a hero and upgrade equipment, making productivity more engaging.

**Highlights:** Gamified focus timer, RPG hero training, Equipment forging, Task and time management, In-game achievements and rewards, Phone addiction management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (32)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Focus Pass | $4.99 | per month |
| Focus Pass Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Focus Pass Yearly | $28.99 | per year |
| Weekly Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Stage Currency Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Stage Gear Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Stage Gear Scroll Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Stage Glyph Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Pack 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Raid Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Stage Material Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Monthly Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Stage Currency Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Currency Pack 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Currency Pack 4 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Currency Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Currency Pack 5 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gem 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Currency Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Raid Pack 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Material Pack 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Pack 4 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Glyph Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Skill Pack 1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Skill Pack 3 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Skill Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Battle Pass Raid 1 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Raid Pack 3 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Gem 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Monthly Pack 2 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Fund 1 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Battle Pass Time Rift 1 | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Gamified focus experience
- 👍 Engaging story and progression
- 🎨 Cute and visually appealing
- 💰 Affordable premium version
- 🕰️ Helpful for improving focus and productivity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited whitelist functionality
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 📱 Can be distracting from actual work
- 🌐 Lack of offline mode
- 🌐 Sync issues with other accounts

**Reported bugs**

- Training button not working during tutorial
- Time not accurately tracked in some cases
- Crashes on startup for some users

**Requested features**

- More music and white noise options
- Ability to change character appearance
- Longer storyline and quests
- Offline mode or better sync capabilities
- Pomodoro timer integration


### Beacon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beacon-focus-with-friends/id6785140782)

Enhance your productivity with timed focus sessions and app blocking. Connect with friends for shared accountability and challenges to stay on track. Track your progress and build consistent focus habits.

**Highlights:** Timed focus sessions, App blocking via Screen Time, Recurring scheduled sessions, Focus streak and stats, Home Screen widget and Siri Shortcuts, Social accountability with friends, Monk Mode for deep focus

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Beacon Pro | $5.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Focus Quest free?

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

### Is Beacon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Focus Quest or Beacon?

Beacon is rated higher. Focus Quest averages 4.7 out of 5 from 505 ratings, while Beacon averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Focus Quest or Beacon have ads?

Focus Quest shows ads; Beacon does not.

### Which is updated more often, Focus Quest or Beacon?

Focus Quest ships an update every 2 months, and Beacon fortnightly. Most recently, Focus Quest was updated on October 25, 2026 and Beacon on October 10, 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.*