Comparison

Session Pomodoro Focus Timer vs Catalyst

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

Head to head
About

Session Pomodoro Focus Timer

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
Read full description

- Do you procrastinate and spend your time mindlessly? - have problem with focusing? - often get distracted while trying to focus? - maybe you are burned out because you worked too much and forget to take necessary break? - or, maybe have an ADHD? Session can help you with your focus problem. Trusted daily by tens of thousands of engineer in Silicon Valley, independent studios in Madrid, writers in Netherlands, and creative worker + freelancer all over the world. It helps you be more productive by guiding you to work in sessions, block distractions, track your time, and remind you to rest. GET INTO HABIT OF WORKING IN TIME BLOCK Inspired by Pomodoro technique, Session helps you block your time for focus. 25 minutes or 45 minutes is all you need to get closer to your goal KEEP YOUR FOCUS BY BLOCKING WEBSITES AND APPS THAT DISTRACT YOU (MAC ONLY) Session block distracting website and apps when you started a Session. It'll automatically restore your website when you are on rest / session has ended. BLOCK SLACK TEAM Session will automatically mute Slack team you choose when Session has started and open them up again when Session has stopped working. DON'T FORGET TO TAKE A REST Forcing yourself to work on long period of time is ineffective. Rest is as important as work / study. Why? Because rest is a crucial time where you: - store what you have learned in your head, and where - your brain solve difficult problem on the background. Notice that you usually get a new idea and solves problem when you're on walk and shower. Or anywhere where you're away from "work". AUTOMATE YOUR WORKFLOW (AUTOMATIC DO NOT DISTURB, PLAY MUSIC) Imagine having no distracting notifications while working on. It's possible by turning on Do Not Disturb. What if you can turn it on when you started your Session, and disable it after Session ends—all automatically? Or maybe change bulb color, play Apple music when Session has started? Different playlist on break? It's possible with Session. Automate it with AppleScript on MacOS and Apple Shortcut on iOS SEE YOUR SESSIONS ON APPLE CALENDAR WITH ONE WAY SYNC. See automatically create Sessions on Apple Calendar to review how your day has progressed. REVIEW YOUR SESSIONS Are you spending more time on a task than it's worth? Session keep you mindful by tracking your work and ask what you have learned after Session has ended. Session tracks what you have worked on, what have you learned, and for how long. Review your progress and journey that you have made. — Need support? Contact philip@stayinsession.com for assistance! — Learn about what Session can do here: https://www.stayinsession.com/learn — Join our Discord community channel here: https://discord.com/invite/5KASx2T4RU

— Terms: https://www.stayinsession.com/terms Privacy policy: https://www.stayinsession.com/privacy-policy

About

Catalyst

This app uses financial consequences to help users achieve their goals. Users commit money to a 30-day cycle, earning it back with a bonus for completion or losing it if they fail. Mastermind groups provide social accountability.

Highlights
  • Financial commitment for goals
  • Daily reflection tracking
  • 30-day goal cycles
  • Mastermind accountability groups
  • Consequence-based motivation
  • Goal progress feed
Features
Read full description

Catalyst is a social accountability platform for people who are serious about their goals. No confetti. No badges for showing up. A system built on the one thing that actually changes behavior: consequences. HOW IT WORKS Set a goal that matters. Catalyst breaks it into daily tasks. Then you prove your execution every day with a Daily Reflection: what you did, what you didn't, and what happens tomorrow. Your reflections become your track record. THE CYCLE When you're ready to make it real, start a 30-day Cycle: - Commit a Participation Fee — from $50 to $500. It's non-refundable. - Submit a Daily Reflection every day for 30 days. You get two lives — miss two days and the Cycle fails. - Complete all 30 days and you earn every dollar back as a Completion Bonus. - Quit or fail, and the money is gone. The only way to see that money again is to earn it. That's the point. THE MASTERMIND Every Cycle places you in a mastermind group of up to 10 people at your commitment level, in it at the same time as you. They see your reflections. They notice when you go quiet. Accountability you can't mute. THE FEED No influencers. No motivational wallpaper. A feed of real people doing real work, one day at a time — and posting proof. WHO IT'S FOR People with money on the line behave differently. If you need a gentle nudge, this isn't your app. If you're done negotiating with yourself — welcome. SUBSCRIPTION Catalyst requires an auto-renewing subscription: $49.99/month or $14.99/week. Payment is charged to your account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your account settings after purchase. Terms of Service: https://catalyst.life/docs/terms_and_conditions.html Privacy Policy: https://catalyst.life/docs/privacy_policy.html Community Guidelines: https://catalyst.life/docs/community_guidelines.html Cycle Agreement: https://catalyst.life/docs/cycle_agreement.html Support: support@catalyst.life

Screenshots

Session Pomodoro Focus Timer4 screens
Catalyst4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Session Pomodoro Focus Timer at free with in-app purchases against Catalyst's subscription. Session Pomodoro Focus Timer also leads on ratings volume (364 vs 1) and update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). Catalyst's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). 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. Session Pomodoro Focus Timer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Catalyst sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Catalyst holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Session Pomodoro Focus Timer has 364 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Session Pomodoro Focus Timer ships an update every 5 days, Catalyst fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Session Pomodoro Focus Timer versus Catalyst: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSession Pomodoro Focus TimerCatalyst
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (364 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews93.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings364 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.4 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size107 MB97 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperTranslucent LLCBlackShift LLC

Customer experience

Session Pomodoro Focus Timer

All ratings364 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral0.8%
Negative4.1%
Written reviews450 reviews
Positive93.8%
Neutral3.1%
Negative3.1%

Catalyst

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Session Pomodoro Focus Timer

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Issues with editing past sessions
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

Catalyst

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Session Pomodoro Focus Timer

Subscriptions2
  • Session monthly subscription$4.991 Month
  • Session yearly subscription$39.991 Year
2 purchases

Catalyst

Subscriptions2
  • Catalyst Weekly$14.997 Days
  • Catalyst7 Days trial$49.991 Month

Questions

Is Session Pomodoro Focus Timer free?
Session Pomodoro Focus Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Catalyst free?
Catalyst is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Session Pomodoro Focus Timer or Catalyst?
Catalyst is rated higher. Session Pomodoro Focus Timer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 364 ratings, while Catalyst averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Session Pomodoro Focus Timer or Catalyst have ads?
Neither Session Pomodoro Focus Timer nor Catalyst shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Session Pomodoro Focus Timer or Catalyst?
Session Pomodoro Focus Timer ships an update every 5 days, and Catalyst fortnightly. Most recently, Session Pomodoro Focus Timer was updated on October 2, 2026 and Catalyst on September 17, 2026.

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