Comparison

Session Pomodoro Focus Timer vs LockIn

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

LockIn

Features
Read full description

The lock actually locks. LockIn blocks the apps you choose — and the only way back in is the key YOU picked. Not a toggle you can flip off. A real key: • An NFC tag stuck on your fridge, your desk, your gym locker • A QR code in your wallet (or the barcode on your gym pass) • Your fitness goal — close your rings, hit your steps, earn your apps back • A person you trust who approves early exits • A timer or weekly schedule that holds until it's done • Or plain one-tap blocking when you just need a nudge Every focus session builds something: your Realm — an island that grows piece by piece with every session you finish. Miss a day and it weathers. Keep showing up and it becomes somewhere you don't want to burn down. WHY IT WORKS LockIn is a commitment device. The friction is the feature: when quitting means walking to the fridge to scan a tag, you mostly don't quit. • Smart Breaks — pause for a few minutes without ending the session; blocking resumes automatically, even if you force-quit the app • Strict Mode — apps stay blocked even if you try to delete LockIn • 3 emergency unlocks per month. Genuine emergencies only. That's the point. • Weekly schedules that arm themselves — even when the app is closed • Live Activity on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island • Siri & Shortcuts: "Start LockIn" from your Action Button PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your app selections, health data, and location never leave your iPhone. No accounts. No analytics. No ads. (Full policy inside the app.) Lock in. Build your realm.

Screenshots

Session Pomodoro Focus Timer4 screens
LockIn4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LockIn at none against Session Pomodoro Focus Timer's 2. Session Pomodoro Focus Timer's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks) and device support (4 vs 1). On price and ads 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. LockIn asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Session Pomodoro Focus Timer ships an update every 5 days, LockIn every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Session Pomodoro Focus Timer versus LockIn: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSession Pomodoro Focus TimerLockIn
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (364 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews93.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings364 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size107 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTranslucent LLCYugenox Corporation

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

LockIn

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
None

LockIn

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Session Pomodoro Focus Timer free?
Session Pomodoro Focus Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is LockIn free?
LockIn is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Session Pomodoro Focus Timer or LockIn have ads?
Neither Session Pomodoro Focus Timer nor LockIn shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Session Pomodoro Focus Timer or LockIn?
Session Pomodoro Focus Timer ships an update every 5 days, and LockIn every 2 weeks. Most recently, Session Pomodoro Focus Timer was updated on October 13, 2026 and LockIn on October 1, 2026.

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