Focused Work vs FocusBeats
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Focused Work
This app helps users improve focus and productivity through structured timed sessions. It offers customizable timers, goal setting, and distraction blocking to build healthy work habits.
- Customizable focus sessions
- Pomodoro and Flowmodoro templates
- Distraction blocking
- Reflection and goal tracking
- Statistics and charts
- Live Activities and widgets
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## Featured by App Store in 150+ Countries & Regions # Hot This Week # Apps We Love Right Now # Big Apps From Small Teams # New Apps, Features, and Content ## What People Are Saying "A simple, but valuable utility for creating timed focus sessions of productivity." - MacStories "Focused Work helps you stay on track better than ever" - iMore "Focused Work makes it easy to create and manage Focused Sessions." - 9to5Mac "A tool that helps overcome that first step." - Knapsack Focused Work is a powerful timer that helps you focus and be productive. It's purpose-built for people who want to focus for long periods and struggle with this. Add structure to your day with "Focus Sessions" that encourage you to complete goals, tasks, and help you divide your time into Focus, Break, and Prepare stages. Pick from a selection of templates, including a simple timer, Pomodoro - inspired by the Pomodoro Technique, Flowmodoro - inspired by the Flowtime Technique, and other various sessions. You can also create repeatable sessions specifically tailored to your needs. Add stages, set time limits, and much more. Ultimately, Focused Work helps you be more accountable by reminding you to focus, reflect, and build healthy productivity habits by completing various daily goals. **Core Features** · A simple, powerful timer that keeps you on-task Choose what to focus on. Start the timer. Get stuff done! · Curated Basic Sessions to get started Run a Pomodoro session, Flowmodoro session, or even just a simple timer · Create Focus Sessions Tailor them to your needs with a plethora of configurable options · Reminders Be reminded to stay focused, when to take breaks, and also to start a focus session! · Reflection Track what went well for you during your focus session and what you can improve upon · Scratch Pad Jot down thoughts that come to mind during your session and return to them after · Daily Goals Completing your daily focus goals earns you a streak and helps you form healthy productivity habits · Statistics & Charts Review recent productivity across the past week, month, and year · Block Distractions Select apps and websites you want to restrict access to during a session · In-app Shortcuts Automation Automatically perform actions as you progress through your session, such as turning on Focus · Link with Toggl Track Explore advanced time tracking by linking with Toggl to create time entries, assign projects and tags · Productivity Export Export completed sessions in CSV format **iOS & iPadOS Features** Focused Work is available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with extensive support for each platform; · Live Activities Control your session from the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island · Interactive Widgets Control your session, view daily goals, and start a session from the Home Screen · Control Center Widgets Start a session or access the Scratch Pad with Control Widgets · StandBy Interact with your session while iPhone is in StandBy · Spotlight Search Quick start and interact with sessions from search · Focus Filters Filter which sessions can be viewed & started based on the active Focus · App Shortcuts & Siri Start and interact with a session via various shortcuts that can also be linked together · Picture-in-Picture Show a floating timer above other apps with Picture-in-Picture mode · Session Alerts on all devices Start a session on one device and receive update alerts on others with Focused Work installed · iCloud Syncing Sync productivity stats & created sessions between devices · Privacy Focused Your data is securely stored and managed via iCloud. No account registration. · And much more Mac Support, Share Sheet controls, App Icons, Keyboard Shortcuts, VoiceOver, Split View & Slide Over, Low Power Mode, Drag & Drop, Dark Mode, URL Schemes If you have any questions, please reach out to focusedworkapp@michaeltigas.com.au Privacy Policy: https://focusedwork.app/privacypolicy/ Terms of Use: https://focusedwork.app/terms/
FocusBeats
Enhance your work and study with a unique blend of focus-enhancing music and the Pomodoro technique. Choose from 25 themed playlists and customizable sessions to boost productivity and enjoyment.
- 25 unique music themes
- Customizable Pomodoro sessions
- Thematic audiovisual experience
- Curated focus-enhancing playlists
- Community theme suggestions
- Automatic break notifications
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Transform your work and study sessions into a productive and enjoyable experience. FocusBeats combines the power of music and the proven efficiency of the Pomodoro technique into a single application. Whether you're crunching numbers, crafting your latest piece, or studying for exams, FocusBeats is your go-to for maintaining focus and enhancing productivity. --- Works With or Without Apple Music --- FocusBeats now ships with built-in royalty-free focus music — no Apple Music subscription needed. Pick a royalty-free theme, hit start, and you have a fully working Pomodoro timer with focus music. If you do have Apple Music, every one of the 48 themes is unlocked for you, with hand-curated playlists from Apple's catalog. --- 48 Hand-Curated Themes Across 6 Categories --- Dive into an extensive collection of music themes ranging from broad topics like "Movie & TV Soundtracks" and "Classical Music" to more focused ones like "Studio Ghibli", "Minecraft", "Harry Potter", and "Beethoven", neatly organized into six broad categories: Moods, Genres, Video Games, Movies & TV Shows, Soundtrack Composers, and Classical Composers. There's a theme for every mood and task. --- Customizable Pomodoro Sessions --- Tailor your focus sessions with three selectable Pomodoro lengths. Choose the number of Pomodoros to fit your schedule and break structure, optimizing your efficiency and focus. --- Thematic Audiovisual Experience --- With each theme, enjoy a carefully curated playlist paired with hand-painted artwork that matches the mood of the music. This unique combination not only aids in concentration but also adds an element of enjoyment to your work or study routine. --- Curated Music for Focus --- Every playlist has been hand-curated and refined for focus — distracting tracks removed, instrumental balance prioritized, and seamless transitions between songs. Say goodbye to distractions and hello to productive, deep focus sessions. --- Suggest New Themes --- Is your favorite theme missing? No problem! You can suggest new themes to be added, making FocusBeats a continually evolving platform shaped by its community. ===== How It Works ===== 1. Select Your Theme: Choose from 48 different themes across 6 categories to match your task or mood. 2. Customize Your Pomodoro: Decide on the length and number of Pomodoros that suit your workflow. 3. Focus and Enjoy: Start your session with your selected theme playing in the background, accompanied by a fitting image to enhance your focus. 4. Automatic Breaks: Get informed about breaks with an audio cue and your background music pausing. Dive right back in when the music continues playing! ===== Why FocusBeats? ===== 1. Enhanced Productivity: Combining music and the Pomodoro technique helps you achieve high levels of productivity. 2. Variety and Customization: With 48 themes and flexible session configurations, you can personalize your focus experience. 3. Community-Driven Content: Your suggestions help expand our theme collection, ensuring there's always something new to explore. 4. FocusBeats is more than just a timer; it's a lifestyle tool designed to enhance your work and study sessions. Join the FocusBeats community today and take the first step towards transforming your productivity and focus! -- Notes -- – 5 royalty-free themes (HoliznaCC0, Kevin MacLeod, Scott Buckley, Jason Shaw, Sascha Ende) play without any subscription — fully functional Pomodoro timer with focus music, free. – The other 43 themes use Apple Music's catalog and require an Apple Music subscription. – All 48 themes are unlocked from day one — there is no in-app purchase gate on themes. An optional In-App Purchase unlocks longer Pomodoro lengths (60 / 90 minutes) and longer session counts. -- Legal Notice -- Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: Focused Work at 603 against FocusBeats's 1. Focused Work also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). FocusBeats's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 85%). On price, update cadence, 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
Both are free to download. Focused Work sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and FocusBeats sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
FocusBeats holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Focused Work has 603 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Focused Work's written reviews are positive against 100% of FocusBeats's.
Focused Work ships an update weekly, FocusBeats every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Focused Work | FocusBeats |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (603 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 84.9% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 603 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 155 MB | 220 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Michael Tigas | Cihat Guenduez |
Customer experience
Focused Work
FocusBeats
Bugs and requests
Focused Work
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Stuck on a session: Gap time
- Desktop doesn't sync with phone
Requested features
4 requests- Need iwatch app
- Calendar integration?
- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard
FocusBeats
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Focused Work
- Focused Work Pro (1 month)$2.991 Month
- Focused Work Pro - Monthly$4.991 Month
- Focused Work Pro (1 month)$6.991 Month
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- Focused Work Pro (1 year)3 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Focused Work Pro - Yearly3 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Focused Work Pro (1 year)3 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Little Tip$0.99
- Small Tip$1.99
- Medium Tip$4.99
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- Large Tip$9.99
- Massive Tip$19.99
- Focused Work Pro Lifetime$59.99
- Focused Work Pro Lifetime$89.99
- Focused Work Pro Lifetime$119.99
FocusBeats
- Premium (Monthly)$0.991 Month
- Premium (Yearly)3 Days trial$4.991 Year
- Premium (Lifetime)$19.99









