Comparison

Purelist vs FocusBlocks

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

Head to head
About

Purelist

This app helps organize thoughts and manage tasks with a minimalist approach. It focuses on core functionality for productivity, offering features like sorting, widgets, and indentation. An optional Pro version unlocks advanced features like reminders and iCloud sync.

Highlights
  • Free item sorting
  • Home screen widget
  • Mark important items
  • Indentation for outlines
  • Search by item
  • Swipe to complete/delete
  • Add item descriptions
Read full description

Purelist is a thought organizer for those who are serious about their work or studies. Purelist prioritizes your focus on what's important, not adding extra features or decorations to get your attention. If you are looking for a motivational tool, Purelist may not be for you. However, if you need something simple to help you achieve your goals, it may be perfect for you. Purelist can be used for daily planning, task management, and note taking. It's helpful for habit checklists, lecture notes, and shopping lists. Its clean interface won't steal your time. There are no ads, and it doesn't collect your data. Purelist has no checkboxes in the list and is completed by swiping, so it can be used for both task management and idea capture. The star icon indicates the urgency of tasks or the importance of ideas. Purelist is designed to do more with less, so you don't get confused and lose the features you need. Use Purelist to increase your productivity! Key Features: • Sort tasks and items freely. • Show your list on your home screen at any time with the widget. • Mark important items to mark them more prominently. • Use indentation for easier writing and reading outlines. • No need to title your lists and tasks. • Easily search by item. • Smooth completion and deletion as you work with each item. • Add descriptions to items to manage items in detail. For Pro: • Sync lists between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac via iCloud. • Set reminders for tasks and items. • View and manage reminders by date. • Quickly set reminders using date presets. • Send system notifications at set times. • Can repeat reminders on a daily, weekly, monthly, or annually schedule. • The list can be divided into groups to organize the list in more detail. • Subgroups can be added to a group.

About

FocusBlocks

Features
Read full description

Can't focus on studying or work? FocusBlocks combines the Pomodoro Technique with time blocking in one beautiful focus timer. See exactly when, what, and how long you focused — turning aimless days into productive ones. --- Solves Real Problems --- ・Hard to focus despite trying to study ・End of day feels lost: "What did I even do today?" ・Working from home but losing focus ・Can't find a study rhythm for exams ・Too many tasks, don't know where to start --- Key Features --- ■ Pomodoro Timer 25 minutes of focus, 5-minute break, repeat. Scientifically proven productivity boost. Fully customizable focus, break, and long break durations. ■ Time Blocking Plan your day with focus blocks on a timeline — morning reading, work sessions, afternoon study. Drag to adjust easily. ■ Visual Timeline A beautiful timeline shows your entire day at a glance. See what you should be doing right now. ■ Live Activities Timer displayed on Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. Check remaining time without opening the app. ■ Home & Lock Screen Widgets Display today's plan on your home screen. ■ Weekly Statistics Visualize focus time, session count, and completion rate with charts. ■ Routine Templates Save and reuse configurations like "Morning Routine," "Work Mode," or "Exam Prep." ■ Interruption Logging Record what broke your focus — phone calls, social media, colleagues. Build deeper focus through weekly review. --- Perfect For --- ・Students preparing for exams or learning a new skill ・Remote workers struggling to stay focused at home ・Morning routine or evening routine builders ・Freelancers managing their own time ・People with ADHD seeking focus structure ・Anyone fighting smartphone distractions --- More --- ・Full dark mode support ・16 languages supported ・Privacy first: all data stored on your device only --------------------------------- Sage Apps Series A collection of iOS utility apps designed for simplicity and ease of use. Unified design to make your day a little better. >> Search "Sage Apps" on the App Store for more ---------------------------------

Screenshots

Purelist4 screens
FocusBlocks4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FocusBlocks at none against Purelist's 6. Purelist's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Purelist sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. FocusBlocks asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Purelist ships an update fortnightly, FocusBlocks every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and August 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Purelist versus FocusBlocks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPurelistFocusBlocks
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (41 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings41 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShintaro MiyakeYusuke Takeuchi

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Purelist

Subscriptions4
  • Purelist Pro for Students14 Days trial$0.491 Month
  • Purelist Pro14 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Purelist Pro for Students14 Days trial$4.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Purelist Pro14 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time2
  • Purelist Pro for Students$24.99
  • Purelist Pro$49.99
None

FocusBlocks

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Purelist free?
Purelist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FocusBlocks free?
FocusBlocks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Purelist or FocusBlocks have ads?
FocusBlocks shows ads; Purelist does not.
Which is updated more often, Purelist or FocusBlocks?
Purelist ships an update fortnightly, and FocusBlocks every 2 months. Most recently, Purelist was updated on June 10, 2026 and FocusBlocks on August 12, 2026.

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