# Purelist vs FocusBlocks

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.

Both are free to download. Purelist sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. FocusBlocks asks for nothing beyond the download.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Purelist | FocusBlocks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purelist-notes-and-tasks/id1549367431/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **41** | — |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 28 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shintaro Miyake](https://appshunter.io/developer/1549367433) | [Yusuke Takeuchi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1103617788) |

## What reviewers say

### Purelist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purelist-notes-and-tasks/id1549367431)

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Purelist Pro for Students | $0.49 | per month |
| Purelist Pro | $0.99 | per month |
| Purelist Pro for Students | $4.99 | per year |
| Purelist Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Purelist Pro for Students | $24.99 | one-time |
| Purelist Pro | $49.99 | one-time |


### FocusBlocks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focusblocks-focus-timer/id6761746303)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*