Comparison

Cucumber Timer vs GentleFocus

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

Head to head
About

Cucumber Timer

This app helps users focus on tasks and manage breaks effectively using a visual timer. It offers customizable intervals, intuitive time displays, and battery-saving features to enhance productivity and prevent burnout.

Highlights
  • Customizable focus and break intervals
  • Intuitive visual time display
  • Adjustable intervals on the go
  • Customizable display themes and brightness
  • Minimal battery consumption
  • Choice of notification sounds or vibration
Features
Read full description

-- Is this app for me? -- Students, software developers, writers, artists โ€” anyone with a todo list. Cucumber Timer is for those who want to achieve their daily goals regularly. Set a rhythm of focused work and regular breaks so you get more done while saving your energy. With a non-distracting overview of elapsed and remaining time, Cucumber Timer helps you stay motivated, avoid distractions, and avoid sitting too long without a break. -- No ads -- Cucumber Timer helps you concentrate on what's important to you. Feature-rich for free: you can adjust focus and break intervals to reflect your preferences. Extra customization can be unlocked with a one-time payment: beautiful themes, specially recorded sounds, and a fixed brightness setting that helps the battery last longer. -- Adjust on the go -- Adjust remaining interval with 2 taps any time without affecting your usual settings. Sometimes you might have less time than usual, say you prefer to work for 25 minutes but now have just 10 before an appointment. Or perhaps you're feeling especially focused and would like to sit undisturbed for a longer time than usual. You can either select a new duration of the current interval (e.g., 20 minutes) or end time (finish at 15:30). -- Intuitive visual time -- The interval rings make the current time immediately recognizable. You already have an intuitive feel for how many minutes a portion of a watch face represents โ€” a quarter of an hour is a quarter of the circle, no counting needed. -- Customize display -- 8 beautiful dark color themes that are non-distracting, visually balanced, and readable. Choose to keep the screen always on as a reminder that you're focusing. Lower the brightness to make the battery last longer โ€” or to stay discreet on your desk in an office or library. The in-app brightness slider holds your chosen level whenever Cucumber Timer is in the foreground, so you don't have to adjust it by hand each time. -- Save battery -- Minimal battery use in the foreground; none in the background. When you start an interval, Cucumber Timer schedules notifications for upcoming focus and break intervals โ€” no code running in the background to drain your battery. -- Choose sounds -- Choose whether the app plays a sound, vibrates, or stays silent when an interval starts. 19 unique sounds recorded specifically for Cucumber Timer.

About

GentleFocus

Features
Read full description

GentleFocus reimagines productivity for ADHD minds and anyone who struggles with traditional focus methods. No more guilt, just gentle support that adapts to you. WHY GENTLEFOCUS IS DIFFERENT โ€ข Brain Dump First: Capture tasks instantly without organizing โ€ข Flexible Focus Modes: From 5-min sprints to mystery durations โ€ข Visual Progress: Color-coded timer that's satisfying to watch โ€ข Smart Breaks: Curated activities to recharge without losing momentum โ€ข No Judgment: Skip sessions, extend time, or reset without guilt TIMER MODES THAT WORK WITH YOU โ€ข Quick Start: Jump into 15-min sessions instantly โ€ข Flexible Flow: Adjust duration on the fly (10-45 min) โ€ข Pomodoro Classic: Traditional 25/5 intervals โ€ข Random Mystery: Surprise durations keep things interesting โ€ข Emergency Focus: 5-minute rescue sessions โ€ข Energy-Based: Match timer to your current energy โ€ข Deadline Mode: Work backwards from due dates DESIGNED FOR ADHD BRAINS โ€ข Clean, distraction-free interface โ€ข Large, tappable controls โ€ข Gentle notifications (never jarring) โ€ข Task time tracking without pressure โ€ข Visual and audio cues for transitions โ€ข Dark mode for sensitive eyes PREMIUM FEATURES โ€ข Unlimited timer modes โ€ข Advanced analytics and insights โ€ข Custom timer durations โ€ข Recurring task templates โ€ข Export session data Apple Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Built by someone with ADHD, for people with ADHD. Finally, a timer that gets it.

Screenshots

Cucumber Timer4 screens
GentleFocus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Cucumber Timer at 15.0 against GentleFocus's 17.6. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Cucumber Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and GentleFocus sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cucumber Timer ships an update every 9 days, GentleFocus every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 7 level
Cucumber Timer versus GentleFocus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCucumber TimerGentleFocus
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviewsโ€”
Update frequencyEvery 9 days โ€” betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesโ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 โ€” better17.6
Further details โ€” not scored
Size5 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDmytro SerdiukEl ghali khalid

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Cucumber Timer

One-time1
  • Full Version$3.99
2 purchases

GentleFocus

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly Premium$0.991 Month
One-time1
  • Lifetime access$12.99

Questions

Is Cucumber Timer free?
Cucumber Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is GentleFocus free?
GentleFocus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Cucumber Timer or GentleFocus have ads?
Neither Cucumber Timer nor GentleFocus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cucumber Timer or GentleFocus?
Cucumber Timer ships an update every 9 days, and GentleFocus every 10 days. Most recently, Cucumber Timer was updated on October 7, 2026 and GentleFocus on October 14, 2026.

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