# Focus Tree vs SoBrief

Focus Tree and SoBrief both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 68% of Focus Tree's written reviews are positive against 18% of SoBrief's. Focus Tree also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (5.7K vs 414). SoBrief's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Focus Tree sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and SoBrief sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Focus Tree holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Focus Tree has 5.7K ratings behind it against 414, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Focus Tree's written reviews are positive against 18% of SoBrief's.

Focus Tree ships an update every 2 weeks, SoBrief every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Focus Tree | SoBrief |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-tree-timer-and-flashcards/id1631305261/reviews)** | [4.5 (414 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sobrief-book-summaries/id6723865613/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.7K** | 414 |
| Positive reviews | **67.8% of reviews** | 17.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 265 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.1** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Focus Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1631305263) | [Audiblogs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1543239358) |

## What reviewers say

### Focus Tree

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-tree-timer-and-flashcards/id1631305261)

This app helps students stay focused during study sessions by blocking distractions and offering study timers. It also includes flashcards with spaced repetition for effective learning and allows users to study with friends by growing shared virtual gardens.

**Highlights:** Focus sessions with distraction blocking, Study timers and Pomodoro sessions, Flashcard creation and spaced repetition, Shared virtual gardens for group study, Progress tracking and accountability with friends

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

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Focus Tree Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $49.99 | per year |
| Focus Tree Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $89.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Coin Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack ($9.99) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack ($19.99) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack ($49.99) | $49.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack ($99.99) | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helps with focus and productivity
- 👍 Cute and motivating design
- 🔒 Blocks distracting apps
- 💡 Competitive aspect with friends
- 🌱 Fun to build a garden

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes or gets stuck
- 🔒 Overly restrictive app blocking
- 💰 Lack of customization options
- 🎁 Limited rewards for study sessions

**Reported bugs**

- App gets stuck on loading screen
- Notifications not working as expected
- Account recovery issues when changing devices
- Screen time feature not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Allow pausing of study sessions
- Provide more tiles/rewards for longer study sessions
- Add option to choose different tile designs
- Improve compatibility with larger devices like iPads


### SoBrief

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sobrief-book-summaries/id6723865613)

Access over 73,000 book summaries in over 40 languages, with AI-powered recommendations and audio playback. Discover your next read in minutes and enjoy a distraction-free learning experience.

**Highlights:** AI-powered book discovery, Massive library of summaries, Audio book summaries, Personalized recommendations, Multilingual summaries (40+ languages), Scan book barcodes for summaries, Request book summaries

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SoBrief Pro (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| SoBrief Pro (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| SoBrief Pro (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| SoBrief Pro (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year |
| SoBrief Pro (Yearly) | $44.99 | per year |
| SoBrief Pro (Yearly) | $44.99 | per year |
| SoBrief Pro (Yearly) | $44.99 | per year |
| SoBrief Pro (Yearly) | $44.99 | per year |
| SoBrief Pro (Lifetime) | $59.99 | one-time |
| SoBrief Pro (Lifetime) | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great concept
- 👍 Love the idea
- 👍 Appreciated for catching up on books
- 👍 Allows accelerated reading
- 👍 Summaries are good and informative

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 App crashes frequently
- 😞 Technical issues
- 😞 Low-quality AI summaries
- 😞 Extortionate fees/pricing
- 😞 App not working

**Reported bugs**

- App crashed and stopped working
- App not working
- App crashes frequently
- Delete account button not functional
- Refuse to remove my data

**Requested features**

- Allow users to see how the app works before paying
- Upload GoodReads history
- Include Spanish in languages section
- Better book recommendation engine
- More human-written summaries


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Focus Tree free?

Focus Tree is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SoBrief free?

SoBrief is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Focus Tree or SoBrief?

Focus Tree is rated higher. Focus Tree averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.7K ratings, while SoBrief averages 4.5 from 414 ratings.

### Do Focus Tree or SoBrief have ads?

Focus Tree shows ads; SoBrief does not.

### Which is updated more often, Focus Tree or SoBrief?

Focus Tree ships an update every 2 weeks, and SoBrief every 6 weeks. Most recently, Focus Tree was updated on October 21, 2026 and SoBrief on October 20, 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.*