# Focus Tree vs AI Note To Self

The clearest difference is ads: AI Note To Self at none against Focus Tree's shown. AI Note To Self also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Focus Tree's advantage is ratings volume (5.7K vs 1). On price, update cadence, 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 AI Note To Self sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

AI Note To Self holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Focus Tree has 5.7K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Focus Tree | AI Note To Self |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (5.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-tree-timer-and-flashcards/id1631305261/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-note-to-self-study-buddy/id6740374844/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.7K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 68.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 265 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.1** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Focus Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1631305263) | [The Anode Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/504071984) |

## 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


### AI Note To Self

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-note-to-self-study-buddy/id6740374844)

This AI-powered tool analyzes your audio lectures or PDF documents to instantly generate study notes, flashcards, and quizzes. It also offers essay grading and improvement suggestions to help you learn and excel in any subject.

**Highlights:** Instant document analysis, Automatic flashcard generation, Customized quiz creation, Essay grading and improvement suggestions, Interactive Q&A with AI, Summaries and study guides

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Study Buddy Weekly Plan | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Study Buddy Monthly Plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Study Buddy Yearly Plan | $119.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Focus Tree free?

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

### Is AI Note To Self free?

AI Note To Self is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Focus Tree or AI Note To Self?

AI Note To Self is rated higher. Focus Tree averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.7K ratings, while AI Note To Self averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Focus Tree or AI Note To Self have ads?

Focus Tree shows ads; AI Note To Self does not.

### Which is updated more often, Focus Tree or AI Note To Self?

Focus Tree ships an update every 2 weeks, and AI Note To Self every 2 weeks. Most recently, Focus Tree was updated on October 17, 2026 and AI Note To Self on October 5, 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.*