Comparison

BePresent vs Simply Focus

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

Head to head
About

BePresent

This app helps you reclaim your time and improve your life by reducing screen time. It uses app blocking, gamification, social competition, and real-life rewards to make staying off your phone fun and easy. Track your usage and earn points redeemable for wellness-focused rewards.

Highlights
  • App blocking sessions (individual, group, beast mode)
  • Set daily goals and build streaks
  • Monetary stakes for commitment
  • Weekly leaderboards and friend challenges
  • Earn real-life rewards (meditation, workouts, therapy)
  • Scrolling awareness reminders
  • Time tracking and daily reports
Features
Read full description

BePresent is the #1 app to control your screen time and supercharge your productivity, mental health, and quality of life. Experience life beyond the screen as you reclaim Your Time and earn rewards that improve your life with BePresent! 25 years. That’s the average time you will spend on your phone. With a combination of app blocking, gamification, social competition with friends, and real-life rewards, you will reclaim YEARS of your life like thousands of BePresent members already have. We know you’ve tried to solve this problem before. But we’re not like other screen time apps. ▶ WHAT USERS ARE CELEBRATING ◀ • “I was able to go from 7+ hours per day to less than 2 hours! 10/10 would recommend” - Andrew M. • “FINALLY an app that actually curbs my screen addiction instead of time limits that I just ignore!” - Gina V. • “I’ve tried everything but nothing has worked. I almost gave up before I used BePresent! Thank god I tried it as I’ve reduced my screen time by over 3 hours a day!” - Jack W. Download now to experience life to the fullest. Instead of annoying app blockers or time limits, BePresent makes it fun and easy to stay off your phone. ▶ FEATURES ◀ [ BePresent App Blocking Sessions - Individual, Group, & BEAST MODE ] • Dive into Present Sessions! Dedicate breaks from screens, whether it's a focused study session or a no-phone night out. Team up with friends for Group Sessions and joint tech time-outs. Share updates, cheer, and keep one another accountable—all from within the app. Need a stringent break? Enter BEAST MODE, ensuring unwavering commitment [ Set Daily Goals and Build Your Streak ] • Choose your digital boundaries. Maintain your streak by sticking to set screen time limits. Back your commitment with a monetary stake — overshoot, and that stake's gone. Customize reminders and design your journey to digital well-being. [ Compete on Weekly Leaderboards and Challenge Your Friends] • Show off your productivity prowess by competing against others on weekly leaderboards. Advance tiers so you’ll feel like a productivity superhero every day. Practicing mindful phone habits has never been so motivating and rewarding! [ Earn Real-Life Rewards ] • The ultimate motivation - earn points you can redeem for real-life rewards by limiting your screen time. Best of all, your rewards will also improve your life. Learn to meditate with a premium Headspace subscription. Redeem free workout classes with ClassPass. Schedule discounted therapy sessions with BetterHelp. Earn these rewards and more all by staying off your phone. [ Never Doomscroll Again ] • Set hourly scrolling awareness reminders so you never lose track of time doomscrolling again [ Time Tracking & Daily Reports ] • Measure the moments you're truly present. Access daily and weekly breakdowns, complemented by a comprehensive day-before report, amplifying your adherence to reality. [ Improve Your Well-Being ] • By reducing screen time, you'll improve your overall well-being and gain access to educational content that explains how reducing screen time can benefit you in multiple ways. Learn how to manage ADHD better, improve your mental health, and be more present with your loved ones, all while improving your sleep and becoming less distracted. [ Complete Privacy and Data Security ] • Data dignity, delivered. All of your data is private and safe with Apple’s Screen Time API. We do not have access to any specific content you access on your iPhone, and none of your personal data ever leaves your device. ▶ WE'RE HERE FOR EVERY QUERY ◀ Questions or feedback? Reach us at https://www.getpresentapp.com/ or shoot an email at contact@getpresentapp.com. Let's journey to mindful tech use together. Note: All rewards are sponsored by BePresent and our partners. Apple does not sponsor any of the in-app rewards. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.getpresentapp.com/privacy-policy

About

Simply Focus

This app helps you manage your tasks by allowing you to add all your to-dos and then select the top 1-3 most important items to focus on. It provides a clean, uncluttered interface to work through your priorities without distraction.

Highlights
  • Simple to-do list
  • Select top 1-3 focus items
  • Reorder focus list
  • Swap tasks
  • Cross off items
  • Home & Lock Screen widgets
  • Light/Dark/Automatic appearance
Features
Read full description

Simply Focus helps you keep your to-do list clean, clear, and focused. Add everything you need to do, then choose the top 1, 2, or 3 things that matter most right now. Instead of staring at a long overwhelming list, Simply Focus gives you a clean space to work through what is actually important. Built with an Apple-inspired feel and simplicity, Simply Focus is polished and intentionally uncluttered. No ads. No accounts. No noisy dashboards. No productivity fluff. Just your list, your top priorities, and a beautiful way to stay focused. Features • Keep one simple list of all your to-dos • Choose your top 1-3 focus items • Reorder your focus list • Swap tasks when priorities change • Cross items off or automatically pull in the next task • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets • Light, dark, and automatic appearance • Local-first design with no ads or tracking Focus on what matters. Keep the rest out of the way.

Screenshots

BePresent4 screens
Simply Focus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Simply Focus at none against BePresent's 10. Simply Focus also leads on ads (none vs shown). BePresent's advantage is ratings volume (72K vs 2) and chart position (#36 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and device support 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. BePresent sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Simply Focus asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Simply Focus holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BePresent has 72K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BePresent ships an update every 5 days, Simply Focus weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
BePresent versus Simply Focus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBePresentSimply Focus
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (72K ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews68.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings72K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterWeekly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#36 — better—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size106 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperScreen Detox IncNICHOLAS EDWARD MAY

Customer experience

BePresent

All ratings71,528 ratings
Positive96.6%
Neutral1.3%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews4,016 reviews
Positive68.7%
Neutral6.3%
Negative25.1%

Simply Focus

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

BePresent

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Freezing and crashing issues
  • Inaccurate screen time reporting
  • Inability to restore purchases
  • Persistent app blocking even after uninstallation
  • Setup process getting stuck on permissions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Allow selective app blocking
  • Exclude certain apps from screen time tracking
  • More customization options for notifications
  • Expand to iPad and other devices
  • Improve overall stability and reliability

Simply Focus

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

BePresent

Subscriptions10
  • Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Monthly (1-Week Free Trial)7 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Annual (1-Week Free Trial)7 Days trial$24.991 Year
Show 7 more
  • BePresent Pro (Annual)$24.991 Year
  • BePresent Pro (Annual)$29.991 Year
  • Annual (3-Day Free Trial)3 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Annual (30-day Trial)1 Month trial$59.991 Year
  • Annual (1-Week Free Trial)7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Annual (2-week Free Trial)14 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • BePresent Pro Family (iCloud)7 Days trial$99.991 Year
None

Simply Focus

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BePresent free?
BePresent is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Simply Focus free?
Simply Focus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, BePresent or Simply Focus?
Simply Focus is rated higher. BePresent averages 4.8 out of 5 from 72K ratings, while Simply Focus averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do BePresent or Simply Focus have ads?
BePresent shows ads; Simply Focus does not.
Which is updated more often, BePresent or Simply Focus?
BePresent ships an update every 5 days, and Simply Focus weekly. Most recently, BePresent was updated on November 8, 2026 and Simply Focus on November 5, 2026.

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