Comparison

Ultimate Focus vs Tempo

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

Head to head
About

Ultimate Focus

Enhance your productivity with a visual timer designed for focused work and study. Manage tasks, utilize Pomodoro cycles, block distractions, and track your progress. Sync with your calendar and personalize your experience with customizable themes and sounds.

Highlights
  • Visual timer with drag-to-set functionality
  • Task-specific focus sessions
  • Pomodoro mode for cycles
  • Distracting app and website blocking
  • Calendar sync for sessions and reflections
  • Customizable themes and icons
  • Home Screen widgets and Shortcuts integration
Features
Read full description

Focus is built less on willpower and more on an environment that makes it easy to begin. Ultimate Focus is a simple focus timer designed with only the features you actually need for work and study. Manage separate sessions for each task, review your focus, use Pomodoro mode, block distracting apps, and sync your sessions with Calendar—all in one app. Features - Drag your finger to quickly set the timer. - Organize your focus time by separating sessions for different tasks. - Stay in rhythm with Pomodoro mode for natural cycles of focus and break. - Review how you focused with stats and reflection features. - Sync your focus sessions and reflections with the Calendar app. - Personalize the app with 70+ color themes and app icons. - Check your focus stats or start a timer right away from Home Screen widgets. - Start a timer using Shortcuts. - Block selected apps and websites while you focus. - Use Habits to receive reminders at the times you want. - Customize notification sounds and background music to match your style. (Premium) - Sync and edit your focus records across devices with iCloud. (Premium) If you experience any issues while using the app, have questions, or find a bug, please contact us anytime at hello@ultimatefocus.app. Terms of Use : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Tempo

This app transforms countdown timers into clear visual progress indicators, helping you stay focused on tasks like work, study, or cooking. It offers multiple visualization options and a distraction-free interface, working reliably offline without requiring an account.

Highlights
  • Multiple visualization options
  • Clean, distraction-free interface
  • Works offline
  • No account setup
  • Reliable background operation
  • Privacy-focused
Features
Read full description

If you have ever looked up and lost an hour, you do not need another number counting down. You need to see time move. Tempo turns time into something you can watch. A dandelion loses its seeds. An eclipse closes over. A snowman gives in to the sun. Glance at your phone from across the room and you know how much is left — no reading, no math. BUILT FOR TIME BLINDNESS Numbers are abstract. If your brain does not track elapsed time on its own, "20 minutes" means nothing until it is already gone. Tempo makes time spatial instead, so you feel it draining rather than having to calculate it. FROM ONE MINUTE TO ONE YEAR Most timers stop at an hour. Tempo has six scales: • MINUTE — a focus sprint or a short break • HOUR — the meeting, the work block • DAY — how much of today is actually left • MONTH — the deadline that still feels far away • SEASON — the stretch you keep meaning to use • YEAR — the one nobody shows you The longer scales run live against the real calendar. Open Tempo in August and the year is already most of the way gone. That is not a gimmick — for anyone who loses whole weeks, seeing it is the point. SEVEN VISUALIZATIONS Dandelion, Dots, Eclipse, Ember, Sand, Snowman, and Thunderstorm. Pick the one your brain actually reads, and set it as your default. ON YOUR WRIST AND HOME SCREEN An Apple Watch app and home screen widgets keep the current scale visible without unlocking anything — so checking the time stops becoming the distraction. BUILT TO STAY QUIET • No account, no sign-up, no email • Every timer works offline — no connection required • No streaks, no badges, no guilt mechanics • No ads, ever Tempo will not fix your relationship with time. It just makes time visible, so the hours stop disappearing without warning. Free to use, including the Dandelion and Dots visualizations and every scale from MINUTE through YEAR. A one-time Pro purchase adds the Eclipse, Ember, Sand, Snowman, and Thunderstorm visualizations and the SEASON scale. No subscription, ever.

Screenshots

Ultimate Focus4 screens
Tempo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Tempo at 5.0 against Ultimate Focus's 4.6. Ultimate Focus's advantage is ratings volume (183 vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Ultimate Focus sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Tempo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tempo holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ultimate Focus has 183 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ultimate Focus ships an update every 3 weeks, Tempo every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Ultimate Focus versus Tempo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUltimate FocusTempo
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (183 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews85.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings183 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size92 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStonicSolutionFoundry24 LLC

Customer experience

Ultimate Focus

All ratings183 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral4.4%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews94 reviews
Positive85.1%
Neutral5.3%
Negative9.6%

Tempo

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

Bugs and requests

Ultimate Focus

Reported bugs

17 issues
  • Pomodoro mode not working
  • Timer not movable after exiting desktop app
  • Session switching on iPhone is confusing
  • Shortcuts only allow one section selection
  • Default timer is always 25 min
Show 12 more
  • Restarting phone requires re-onboarding
  • Alarm sound is too short
  • Icon cannot be moved on home screen
  • Timer doesn't record if stopped early
  • Timer end memo sometimes doesn't display
  • Keynote doesn't show timer overlay
  • App volume cannot be adjusted
  • Dock icon cannot be hidden
  • Sync issues across devices
  • Apple Watch timer stops when screen dims
  • Apple Watch app lacks break timer
  • Timer not resetting correctly

Requested features

37 requests
  • Pause and resume timer functionality
  • Guide website for usage
  • Option to purchase premium
  • Improve iPhone session switching clarity
  • Pomodoro mode without breaks
Show 32 more
  • Ability to add time manually after forgetting to start
  • Count-up (stopwatch) mode
  • Ability to choose own theming colors
  • Weekly report with productivity insights
  • AI to break down trends
  • Continuous timer alarm sound until dismissed
  • Real-time widget for specific sessions
  • Ability to set default timer per session
  • Option to change daily reset time (e.g., 2 AM instead of midnight)
  • Show current time on Apple Watch timer screen
  • Option to hide numbers on menu bar timer
  • Option to have timer circle represent full visual space regardless of duration
  • Ability to run multiple timers simultaneously
  • Bar graph option for timer visualization
  • Stopwatch mode for flexible time tracking
  • Option to change time cycle for daily reset
  • One-time purchase option for premium
  • More sound themes or custom color themes
  • Option to disable retrospect pop-up
  • Digital display option for timer
  • Adjustable alarm volume within the app
  • Option to hide app icon from dock
  • Tutorial for Pomodoro mode settings
  • Option to make timer display on Keynote
  • Sync session and retrospect lists across devices
  • Improve Apple Watch app functionality (e.g., break timer)
  • Option to set timer for over 60 minutes
  • Option to reset timer to start from beginning
  • Option to have timer on every desktop
  • Option to show only icon on menu bar
  • Invert clock colors for focus and break times
  • Ability to change timer duration for each session individually

Tempo

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Ultimate Focus

Subscriptions3
  • Ultimate Focus - Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Ultimate Focus - Annual7 Days trial$17.991 Year
  • Ultimate Focus - Annual$17.991 Year
One-time1
  • Ultimate Focus - Lifetime$39.99
1 purchases

Tempo

One-time1
  • Tempo Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Ultimate Focus free?
Ultimate Focus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tempo free?
Tempo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Ultimate Focus or Tempo?
Tempo is rated higher. Ultimate Focus averages 4.6 out of 5 from 183 ratings, while Tempo averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Ultimate Focus or Tempo have ads?
Neither Ultimate Focus nor Tempo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ultimate Focus or Tempo?
Ultimate Focus ships an update every 3 weeks, and Tempo every 2 months. Most recently, Ultimate Focus was updated on October 6, 2026 and Tempo on September 23, 2026.

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