Comparison

Pomodoro vs Ember

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

Head to head
About

Pomodoro

Enhance concentration and achieve goals with a smart timer, AI-driven planning, and ambient sounds. Track progress visually and receive gentle reminders to stay on course. Designed for focused work and study sessions.

Highlights
  • Customizable Pomodoro timer
  • AI-powered goal planning
  • Ambient sounds and music
  • Detailed progress tracking
  • Smart notifications
  • Dark interface
Features
Read full description

Focus On is your personal productivity companion that helps you stay focused and achieve your goals using the proven Pomodoro Technique. KEY FEATURES: SMART POMODORO TIMER - Customizable focus and break durations - Automatic session transitions - Track your daily focus time AI-POWERED GOAL PLANNING - Set meaningful goals and let AI create your action plan - Break down big goals into achievable milestones - Track progress with visual insights AMBIENT SOUNDS & MUSIC - Nature sounds: Rain, Ocean, Forest, Fire - Lo-Fi beats for deep focus - Meditation and calm music - White, pink, and brown noise DETAILED PROGRESS TRACKING - Daily, weekly, and monthly statistics - Visual progress charts - Focus streaks and achievements SMART NOTIFICATIONS - Gentle reminders to stay on track - Customizable notification times - Milestone completion alerts BEAUTIFUL DARK INTERFACE - Easy on the eyes during long focus sessions - Clean, distraction-free design Whether you're studying, working, or pursuing personal projects, Focus On helps you make the most of your time. Start your first focus session today and build lasting productivity habits. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Ember

Features
Read full description

Ember is a quiet but powerful timer, perfect as a desktop companion when you study or work. ◎ Ticks every second Ember’s timer has a beautifully crafted design. Every second, the timer dial ticks, quietly but lively. It’s life is what makes it different — a perfect choice for those who need a body-doubling companion, including those who are neurodivergent. ◎ Customize it your way Customize the timer with theme colours and a countdown text font. It’s something to look at, so why not make it great? ◎ Never miss it with alarm or notification When the timer expires, the alarm goes off so you won’t miss it. You can also choose to receive a notification instead. Alarm is available on iOS 26.1 and later. ◎ Shortcuts support Start, pause, resume, or reset the timer from Shortcuts. You simply never have to touch the app or unlock your phone — simply ask Siri or use your iPhone’s Action Button. You can also get the current timer status with an action in Shortcuts. This allows you to build more complex workflows that suit your needs. ◎ Widgets and Standby Pin your timer on the Home Screen to keep an eye on its status. You can also add the same widget in large print to Standby.

Screenshots

Pomodoro4 screens
Ember2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pomodoro at every 8 days against Ember's every 5 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Pomodoro sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Ember sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pomodoro ships an update every 8 days, Ember every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Pomodoro versus Ember: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPomodoroEmber
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.0 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlina BohuslavskaSasquatch Studio Inc.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Pomodoro

Subscriptions4
  • Unlimited access3 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Weekly$2.997 Days
  • Monthly$4.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Deal!$69.99
1 purchases

Ember

One-time1
  • Ember Plus$4.99

Questions

Is Pomodoro free?
Pomodoro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Ember free?
Ember is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pomodoro or Ember have ads?
Neither Pomodoro nor Ember shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pomodoro or Ember?
Pomodoro ships an update every 8 days, and Ember every 5 weeks. Most recently, Pomodoro was updated on October 2, 2026 and Ember on October 9, 2026.

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