Comparison

Timer with Sections vs Focused Work

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

Head to head
About

Timer with Sections

This app helps you manage time during performances by dividing it into customizable sections. It visually displays elapsed and remaining time for both individual sections and the entire event, with options to adjust timing on the fly.

Highlights
  • Structure time into sections
  • Intuitive time visualization
  • Adjust schedule during performance
  • Pause, skip, or reset sections
  • Alarm option for section ends
  • Log finished performance data
Features
Read full description

The 'Timer with Sections' supports you during your performance (e.g., a talk or keynote speech, a seminar or lecture, a workout) by providing intuitively visualized timing information. It allows you to structure time into 'sections'. [ Demo video available at: http://tinyurl.com/iphonetimer ] During your performance, you can easily adjust the schedule by moving time across sections, with a swipe gesture (e.g., when feedback from the audience requires you to skip or intensify a section of your performance) or by pressing the pause button (e.g., when answering a question from the audience requires some extra time). Features: Structuring a Performance: Available time can be divided into sections. Visualization of Time: The performance assistant view intuitively visualizes the remaining and elapsed time, both for the current section and the whole performance. Elapsed time is depicted in red, remaining time in green. An inner disc represents the used and remaining time for the current section. The section title is displayed in the center. An outer ring represents the used and remaining time for the whole performance. The segments of the ring represent the individual sections. Paused time (see below on the concept of pause) will is depicted in dark red. Extra time obtained by skipping parts of a section (see below on the concept of skipping) will be depicted in dark green. Alarm Option: Optionally, you can set an alarm at the end of each section. If set a short tick sound will signal the end of a section. Note: The iPhone will vibrate if you have configured "vibrate" in its sound setup. Managing Time during a Performance: Except for the stop-button you cannot interrupt, pause, extend or shorten a running performance. However, there are advanced possibilities to flexibly adjust the length of a section during a running performance, by moving time among sections. For example, your performance could have a section containing additional results which you might want to shorten or skip in favour of extending another section. There are three ways of altering the planned schedule during a running performance: * Pausing: Holding time for the current section, by shortening a later one. * Skipping: Skipping remaining time of the current section, by extending a later section. * Resetting: Setting elapsed time to zero for the current section, by shortening a later section. Leaving the Application: If you leave the performance assistant view or even the application, then the timer continues to count down. If you return to the performance assistant view, it will recover its previous state, including the elapsed time. If the performance assistant view is interrupted by pressing the home button or an incoming call, then a running performance is automatically switched to 'pause'. Logging a Finished Performance: Upon finishing a performance, you are asked if you like to log that performance. If you log the performance, then data as the actual time run or skipped is stored for each section. This allows you to analyse your performance and hence adjust and improve your schedule. A log of a performance can be viewed at any later time. It can be exported via email. Tips: Rehearsal: If you are creating a new performance, you should use Performance Assistant in a rehearsal. Then analysing your time requirements by checking the log file. Buffer Time: Consider adding a shrinkable section with optional topics or just a general discussion sections towards the end of your performance such that it can serve as a buffer. Note that you can pause a section only if such a buffer exits.

About

Focused Work

This app helps users improve focus and productivity through structured timed sessions. It offers customizable timers, goal setting, and distraction blocking to build healthy work habits.

Highlights
  • Customizable focus sessions
  • Pomodoro and Flowmodoro templates
  • Distraction blocking
  • Reflection and goal tracking
  • Statistics and charts
  • Live Activities and widgets
Features
Read full description

## Featured by App Store in 150+ Countries & Regions # Hot This Week # Apps We Love Right Now # Big Apps From Small Teams # New Apps, Features, and Content ## What People Are Saying "A simple, but valuable utility for creating timed focus sessions of productivity." - MacStories "Focused Work helps you stay on track better than ever" - iMore "Focused Work makes it easy to create and manage Focused Sessions." - 9to5Mac "A tool that helps overcome that first step." - Knapsack Focused Work is a powerful timer that helps you focus and be productive. It's purpose-built for people who want to focus for long periods and struggle with this. Add structure to your day with "Focus Sessions" that encourage you to complete goals, tasks, and help you divide your time into Focus, Break, and Prepare stages. Pick from a selection of templates, including a simple timer, Pomodoro - inspired by the Pomodoro Technique, Flowmodoro - inspired by the Flowtime Technique, and other various sessions. You can also create repeatable sessions specifically tailored to your needs. Add stages, set time limits, and much more. Ultimately, Focused Work helps you be more accountable by reminding you to focus, reflect, and build healthy productivity habits by completing various daily goals. **Core Features** · A simple, powerful timer that keeps you on-task Choose what to focus on. Start the timer. Get stuff done! · Curated Basic Sessions to get started Run a Pomodoro session, Flowmodoro session, or even just a simple timer · Create Focus Sessions Tailor them to your needs with a plethora of configurable options · Reminders Be reminded to stay focused, when to take breaks, and also to start a focus session! · Reflection Track what went well for you during your focus session and what you can improve upon · Scratch Pad Jot down thoughts that come to mind during your session and return to them after · Daily Goals Completing your daily focus goals earns you a streak and helps you form healthy productivity habits · Statistics & Charts Review recent productivity across the past week, month, and year · Block Distractions Select apps and websites you want to restrict access to during a session · In-app Shortcuts Automation Automatically perform actions as you progress through your session, such as turning on Focus · Link with Toggl Track Explore advanced time tracking by linking with Toggl to create time entries, assign projects and tags · Productivity Export Export completed sessions in CSV format **iOS & iPadOS Features** Focused Work is available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with extensive support for each platform; · Live Activities Control your session from the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island · Interactive Widgets Control your session, view daily goals, and start a session from the Home Screen · Control Center Widgets Start a session or access the Scratch Pad with Control Widgets · StandBy Interact with your session while iPhone is in StandBy · Spotlight Search Quick start and interact with sessions from search · Focus Filters Filter which sessions can be viewed & started based on the active Focus · App Shortcuts & Siri Start and interact with a session via various shortcuts that can also be linked together · Picture-in-Picture Show a floating timer above other apps with Picture-in-Picture mode · Session Alerts on all devices Start a session on one device and receive update alerts on others with Focused Work installed · iCloud Syncing Sync productivity stats & created sessions between devices · Privacy Focused Your data is securely stored and managed via iCloud. No account registration. · And much more Mac Support, Share Sheet controls, App Icons, Keyboard Shortcuts, VoiceOver, Split View & Slide Over, Low Power Mode, Drag & Drop, Dark Mode, URL Schemes If you have any questions, please reach out to focusedworkapp@michaeltigas.com.au Privacy Policy: https://focusedwork.app/privacypolicy/ Terms of Use: https://focusedwork.app/terms/

Screenshots

Timer with Sections4 screens
Focused Work4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Focused Work at Free against Timer with Sections's $1.99. Focused Work also leads on ratings volume (603 vs 20). Timer with Sections's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and chart position (#200 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

Focused Work is free to download; Timer with Sections costs $1.99 up front. Focused Work sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Timer with Sections asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Timer with Sections against 4.7 for Focused Work. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Focused Work has 603 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of Timer with Sections's written reviews are positive against 85% of Focused Work's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Timer with Sections ships an update every 2 weeks, Focused Work weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Timer with Sections versus Focused Work: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTimer with SectionsFocused Work
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (20 ratings)4.7 (603 ratings) — better
Positive reviews89.6% of reviews — better84.9% of reviews
Number of ratings20603 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#200 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB155 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChristian FriesMichael Tigas

Customer experience

Timer with Sections

All ratings20 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews67 reviews
Positive89.6%
Neutral4.5%
Negative6.0%

Focused Work

All ratings603 ratings
Positive93.2%
Neutral3.5%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews166 reviews
Positive84.9%
Neutral4.2%
Negative10.8%

Bugs and requests

Timer with Sections

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Focused Work

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login screen freezes
  • Incompatible with older devices
  • Stuck on a session: Gap time
  • Desktop doesn't sync with phone

Requested features

4 requests
  • Need iwatch app
  • Calendar integration?
  • Dark mode option
  • Advanced analytics dashboard

In-app purchases

None

Timer with Sections

No in-app purchases

14 purchases

Focused Work

Subscriptions6
  • Focused Work Pro (1 month)$2.991 Month
  • Focused Work Pro - Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Focused Work Pro (1 month)$6.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Focused Work Pro (1 year)3 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Focused Work Pro - Yearly3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Focused Work Pro (1 year)3 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time8
  • Little Tip$0.99
  • Small Tip$1.99
  • Medium Tip$4.99
Show 5 more
  • Large Tip$9.99
  • Massive Tip$19.99
  • Focused Work Pro Lifetime$59.99
  • Focused Work Pro Lifetime$89.99
  • Focused Work Pro Lifetime$119.99

Questions

Is Timer with Sections free?
Timer with Sections costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Focused Work free?
Focused Work is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Timer with Sections or Focused Work?
Focused Work is rated higher. Timer with Sections averages 4.6 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Focused Work averages 4.7 from 603 ratings.
Do Timer with Sections or Focused Work have ads?
Neither Timer with Sections nor Focused Work shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Timer with Sections or Focused Work?
Timer with Sections ships an update every 2 weeks, and Focused Work weekly. Most recently, Timer with Sections was updated on September 14, 2026 and Focused Work on September 24, 2026.

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