# Study Buddies vs CoreFocus

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Study Buddies at none against CoreFocus's 4. Study Buddies also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). CoreFocus's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CoreFocus sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Study Buddies asks for nothing beyond the download.

Study Buddies ships an update every 2 months, CoreFocus every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Study Buddies | CoreFocus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 738 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [jason punselie](https://appshunter.io/developer/1679426285) | [Isuru Lakmal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1825451258) |

## What reviewers say

### Study Buddies

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-buddies-focus-timer/id6446861499)

This app uses a gamified Pomodoro technique to help users focus on tasks and reduce phone usage. It offers ambient sounds and competitive features to motivate users to build better habits and improve productivity.

**Highlights:** Gamified focus timer, Pomodoro technique, Habit tracking and building, Ambient sounds (lo-fi, white noise), Competitive features with friends, Phone addiction reduction

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### CoreFocus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/corefocus-study-timer-and-farm/id6753196759)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CoreFocus Weekly Pro | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| CoreFocus Monthly Pro | $3.99 | per month |
| CoreFocus Yearly Pro | $14.99 | per year |
| CoreFocus Lifetime pro access | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Study Buddies free?

Study Buddies is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CoreFocus free?

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

### Do Study Buddies or CoreFocus have ads?

Both Study Buddies and CoreFocus show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Study Buddies or CoreFocus?

Study Buddies ships an update every 2 months, and CoreFocus every 4 weeks. Most recently, Study Buddies was updated on September 17, 2026 and CoreFocus on September 15, 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.*