# Study Buddies vs Nurrow

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Study Buddies at none against Nurrow's 3. Study Buddies also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). Nurrow's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Nurrow sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Study Buddies asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Study Buddies | Nurrow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 738 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [jason punselie](https://appshunter.io/developer/1679426285) | [Aaron Wakely](https://appshunter.io/developer/6774857839) |

## 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


### Nurrow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nurrow-focus-timer/id6774857837)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Caretaker | $3.99 | per month |
| The Deep-Guardian Pass | $39.99 | per year |
| Forever Forager | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Study Buddies free?

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

### Is Nurrow free?

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

### Do Study Buddies or Nurrow have ads?

Study Buddies shows ads; Nurrow does not.

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

Study Buddies ships an update every 2 months, and Nurrow every 2 months. Most recently, Study Buddies was updated on October 4, 2026 and Nurrow on October 5, 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.*