Comparison

Exocus vs Focustown

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

Head to head
About

Exocus

This app transforms focus sessions into a gamified experience, visualizing your concentration as a planet's evolution. Earn rewards, unlock new designs, and overcome procrastination with engaging, pixel-art visuals and a unique reward system.

Highlights
  • Gamified focus timer
  • Planet evolution visualization
  • Pixel art design
  • Stage-based incentives
  • Unlockable planet designs
  • Hardcore Mode for increased stakes
Features
Read full description

Exocus is a pixel-art, gamified focus timer app. Here, your focus is no longer boring, repetitive, or meaningless because every moment of your focus will transform your very own planet. Do you struggle with staying motivated when you commit to doing something valuable in the long run, like learning new words, practicing an instrument, working out, or mastering a new language? Initially, you're full of enthusiasm, but soon, your passion wanes. Memorizing words becomes a chore, the instrument is neglected, workouts turn into a burden, and progress in the new language stalls... You start doubting yourself: “Maybe I just don’t have what it takes to stick with long-term commitments.” That’s not true! Let us explain the real reasons. ● Lack of Immediate Rewards: You understand the long-term value of these tasks, but how much does this half-hour of focus matter right now? ● Repetition Leads to Boredom: When the initial novelty wears off, the repetitive nature of the task can make you feel bored and tired. ● Overly Negative Focus: Focusing on what you haven't accomplished rather than acknowledging what you have done can lead to negative self-evaluation and loss of motivation. Let Exocus Help You! ====== Exocus Solutions ====== Exocus is a gamified focus timer that visualizes your concentration as a planet's evolution, helping you achieve long-term, pain-free focus. ● Emotional Design and Sense of Meaning After each focus session, you’ll see the story of what happened to your planet during that time. Even five minutes of focus equals 38.53 million years of evolution for your planet, so your focus is crucial. Want to raise the stakes? You can enable “Hardcore Mode,” where failing to focus might cause your planet to be destroyed! ● Stage-Based Incentives Short-term Incentives: After each focus session, the planet’s landscape changes and tells you its story. Medium-term Incentives: After several hours of focus, the planet undergoes more significant transformations, like forming magma, oceans, and land. Long-term Incentives: After around ten hours of focus, the planet completes its evolution. You can then add it to your star system, with each project corresponding to a star system, showcasing your long-term accumulation in that project. ● Continuous Freshness We offer hundreds of unique planet designs, satisfying your curiosity and desire to collect with constant surprises. See a planet's full appearance only after evolving it through focused efforts. Earn Stardust coins by focusing to unlock new planet seeds, motivating continuous concentration. ====== What Makes Exocus Special? ====== ● Meticulously Crafted Design Exocus uses a unique pixel art style, maintaining simplicity while incorporating delightful little Easter eggs for you to discover. We believe the beauty of Exocus can bring joy, which will ultimately translate into more focused time. ● Fun Game Elements Exocus embraces gamified design in a bold yet restrained and professional manner. We hope the game elements help you enjoy focusing, and we also care deeply about your ability to truly focus. We’ve eliminated anything that could distract you because we genuinely want to focus on achieving long-term goals with you. ● Flexible Focus Modes Exocus supports countdown timers, stopwatch mode, and the Pomodoro technique. In the Pomodoro technique, you can flexibly set focus and break durations and specify longer breaks after several focus cycles. ● Convenient Project Management Each project corresponds to a planet. You can track different categories of focus time with projects and quickly switch between projects on the home screen by swiping left or right. ● Personalized Statistics Based on your focus data, we provide personalized charts to help you understand your focus patterns and stay motivated to maintain consistent focus. Terms of Use: https://byland.work/exocus/terms-en.html Support: exocus@byland.work

About

Focustown

This app offers a virtual study environment where users can connect with others globally. Choose from cozy settings like cafes or libraries to focus alongside real people in real time, fostering accountability and motivation for students and professionals.

Highlights
  • Cozy study environments (cafes, libraries)
  • Study with real people globally
  • Earn coins and customize character
  • Study with friends for accountability
  • Built-in focus timer
Features
Read full description

Study with people from all over the world in a cozy low poly environment. Focustown helps you achieve your dreams one focus session at a time. Pick your vibe — a cozy cafe or a quiet library — and join a server where you can sit next to real people studying in real time. Whether you're a student grinding for exams or a working professional tackling your next big project, you're never alone on your journey. FEATURES: • Cozy Study Environments – Choose between beautifully designed cafes and libraries to set the perfect study mood. • Study With Real People – Join servers and focus alongside others from around the world in real time. • Earn Coins & Customize – Complete focus sessions to earn coins and decorate your character with fun accessories. • Study With Friends – Start sessions with your real friends and hold each other accountable. • Focus Timer – A built-in study timer to keep you on track and make every session count. Focustown was built to inspire millions of students and working professionals — reminding them that they're not alone in their journey to make a dent in this universe. Your dreams are worth every focus session. Start yours today. Similar apps include: Forest, Focus Tree, Flora, or Study Bunny Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Exocus4 screens
Focustown4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Exocus at none against Focustown's shown. Exocus also leads on review sentiment (96% vs 77%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.2). Focustown's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (8.3K vs 131). On price, rating, 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. Exocus sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Focustown sells 21 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Exocus against 4.8 for Focustown. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Focustown has 8.3K ratings behind it against 131, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 96% of Exocus's written reviews are positive against 77% of Focustown's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Exocus ships an update every 3 weeks, Focustown every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Exocus versus Focustown: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterExocusFocustown
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (131 ratings) — better4.8 (8.3K ratings)
Positive reviews96.3% of reviews — better77.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1318.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#204 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.2
Further details — not scored
Size80 MB1.0 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperByland Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.Second Round Inc.

Customer experience

Exocus

All ratings131 ratings
Positive99.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.8%
Written reviews215 reviews
Positive96.3%
Neutral1.9%
Negative1.9%

Focustown

All ratings8,085 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral2.6%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews944 reviews
Positive77.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative13.0%

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Exocus

One-time7
  • Newcomer Pack$0.29
  • Cosmoney x 5$0.99
  • Cosmoney x 30$4.99
Show 4 more
  • Cosmoney x 100$13.99
  • Exopass$15.99
  • Exopass + Cosmoney x 200$34.99
  • Exopass$34.99
21 purchases

Focustown

Subscriptions6
  • Foucstown Pro Weekly$2.997 Days
  • Foucstown Pro Monthly3 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Foucstown Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Foucstown Pro Yearly$19.991 Year
  • Foucstown Pro Yearly$39.991 Year
  • Foucstown Pro Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time15
  • Pocketful of Brown Beans$0.99
  • Pocketful Golden Beans$0.99
  • Purchase Coffee Boost$0.99
Show 12 more
  • Single Coffee Boost$0.99
  • Handful of Golden Beans$0.99
  • Sack of Golden Beans$2.99
  • Bag of Brown Beans$3.99
  • Bucket of Golden Beans$3.99
  • Super Boost Pack$3.99
  • Sack of Golden Beans$3.99
  • Bucket of Brown Beans$9.99
  • Cart of Brown Beans$9.99
  • Bucket of Golden Beans$9.99
  • Bucket of Golden Beans$19.99
  • Cart of Golden Beans$39.99

Questions

Is Exocus free?
Exocus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Focustown free?
Focustown is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Exocus or Focustown?
Exocus is rated higher. Exocus averages 4.9 out of 5 from 131 ratings, while Focustown averages 4.8 from 8.3K ratings.
Do Exocus or Focustown have ads?
Focustown shows ads; Exocus does not.
Which is updated more often, Exocus or Focustown?
Exocus ships an update every 3 weeks, and Focustown every 2 days. Most recently, Exocus was updated on October 21, 2026 and Focustown on October 21, 2026.

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