Comparison

Focus Now vs Write First

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

Head to head
About

Focus Now

This app helps you focus and build lasting habits with a customizable Pomodoro timer. It offers AI-powered insights, calming sounds, and goal tracking to enhance productivity for work and study.

Highlights
  • Customizable Pomodoro sessions
  • AI-powered focus insights
  • Background music and calming sounds
  • Personal focus goals and progress tracking
  • App and website blocking
  • Detailed statistics and templates
Features
Read full description

Focus Now – Pomodoro Timer for Work and Study Focus smarter, stay consistent, and build lasting focus habits. The clean, intuitive Pomodoro timer that helps you study, work, and grow without distractions. Highlights: • Customizable Pomodoro sessions • Streaks and badges for motivation • AI-powered focus insights • Background music and calming sounds • Personal focus goals and progress tracking • App and website blocking • Detailed statistics and templates Focus Now is the ultimate Pomodoro timer, focus timer, and study timer app. Whether you want to concentrate while studying, stay productive at work, or create healthy daily routines, Focus Now helps you manage time, improve concentration, and build momentum through personalized focus sessions. Built on the proven Pomodoro Technique, Focus Now keeps you in deep focus while preventing burnout through regular breaks. It’s perfect for study, work, or mindful routines like journaling, reading, or meditation. The app combines focus, structure, and flexibility. Its clean, modern design and improved onboarding make it effortless to start and stay consistent. Set focus goals, track your progress, and stay motivated with streaks and badges that reward every session. Create your ideal work atmosphere with background music and alert sounds, and use AI-powered insights to discover what helps you focus best. With templates, you can easily switch between work, study, and wellness setups — so your routine is always ready when you are. Focus Now adapts to your rhythm, helping you find balance between productivity and recovery. How the Pomodoro Technique Works The Pomodoro Method is a simple but powerful time management system: • 25 minutes of focused work • 5 minutes of short rest • After 4 sessions: a longer 15–30 minute break This rhythm keeps your mind sharp, strengthens focus, and makes productivity sustainable — whether preparing for exams, working remotely, or reducing distractions. Why Choose Focus Now Focus Now is more than just another Pomodoro timer. It’s your complete focus companion — fully customizable and designed to fit your goals. Perfect for: • Students who need a reliable study timer for exams and assignments • Professionals who want to apply deep-work methods for better productivity • People with ADHD who benefit from structured focus sessions • Anyone building habits like mindfulness, journaling, or reading Focus Now combines Pomodoro timer, study timer, and productivity timer in one clean, modern app. Join thousands of users improving their focus, consistency, and well-being every day. Download Focus Now and experience how effortless deep work can feel. Website: https://focus-now.app Terms of Use: https://focus-now.app/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://focus-now.app/privacy Support: contact@focus-now.app

About

Write First

Features
Read full description

Write First is a self-directed app blocker. Pick the apps that pull you in, and they stay paused until you write one honest sentence — then they unlock for a set time and re-lock on their own. When you reach for a blocked app, a calm pause screen stops you before the scroll begins. To get in, you write a single line. That one small step turns an autopilot tap into an actual decision. WHY ONE SENTENCE WORKS Most blockers make you wait, breathe, or tap "confirm." After a day or two, your thumb does all of it without you noticing. Writing one real sentence is the one kind of friction you can't do on autopilot — so the speed bump actually works. It takes about ten seconds, with a prompt already written for you. HOW IT WORKS - Pick your own apps to pause — social, news, games, whatever pulls you in. - Reach for a blocked app and a calm pause screen appears instead. - Pick a mood, get a matched prompt, write one honest line. - Your apps unlock for a set window, then re-lock automatically. - Reach for them again and the pause is right back there, at the real moment of temptation. YOU STAY IN CONTROL This is a speed bump, not a trap. You choose the apps. You choose the windows. And three emergency unlocks a day — five minutes each — open your apps right away when you genuinely need them, with no writing step. You never get locked out of your own phone. You point Write First at your own apps, on your own terms. It never monitors, supervises, or reports on anyone else. There are no dashboards anyone else sees. BUILT THE RIGHT WAY Write First runs on Apple's Screen Time framework, so blocking is system-level and reliable — no VPN trick, no background profile quietly draining your battery. SEE YOUR MOMENTUM A streak counter, check-in history, and simple stats show how often you chose to pause instead of scroll. No nagging, no guilt, no leaderboards. FEATURES - Self-directed blocking of the apps you choose - A one-sentence write step to unlock, with matched prompts - Timed unlock windows that re-lock on their own - Three 5-minute emergency unlocks a day - Streak and momentum tracking - Check-in history and simple stats - Built on Apple Screen Time — no VPN, no background network FREE TO START The free version is genuinely usable: block the apps you choose and use three emergency unlocks a day, no time limit. Write First Pro adds more — custom unlock durations, custom writing length, schedules, more prompt styles, unlimited history, full stats, export, and Face ID lock. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your journal entries, moods, and stats stay on your iPhone — no account, no analytics, no ads, no tracking. The only thing that leaves your device is your subscription, which Apple handles to manage your Pro access. Privacy Policy: https://promptflowbusiness.com/write-first/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Focus Now4 screens
Write First4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Write First at every 2 days against Focus Now's every 2 weeks. Focus Now's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. Focus Now sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Write First sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focus Now ships an update every 2 weeks, Write First every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Focus Now versus Write First: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocus NowWrite First
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size94 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFERDINAND VALENTIN OBERMEIERchad vasquez

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Focus Now

Subscriptions4
  • Focus Now Pro - Monthly7 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Focus Now Pro - Weekly$0.997 Days
  • Focus Now Pro - Annual3 Days trial$6.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Focus Now Pro - Annual7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Focus Now Pro - Lifetime$27.99
2 purchases

Write First

Subscriptions2
  • Write First Pro$4.991 Month
  • Write First Pro7 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Focus Now free?
Focus Now is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Write First free?
Write First is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Focus Now or Write First have ads?
Neither Focus Now nor Write First shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Focus Now or Write First?
Focus Now ships an update every 2 weeks, and Write First every 2 days. Most recently, Focus Now was updated on October 5, 2026 and Write First on October 14, 2026.

Other comparisons