Comparison

Minimal vs Flowstate

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

Head to head
About

Minimal

This app transforms your home screen into a distraction-free, text-based launcher using widgets. It helps reduce screen time by hiding distracting icons and notification badges, allowing for a more personalized and focused mobile experience.

Highlights
  • Text-based app launcher widgets
  • Reduces screen time
  • Hides distracting icons
  • Customizable widget appearance
  • Personalized home screen setup
Read full description

Hey there! I’m the maker of Minimal. Like many of you, I found myself constantly checking my phone, hopping from one app to another, and losing precious hours. That's why I created Minimal — to help us reclaim our time and focus by cutting down on digital clutter. Here’s What Minimal Can Do For You: 1. A Cleaner Home Screen Minimal uses home screen widgets to transform your home screen with a sleek, text-based app launcher — access what you need without distractions. 2. Reduce Screen Time Keep distracting icons and notification badges out of sight. This "out of sight, out of mind" strategy helps reduce unnecessary screen time. 3. Personalize Your Experience Your phone should reflect your style. Customize the look and feel of your widgets to create a setup that’s uniquely yours. Why Minimal? I built Minimal initially to help myself focus more and swipe less. It turned my phone from a distraction into a tool. Minimal has transformed my relationship with my phone, and I hope it does for you too. Unlock everything for the price of a latte. No subscriptions or hidden fees. Try it free for 7 days, no payment required if you don’t love it! About Us: ByteBrew is a one-man app studio based in NYC, building high-quality apps that deliver real value at a fair price. We’re committed to using technology to improve lives.

About

Flowstate

This app helps ambitious individuals eliminate distractions, sharpen focus, and structure their days. It combines a daily planner, app blocker, and minimalist launcher to create a focused phone experience.

Highlights
  • Flow Mode (App Blocker)
  • Timeblock Planner
  • Minimalist Launcher
  • Friends & Leaderboard
  • Integrated with Apple Focus & Shortcuts
  • Works offline
Read full description

Transform Your Phone. Transform Your Life. Level up your productivity. Take control of your time. Enter the flowstate. Flowstate is an optimal app built to help ambitious individuals eliminate distractions, sharpen their focus, and structure their days with purpose. Whether you're an entrepreneur, business person, athlete, student, or creative, Flowstate gives you the tools to block out noise, manage your time, and build a phone experience that works for you, not against you. Designed for the self-improvement enthusiast, Flowstate combines a daily planner, intelligent app blocker, and minimalist launcher to create a productivity dashboard like no other. No clutter. No overwhelm. Just structure, clarity, and control. Core Features Flow Mode (App Blocker) Enter the zone with a single tap. The “Flow” session feature acts like an advanced focus mode, blocking distractions and muting notifications so you can stay locked in. No targets. Just hit start and track your time in flow Free users get an hour per day - upgrade for unlimited focus Integrated with Apple Focus & Shortcuts Unbreakable blocking: no access to blocked apps until you end the session Timeblock Planner Structure your day like a high performer. Flowstate’s clean, fast time-blocking planner lets you map your time and stick to it. Create intentional blocks for deep work, training, study, and rest Visual time grid for clarity Set reminders and stack wins Set recurring time blocks. Set ‘in-flow’ time blocks where apps are blocked ahead of time. Your first block is created during onboarding Minimalist Launcher Simplify your homescreen and launch only what matters. Replace app icons with a custom widget and shortcuts Eliminate visual clutter Integrates with Apple Shortcuts Walkthrough included: dark mode, grayscale, reduced motion Friends & Leaderboard Stay accountable and compete with friends for total flow time. See your weekly streaks and session highs Compete with usernames (no photos, fully minimal) Instant leaderboard display on your Focus screen Optimized for Simplicity & Performance No ads. No noise. Just you and your goals Works offline Optimized for iOS with fluid UI and haptics Lightweight and battery-friendly Built for Modern High Performers Our users aren’t just “busy.” They’re building. They’re focused. If you're tired of being distracted, wasting hours on your phone, or feeling scattered, then Flowstate was built for you. This isn’t just a productivity app. It’s a new way to use your phone. More structure. More progress. More you. Whether you’re chasing your next startup, training for peak performance, or just want to stop mindlessly scrolling, Flowstate is your all-in-one tool for personal momentum. Download Flowstate now and start: reclaiming your time, building momentum, and actualizing your potential. Privacy Policy: https://github.com/flowstatehq/flowstatetos/blob/main/privacypolicy Terms and Conditions of use: https://github.com/flowstatehq/flowstatetos/blob/main/termsconds

Screenshots

Minimal4 screens
Flowstate4 screens

Verdict

The call

Minimal and Flowstate are too close to call on the numbers: across 8 compared parameters — price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Minimal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Flowstate sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Minimal ships an update every 2 months, Flowstate every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Minimal versus Flowstate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMinimalFlowstate
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperByteBrew LLCTyne Technologies

Customer experience

Minimal

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Flowstate

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Minimal

One-time1
  • Lifetime Membership$4.99
6 purchases

Flowstate

Subscriptions5
  • Weekly$0.997 Days
  • Monthly Affiliated$4.991 Month
  • Monthly14 Days trial$9.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Annual Subscription$29.991 Year
  • Annual Affiliated$44.991 Year
One-time1
  • Flowstate Pro One-Time$49.99

Questions

Is Minimal free?
Minimal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Flowstate free?
Flowstate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Minimal or Flowstate have ads?
Neither Minimal nor Flowstate shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Minimal or Flowstate?
Minimal ships an update every 2 months, and Flowstate every 6 weeks. Most recently, Minimal was updated on October 24, 2026 and Flowstate on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons