# Dotted vs Alston Focus Flow

The clearest difference is rating: Alston Focus Flow at 5.0 against Dotted's 3.8. Alston Focus Flow also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3). Dotted's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dotted sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Alston Focus Flow asks for nothing beyond the download.

Alston Focus Flow holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

Dotted ships an update every 4 days, Alston Focus Flow every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dotted | Alston Focus Flow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dotted-digital-planner/id6497405508/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alston-focus-flow/id6754951122/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 27 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Akim Kasabulatov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1211314144) | [William Alston](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681395170) |

## What reviewers say

### Dotted

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dotted-digital-planner/id6497405508)

This app offers a digital planning and journaling experience with a focus on customization and efficiency. It features a vast template library, customizable covers, and advanced handwriting recognition to transform your notes into searchable text.

**Highlights:** Extensive template library, Customizable covers and themes, Advanced handwriting recognition, Powerful search functionality, Intuitive interface

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Digital Planner Weekly Access | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Digital Planner Monthly Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Digital Planner Annual Access | $39.99 | per year |


### Alston Focus Flow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alston-focus-flow/id6754951122)

This app uses the Pomodoro Technique to help users improve focus and productivity. It offers customizable work/break intervals, progress tracking with visual analytics, and a distraction-free interface. Smart notifications and accessibility features enhance the user experience.

**Highlights:** Classic and flexible Pomodoro timer presets, Customizable focus and break intervals, Daily focus time and session analytics, Distraction-free design with dark mode and themes, Smart notifications and focus reminders, Home Screen widgets and Siri Shortcuts, Detailed session history export

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dotted free?

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

### Is Alston Focus Flow free?

Alston Focus Flow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Dotted or Alston Focus Flow?

Alston Focus Flow is rated higher. Dotted averages 3.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Alston Focus Flow averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Dotted or Alston Focus Flow have ads?

Alston Focus Flow shows ads; Dotted does not.

### Which is updated more often, Dotted or Alston Focus Flow?

Dotted ships an update every 4 days, and Alston Focus Flow every 2 months. Most recently, Dotted was updated on November 4, 2026 and Alston Focus Flow on October 30, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*