# Backroom Journal vs FocusMon

The clearest difference is rating: Backroom Journal at 5.0 against FocusMon's 3.0. Backroom Journal also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 12) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 26.0). FocusMon's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FocusMon sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Backroom Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

Backroom Journal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

Backroom Journal ships an update every 3 weeks, FocusMon every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backroom Journal | FocusMon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backroom-journal/id6514323403/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focusmon/id6759553560/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 34 MB | 665 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ethan Downs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1755773158) | [Fynn Loosen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879464010) |

## What reviewers say

### Backroom Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backroom-journal/id6514323403)

Collaborate with others in shared spaces to discuss and propose solutions to societal problems. This app uses AI to analyze conversations and suggest unbiased solutions, making them accessible to everyone.

**Highlights:** Collaborative Rooms for discussion, AI-powered solution suggestions, Publicly accessible solutions and conversations, Social media integration for problem-solving, Community-driven problem resolution

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### FocusMon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focusmon/id6759553560)

This app gamifies phone-free time by opening a rift where monsters appear as long as you stay focused. Collect, evolve, and battle monsters using shards earned from focused sessions. Engage in turn-based battles with friends and players worldwide, and grow stronger together with your monster companions.

**Highlights:** Gamified focus sessions, Monster collection and evolution, Turn-based monster battles, Live Activity timer, Friend trading and pacts, Daily and weekly goals

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FocusMon+ | $3.99 | per month |
| FocusMon+ (Yearly) | $22.99 | per year |
| Raid Key | $0.99 | one-time |
| Emote Pack — Savage | $0.99 | one-time |
| Emote Pack — Party | $0.99 | one-time |
| Emote Pack — Meme | $0.99 | one-time |
| 250 Sprite Shards | $0.99 | one-time |
| Key Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| Rift Pass – Ember Season | $2.99 | one-time |
| Rift Pass — Season 0 | $2.99 | one-time |
| 1,250 Sprite Shards | $3.99 | one-time |
| 2,500 Sprite Shards | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backroom Journal free?

Backroom Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is FocusMon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Backroom Journal or FocusMon?

Backroom Journal is rated higher. Backroom Journal averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while FocusMon averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Backroom Journal or FocusMon have ads?

Neither Backroom Journal nor FocusMon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Backroom Journal or FocusMon?

Backroom Journal ships an update every 3 weeks, and FocusMon every 3 days. Most recently, Backroom Journal was updated on October 5, 2026 and FocusMon on October 12, 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.*