Comparison

Focus Timer vs Hourglow

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

Head to head
About

Focus Timer

Enhance focus and build productive habits with a tool that integrates a calendar, timer, and app blocker. Plan your day, track your time, and block distractions to reduce mental load and improve presence.

Highlights
  • Integrates with Apple Calendar
  • Creates focus timers from events
  • Standalone focus timer option
  • App blocking (scheduled and spontaneous)
  • Supports ADHD and neurodivergent minds
  • Reduces mental load
Read full description

Studious is designed to help you stay focused and build studious habits by combining your calendar, to-do list and a focus timer in a single app. 1 – Plan your day Studious connects to Apple Calendar, Apple Reminders and Google Calendar to help you stay organized easily. 2 – Stay focused Use the Studious timer to help you focus during events and block distracting apps. Stay in control of your focus session by adding more time or by ending early, Studious will automatically update your schedule for you. 3 – Get insights Understand how you spend your time by comparing your screen time to your focus time, and set limits on distracting apps. Using Studious can help you: → Create structure to support ADHD and neurodivergent minds → Work or study with greater sustained focus → Reduce mental load and decision fatigue Privacy Policy: https://getstudious.app/privacy Terms of Service: https://getstudious.app/terms

About

Hourglow

Features
Read full description

Reclaim your time. Hourglow blocks the apps and websites that pull you in, so you can focus on what actually matters. Social media at work. Games before bed. Endless scrolling when you should be studying. Hourglow puts you back in control with a single tap. BLOCK DISTRACTIONS INSTANTLY Pick the apps, websites, or whole categories you want a break from, set a timer, and go. 15 minutes or 4 hours, focus starts now. SET IT AND FORGET IT Create recurring schedules that block automatically: work hours, study sessions, bedtime, the gym. Your focus runs on autopilot, every day. BLOCK BY PLACE Trigger blocks the moment you arrive somewhere. Walk into the office or the library and the distractions switch off by themselves. DAILY LIMITS Give yourself a budget. When you hit your daily minutes on an app, Hourglow steps in. STRICT MODE For the moments you would talk yourself out of it. Lock your blocks behind a PIN, a confirmation phrase, and a cool-down delay, so the spur-of-the-moment urge can't win. KEEP WHAT MATTERS WORKING Add an allowlist for the apps that should never be blocked, like phone, maps, messages, and accessibility tools. MAKE IT YOURS Replace the block screen with your own title and motivational message. A reminder of your goals every time you reach for a distraction. SEE YOUR PROGRESS Track the time you've reclaimed with clean weekly stats and insights. Watch your screen time drop. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Hourglow is built on Apple's Screen Time technology. Your data stays on your device. No accounts, no tracking, no sharing. Ever. HOURGLOW PREMIUM Unlock the full experience: - Unlimited apps and categories - Recurring and location-based schedules - Daily usage limits - Strict Mode - Detailed insights - Custom shield messages Try Premium free for 3 days. Cancel anytime. Start with a single block. Reclaim hours. Hourglow offers auto-renewing subscriptions: Annual (with a 3-day free trial) and Weekly. Prices are shown in the app. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you buy a subscription. Terms of Use: https://appfusionutilities.com/focusGuard/terms_of_use.html Privacy Policy: https://appfusionutilities.com/focusGuard/privacy_policy.html

Screenshots

Focus Timer4 screens
Hourglow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Focus Timer at fortnightly against Hourglow's every 3 months. Hourglow's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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 Timer sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Hourglow sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focus Timer ships an update fortnightly, Hourglow every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and August 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Focus Timer versus Hourglow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocus TimerHourglow
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (18 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings18 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS26.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFlorent PerillatSuna Ordulu

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Focus Timer

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$49.99
2 purchases

Hourglow

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Annual3 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Focus Timer free?
Focus Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hourglow free?
Hourglow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Focus Timer or Hourglow have ads?
Neither Focus Timer nor Hourglow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Focus Timer or Hourglow?
Focus Timer ships an update fortnightly, and Hourglow every 3 months. Most recently, Focus Timer was updated on October 20, 2026 and Hourglow on August 30, 2026.

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