Comparison

Focalist vs Tickbase

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

Head to head
About

Focalist

This task manager allows for quick editing of to-do items and prioritizes tasks based on context, such as location. It offers instant synchronization and offline access to your lists.

Highlights
  • Instant task editing
  • Location-based tasks
  • Cross-platform sync
  • Offline-first support
  • Prioritized 'Now' view
Features
Read full description

A fast and efficient todo/task manager with reminders. Includes cross-platform sync and location-based tasks. • Edit tasks instantly without getting stuck in an item subscreen. It feels as lightweight as editing a document. • Bring your tasks to you. Everything you need to do is brought to the Now view - like your shopping list when you arrive at the grocery store, or the next task on a project. • Instant sync, with offline-first support. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Tickbase

Organize your life with a streamlined to-do list that understands natural language input for task creation. Plan long-term goals, manage multi-step projects, and set custom reminders. Integrates with Siri and offers home screen widgets for quick access.

Highlights
  • Natural language task input
  • Siri integration
  • Yearly and multi-step project planning
  • Customizable reminders
  • Home and lock screen widgets
  • Shared lists with collaboration
  • Email to task conversion
Features
Read full description

Tickbase is the to-do list with everything you need to get things done, and none of the noise. Type a task the way you’d say it, “Call mum tomorrow at 5pm”, and the date, time and list are set for you. No feeds, no clutter, and no AI of its own. WORKS WITH SIRI Add a task, tick one off, or ask what’s due today, without opening the app. With Apple Intelligence, ask in your own words: “the passport one, tick it off”. Two switches decide whether Siri may change your tasks and see them, and locked lists always stay out of it. PLAN YOUR YEAR Turn a resolution into steps: read 24 books, run 500 km. Tickbase puts a milestone in your list each week, tells you whether you’re ahead or behind, and offers a new plan when one slips. Keep a bucket list beside it, with steps, shared with the people you’ll do it with. PLAN WORK THAT TAKES MORE THAN ONE SITTING Give a big task several work sessions across your week. Each one sits on your calendar, reminds you before it starts, and records the time you spent. COUNT DOWN TO WHAT MATTERS Birthdays, holidays and anniversaries, with the days to go and your own photo behind any of them. REMINDERS THAT RING • On time, even when Tickbase is closed • Set a reminder on your laptop and it rings on your phone • Done and Snooze right on the notification • Keep reminding until you act, as often as every 30 seconds • Ring as an alarm for the ones you can’t miss, through silent mode and Focus • Reminders before your calendar’s events, with a lead time for each calendar MADE FOR IPHONE DUO AND IPAD Open your iPhone Duo and your list sits beside the task you’re working on. Close it and the task carries on full screen. On iPad, your views open beside the menu. ON YOUR HOME AND LOCK SCREEN • A Today widget with your tasks and the day’s calendar events, ticked off right there • Widgets for habits, a resolution and a countdown • The focus timer on the lock screen and in the Dynamic Island • An Add a task button for Control Center, the lock screen and the Action Button • Your tasks in iPhone search EVERYTHING ELSE IN ONE PLACE • Today, Tomorrow, Next 7 days and an Inbox for everything else • Lists, folders, tags, priorities, subtasks and notes • Plan your day by the hour • Habits with streaks, and a focus timer with white, pink or brown noise • Your phone’s calendars beside your tasks • A weekly and monthly review that shows how it went and helps you tidy up • Deadlines with the days left, and a heads-up on Today when they’re close • Hold and drag tasks, sections and board columns wherever you want them • Shared lists, with assignees and comments • Forward an e-mail to your private address and it becomes a task, attachments included • A journal line for each day, and Print today for your day on one sheet PRIVATE BY DESIGN Everything is encrypted on your phone before it leaves, shared lists included. We don’t read your tasks: our servers only hold encrypted data. Tickbase works without an account; sign in to back up and sync. SYNC FOR FREE Sign in with Apple, Google or your e-mail and your tasks sync between your phone and the Tickbase web and desktop apps at no cost. Import from Apple Reminders and other to-do apps, and export everything whenever you like. TICKBASE PREMIUM Free is a complete to-do list, free for good. Premium adds work sessions and planning by the hour, unlimited lists, habits, resolutions and reminders, shared lists, attachments, tasks by e-mail, full statistics, themes, app icons and live sync. Buy it right here, no account needed; sign in and it comes with you to all your devices. New accounts get 14 days of Premium free. Subscribe yearly, or pay once for Lifetime while it’s on offer. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. The yearly subscription renews automatically unless it’s turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the period; manage it in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://tickbase.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://tickbase.app/privacy

Screenshots

Focalist4 screens
Tickbase4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Tickbase at every 2 days against Focalist's every 4 weeks. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. Focalist sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month and Tickbase sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Focalist against 5.0 for Tickbase. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focalist ships an update every 4 weeks, Tickbase every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Focalist versus Tickbase: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocalistTickbase
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings24 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB64 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDavid RickardCAESOOSE STUDIOS LIMITED

Customer experience

Focalist

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Tickbase

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Focalist

Subscriptions2
  • Focalist Premium (Monthly)$1.491 Month
  • Focalist Premium (Annual)$12.001 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$46.00
2 purchases

Tickbase

Subscriptions1
  • Tickbase Premium$12.991 Year
One-time1
  • Tickbase Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Focalist free?
Focalist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tickbase free?
Tickbase is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Focalist or Tickbase?
Focalist and Tickbase are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 4 ratings respectively.
Do Focalist or Tickbase have ads?
Neither Focalist nor Tickbase shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Focalist or Tickbase?
Focalist ships an update every 4 weeks, and Tickbase every 2 days. Most recently, Focalist was updated on November 4, 2026 and Tickbase on November 6, 2026.

Other comparisons