Pokus vs StayTask Time Boxing
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pokus
This app provides persistent interval timers designed to ensure you take necessary breaks. It offers customizable focus and rest cycles with reminders that repeat until acknowledged, aiding in energy management and preventing burnout. Ideal for individuals with chronic conditions, ADHD, or anyone who struggles with time blindness.
- Persistent reminders until acknowledged
- Lock screen and Dynamic Island visibility
- Activity pacing for energy management
- 20-20-20 eye strain prevention
- Time blindness support
- Customizable focus and rest intervals
- Activity pattern tracking
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Pokus is the interval timer that keeps reminding you until you actually take your break. Set your focus and rest cycles, and Pokus will persistently alert you when it's time to stop — no more pushing through when you should rest. Dismiss a notification? Another one comes. Still going? It keeps reminding you. Pokus stays on your lock screen and Dynamic Island so you can't pretend you didn't see it. PERSISTENT REMINDERS THAT WORK - Alerts repeat until you respond — not just once - Live Activity on your lock screen — always visible - Dynamic Island shows time remaining - Can't dismiss, can't ignore, can't forget ACTIVITY PACING & ENERGY MANAGEMENT - Structure activity and rest to stay within your energy envelope - Prevent post-exertional malaise with timed rest periods - Ideal for ME/CFS, Long COVID, fibromyalgia, and chronic pain - Gentle but persistent — no more boom and bust cycles SCREEN BREAKS & EYE CARE - 20-20-20 rule for eye strain prevention - Ergonomic break reminders for desk workers - Microbreak intervals for long screen sessions BUILT FOR TIME BLINDNESS - Nagging reminders you genuinely cannot ignore - Simple interface — no complex planning, just start - Visual and haptic cues that cut through hyperfocus - Brain fog friendly ALWAYS IN VIEW - Lock screen widget stays visible - Dynamic Island countdown - Apple Watch support - No need to open the app FLEXIBLE INTERVALS - Classic 25/5 or fully custom cycles - Any focus and rest duration you want - Session time limits to prevent overwork - One tap to start your break SET GOALS & STAY ON TRACK - Set weekly or monthly time targets for any timer or tag - Track minimum, maximum, or range-based goals - Get warned before starting a session that would exceed a limit - See daily progress with charts and pace indicators ORGANIZE WITH TAGS - Group timers with color-coded tags - Link goals to tags for automatic tracking across timers - Filter sessions and analytics by tag TRACK YOUR PATTERNS - Visual charts of focus vs rest time - Daily, weekly, monthly insights - See your productivity rhythms and goal progress - Filter by specific timers or tags SYNCED EVERYWHERE - iCloud sync across devices - Custom timer icons and colors - Unlimited timers and tags - Automatic session history Perfect for: - Anyone with a chronic illness who needs activity pacing - People with ADHD and time blindness - Remote workers who skip breaks - Students in long study sessions - Desk workers needing ergonomic reminders - Anyone who dismisses regular alarms Try free, then unlock unlimited with a one-time purchase.
StayTask Time Boxing
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StayTask: Time Boxing radically transforms your productivity. Forget about endless lists and the overwhelm of pending tasks. Here, you assign a specific time block to each task and focus only on what you are doing right now. It is simple, visual, and extremely effective. Instead of working until exhaustion or falling into procrastination, you define a clear timeframe and work with productive urgency. When the time is up, the task is too. This eliminates paralyzing perfectionism, blocks unproductive multitasking, and turns overwhelming projects into manageable, highly motivating blocks. WHAT MAKES STAYTASK DIFFERENT: The power of ALWAYS-ON: Your focus shouldn't be interrupted. We've designed a full-screen mode where the always-on clock and the always-on countdown take center stage. The remaining time is displayed large, always visible, and without the screen turning off. It works like a desktop productivity display that keeps you immersed in your workflow: no distractions and no need to touch your phone to open the app. Task creation in 3 taps: Choose a preset duration, a custom one, or a deadline, and start working instantly. Zero friction. Visual and intuitive design: The countdown works in real-time and dynamically changes color based on the task's progress and status. Total Control: Pause, resume, mark as completed, or failed. Need an extra push? It includes a 5-minute grace period and the quick option to create a task continuation. StayTask is built for the present. No complex project managers, no endless tags. Just you, your task, and the time you dedicate to it. This simplicity creates mental clarity and helps you get more done with much less effort. PERFECT FOR YOU IF YOU ARE: A busy professional or executive: Your day is a chaos of meetings and you need to squeeze free gaps for urgent tasks. A remote or home office worker: You struggle with daily discipline and need to structure your schedule at home. A developer or programmer: You seek "Deep Work" sessions and continuous coding without interruptions. A freelancer or consultant: You bill by the hour and require total, immersive control over your work sessions. An entrepreneur or startup founder: You handle multiple areas and need to prioritize rapid execution. A writer, designer, or artist: You want to beat creative blocks by making consistent progress without the pressure of perfection. A content creator: You need to record, edit, or script within strict timeframes to be profitable. An athlete or coach: You want to visually time routines, stretches, or training sessions. A home manager: You have dozens of household chores and want to complete them like a race against the clock. A student: You need deep, focused study blocks without looking at other apps. Anyone who wants to structure their day and regain control of their time. With StayTask, you take back the reins of your day. Every completed time block brings you closer to your goals without burnout, without endless lists, and without feeling like you aren't making progress. Download StayTask: Time Boxing for free today and start working in a smarter, more focused, and more human way. Your time is your most valuable resource. Focus on time. Master your day. Welcome to the simplest and most powerful way to be productive!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Pokus at weekly against StayTask Time Boxing's every 2 months. StayTask Time Boxing's advantage is iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.1). 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
Both are free to download. Pokus sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and StayTask Time Boxing sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Pokus ships an update weekly, StayTask Time Boxing every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pokus | StayTask Time Boxing |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 26.1 | 18.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | ALISTER ALAGON PINEDA | Gary Medina |
In-app purchases
Pokus
- Pro - Monthly7 Days trial$0.991 Month
- Pro - Annual7 Days trial$5.991 Year
- Pro - Lifetime$9.99
StayTask Time Boxing
- Monthly Plan$1.991 Month
- Yearly Plan$17.991 Year









