Comparison

Ember Arc vs FocusDown

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

Head to head
About

Ember Arc

This app helps users overcome procrastination and build momentum towards their goals. It breaks down large objectives into manageable steps and provides practical tools for consistent progress. Designed with ADHD-friendly features, it guides users from planning to action.

Highlights
  • Breaks down big goals into achievable steps
  • Provides practical tools to build momentum
  • Offers clear strategies when feeling stuck
  • Tracks and celebrates progress
  • Creates structured paths toward goals
  • Immediate guidance for overwhelming tasks
Features
Read full description

Turn procrastination into progress with Ember Arc - your practical guide to getting unstuck and moving forward. Designed with ADHD-friendly features to help anyone who struggles with focus and getting started. Perfect for when you're: Looking to transform ideas into real action Ready to stop planning and start doing Seeking a clear path toward your goals Wanting to build consistent progress Aiming to turn small wins into lasting changes How Ember Arc helps you succeed: - Breaks down big goals into achievable steps - Provides practical tools to build momentum - Offers clear strategies when you feel stuck - Helps track and celebrate progress - Creates structured paths toward your goals - Gives immediate guidance when tasks feel overwhelming Our approach combines proven productivity methods with practical action steps, helping you build real progress one step at a time. Start turning your goals into reality today with Ember Arc. SUBSCRIPTION & PRIVACY Ember Arc offers the following auto-renewing subscription options: Full Access Subscription - Annual Plan: Auto-renewing yearly subscription Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period To manage or cancel your subscription: in iPhone Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions PRIVACY & TERMS Privacy Policy: picayune-journey-422.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-17e0c801568d807db5d2e93ab5b3919c Terms of Use: picayune-journey-422.notion.site/Terms-of-Use-17e0c801568d80bf830dda32c4ecda44 FREE TRIAL TERMS • New subscribers may be eligible for a free trial • After the trial period, your subscription will automatically renew • You can cancel anytime during the trial period through your iTunes Account Settings For additional support, contact us at: emberarcapp@gmail.com

About

FocusDown

This app encourages users to put their phone down by using a face-down timer. It detects movement and tilting to remind you to stay focused until the session ends. Build better focus habits with dedicated sessions for studying, work, or reading.

Highlights
  • Face-down focus timer
  • Custom session duration
  • Movement and tilt reminders
  • Focus history tracking
  • Daily and weekly statistics
  • Achievement badges
Features
Read full description

FocusDown helps you put your phone down — literally. Start a focus session, place your iPhone face down on a flat surface, and stay away from distractions until the timer ends. Unlike a normal focus timer, FocusDown turns the simple act of flipping your phone over into a clear commitment. During a session, it helps detect movement, tilting, or picking up the phone and gives you a timely reminder so you can return to focus. Great for: * Studying * Deep work * Reading * Exam prep * Writing * Meetings * Phone-free breaks Main features: * Face-down focus timer * Custom session duration * Movement and tilt reminders * Focus history * Daily and weekly statistics * Achievement badges * Calm dark interface How it works: 1. Choose a focus duration. 2. Tap Start. 3. Place your iPhone face down on a flat surface. 4. Stay focused until the session ends. FocusDown does not block other apps. It helps you build a stronger focus habit by making your phone physically harder to pick up. Put your phone down. Stay with one thing. Build better focus, one session at a time. 1. This service is a subscription based paid service, which means you will prepay for future subscription usage. You can currently choose to use this service on a quarterly basis. At the end of each subscription period, your subscription will automatically renew by default, unless you cancel the automatic renewal yourself or we cancel the service. 2. Unsubscribe: To cancel the renewal, please cancel at least 24 hours in advance. You can unsubscribe by opening System Settings, clicking on Apple ID, clicking on Subscription, selecting Premium, and then unsubscribing. 3. Restore purchase: If you receive a prompt saying "You have already subscribed to this project" during the payment process and confirm that you have completed the purchase before, you can click "Restore Purchase" in the upper right corner to restore the purchase. Membership Service Agreement and Automatic Renewal Agreement: https://gcn1s2rmayw3.feishu.cn/wiki/YgqKwPdJmiH0ulkF92kco1CznCg?from=from_copylink Privacy Policy: txhttps://gcn1s2rmayw3.feishu.cn/wiki/SGBIwmUWCiPWoWktE5sclLRgnol?from=from_copylink

Screenshots

Ember Arc4 screens
FocusDown4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Ember Arc at freemium against FocusDown's subscription. Ember Arc also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 9 days). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Ember Arc sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year and FocusDown sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. 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 Ember Arc against 5.0 for FocusDown. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ember Arc ships an update every 4 days, FocusDown every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Ember Arc versus FocusDown: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmber ArcFocusDown
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.116.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAnvar Bakirov春城 贾

Customer experience

Ember Arc

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

FocusDown

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Ember Arc

Subscriptions4
  • Full Access$14.991 Year
  • Full Access$29.991 Year
  • Full Access7 Days trial$29.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Full Access7 Days trial$59.991 Year
3 purchases

FocusDown

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Member$3.991 Month
  • Annual Member7 Days trial$12.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is Ember Arc free?
Ember Arc is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FocusDown free?
FocusDown is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Ember Arc or FocusDown?
Ember Arc and FocusDown are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Ember Arc or FocusDown have ads?
Neither Ember Arc nor FocusDown shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ember Arc or FocusDown?
Ember Arc ships an update every 4 days, and FocusDown every 9 days. Most recently, Ember Arc was updated on September 16, 2026 and FocusDown on September 11, 2026.

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