Session Timer vs Simple Zen
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Session Timer
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DEEPFOCUS helps you reclaim your attention and build deep focus habits that last. Create distraction-free work sessions, stay productive without burnout, and see real progress over time. CORE FOCUS EXPERIENCE Turn any moment into a deep work session. Start focused timers from 5 minutes to 2 hours and match them to your goals: a 25-minute reading sprint, a 90-minute coding block, a 45-minute writing session, or a quick 10-minute review. DeepFocus gives every session a clear start and end so you can begin faster, avoid endless screen time, and stay locked in. FOCUS INTERVAL TECHNIQUE Use a proven work-break rhythm with minimal effort. Pick classic 25 minutes of focus with 5-minute breaks or fully customize your own intervals. DeepFocus automatically switches between focus and rest and prompts you when it is time to work and when it is time to recover. This helps you build long productive streaks while reducing mental fatigue and decision overload. IMMERSIVE SOUND ENVIRONMENT Block distractions with concentration-friendly soundscapes. Choose from carefully selected options like rain forest, urban cafe, silent library, ocean waves, and calm instrumental backgrounds to stay engaged without pulling your attention back to your surroundings. INTELLIGENT PROGRESS TRACKING Understand your focus habits so you can improve intentionally. DeepFocus shows: - Sessions completed today, this week, and this month - Total time spent in deep focus - Streaks of consecutive focused days - The time of day you are most productive - Trends and patterns over time Ask yourself practical questions like: When do I focus best? How many hours did I really study this week? Am I improving compared to last month? TASK MANAGEMENT Know exactly what you are spending your focus on. Assign each session to a category such as Work, Study, Coding, Reading, or create your own custom task. When the day or week ends, review which activities used most of your deep focus time and adjust your schedule so your effort matches your priorities. PREMIUM FEATURES Upgrade your focus system with deeper insights and more control: - Advanced analytics with deeper habit insights - Custom task creation and detailed task management - Apple Focus Mode integration to reduce interruptions while you work - A larger premium ambient sound library - Session effectiveness ratings to track quality, not only time - Data export to back up or analyze your focus results elsewhere Whether you are studying for exams, driving deep work at a job, or protecting uninterrupted creative time, DeepFocus gives you structure, feedback, and an environment built to keep you on task. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://marcn.app/privacy
Simple Zen
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Simple Zen turns your iPhone into a calm, intentional tool. Instead of endless app grids and dopamine-driven notifications, you get a minimalist text launcher that puts you back in control. YOUR PHONE, SIMPLIFIED Choose only the apps you actually need. Simple Zen replaces your home screen with a clean, monospaced list โ no icons, no badges, no distractions. Just the essentials. MINDFUL FRICTION THAT WORKS Every time you reach for a distracting app, Simple Zen pauses you with a breathing exercise, a reflection prompt, or a simple countdown. This small moment is enough to break the autopilot habit. BLOCK APPS FOR REAL (Premium) With Screen Time access, a focus session doesn't just ask โ it holds the apps you choose shut until the timer ends. iOS enforces it, so willpower isn't the plan. Which apps you pick never leaves your device. REAL LIFE TODAY See exactly how much of your day remains before bedtime. Track phone usage as a percentage of your waking hours. The less time on your phone, the more real life you have. SLEEP SCHEDULE Set your bedtime and wake time with an intuitive circular dial. Simple Zen uses this to calculate your real life remaining and track how much of your day goes to your phone. ADD ANY APP VIA SHORTCUTS With Premium, add any app to your launcher โ even the one released yesterday. Browse 70+ popular apps or enter any app manually using Apple Shortcuts. Step-by-step guides walk you through setup. ZEN GARDEN (Premium) Earn zen stones for mindful behavior โ surviving delays, maintaining streaks, and staying focused. Watch your garden grow as your relationship with your phone improves. VOICE REFLECTIONS (Premium) Record voice memos about your phone habits. On-device speech recognition and smart categorization help you spot patterns. Audio never leaves your phone. CONTEXTUAL BLOCKING Automatically increase delays or block apps when your calendar shows you're busy or when you're at your work location. FOUR DARK THEMES (Premium) OLED-optimized Zen Brush, Quill & Scroll, Typewriter, and Stone Tablet. FEATURES AT A GLANCE - Minimalist text-based app launcher - Mindful delay with breathing animation - Real app blocking during focus sessions (Screen Time) - Real Life countdown until bedtime - Phone usage percentage tracking - Sleep schedule with circular picker - Escalating delays per app - Custom reflection prompts - Time limits per app - Contextual blocking (calendar + location) - Focus profiles and focus timer - 4 dark themes + 1 light (Zen Pearl) theme - Home screen widgets (launcher, clock, quote) - NFC tap-to-focus - Live Activities / Dynamic Island - Siri and App Intents - Apple Health mindful minutes sync - Complete dumb phone setup guide - Privacy-first: no data leaves your device. No analytics. No accounts. Simple Zen is a one-time purchase. No subscriptions. Yours forever. Privacy Policy: https://williamjiamin.github.io/simple-zen-site/privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Simple Zen at every 2 weeks against Session Timer's every 5 weeks. Simple Zen also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Session Timer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Simple Zen sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Session Timer ships an update every 5 weeks, Simple Zen every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Session Timer | Simple Zen |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 2 weeks โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad โ better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 18.0 โ better |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 45 MB | 110 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Marcelo Nardone | ็ซๆดพ ๆฑช |
In-app purchases
Session Timer
- DeepFocus Monthly$1.991 Month
- DeepFocus Yearly$14.991 Year
- DeepFocus - Track your Time$19.99
Simple Zen
- Simple Zen Premium_$3.99
- Simple Zen Premium$3.99





