Comparison

Ambient Focus vs Dotty

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

Head to head
About

Ambient Focus

Features
Read full description

FocusFlux is a mindful focus timer that combines proven productivity techniques with immersive ambient audio to create the perfect environment for deep work and concentrated study. IMMERSIVE AMBIENT AUDIO - Transform any space into your ideal focus environment with carefully crafted soundscapes, featuring seamless loops and precise volume control - All tracks loop seamlessly for sessions of any length INTELLIGENT FOCUS TIMER - Atmospheric glowing ring with gradient progress arc and depth effects - Customizable session durations - Pause and resume with session state persistence - Task selection before each session - Session completion with stats summary and reflection prompt ORGANIZE TAB - TASKS AND JOURNAL - Manage all your focus tasks in one place - See per-task session counts, total focused time, and last session date - Weekly summary card showing sessions and hours at a glance - Journal tab to browse and search your session reflection notes - Filter journal entries by mood SESSION REFLECTION AND NOTES - Capture insights after each focus session - Choose from seven mood states with visual emoji picker - Select tags to describe the session: Productive, Focused, Creative, and more - Add free-form notes to build a personal focus journal - Search and filter entries in the Organize tab COMPREHENSIVE PROGRESS TRACKING - Streak tracking with milestone progress bar and best streak history - Weekly calendar view displaying session intensity and patterns - Detailed statistics including total focus time, session averages, and top tasks - Motivational messages that adapt to your current streak MINDFUL BREAK OPTIONS - Optional break timer after completed sessions - Wellness tips displayed during breaks: eye rest, stretching, hydration, breathing - End break early at any time with a clearly visible button GENTLE DAILY REMINDERS - Smart notification system with 1x, 2x, or 3x daily frequency options - Carefully crafted motivational messages, randomly selected - No spam or intrusive badges - just gentle nudges when you need them - Fully customizable in Settings PRIVACY-FIRST DESIGN - Zero user tracking or data collection - All focus data stays securely on your device - No ads, no distractions, no unnecessary complexity - Built by an indie developer who values your privacy and time BEAUTIFUL, THOUGHTFUL INTERFACE - Atmospheric dark interface with glowing accents and depth effects - Smooth animations and micro-interactions throughout - Carefully designed for sustained use without visual fatigue - Redesigned onboarding to get you set up in under a minute FOCUSFLUX PRO - Custom session durations from 5 to 120 minutes - Adjustable break timer from 1 to 15 minutes - Premium ambient sounds: Mountain Forest, Fireplace, Ocean Waves, Library, Lo-Fi - Unlimited focus tasks - Advanced statistics: top tasks, focus breakdown, and more - Export focus data as CSV PERFECT FOR - Students preparing for exams or working on assignments - Remote workers creating focus boundaries and tracking productivity - Developers, writers, and creatives needing deep work sessions - Anyone building consistent focus habits through mindful reflection - People who struggle with distractions and want to understand their patterns WHAT MAKES FOCUSFLUX SPECIAL Unlike other focus apps that overwhelm you with features, FocusFlux focuses on doing one thing exceptionally well: helping you maintain deep focus through the power of ambient audio, mindful design, and thoughtful reflection. Whether you are tackling a challenging project, studying for an important exam, or simply want to read without distractions, FocusFlux creates the perfect environment for sustained concentration and provides the tools to learn from every session. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Dotty

Features
Read full description

Dotty turns your day into a single, beautiful line. Schedule tasks and habits at a time of day and watch them connect into a vertical timeline you can actually move through. Plan your morning routine, block focus time, build habits, and keep your streaks alive โ€” all from one calm, focused screen. KEY FEATURES โ€ข Timeline, not a list โ€” tasks render as a connected-dot timeline through your day โ€ข Subtasks โ€” break a task into steps, nest them as deep as you think, and tick them off one by one โ€ข Fresh every day โ€” a repeating task's checklist resets on each occurrence, so your routine starts clean โ€ข Habits & streaks โ€” repeat daily, on weekdays, weekends, weekly, or on exactly the days you choose โ€ข Daily progress ring โ€” see how much of your day you've completed at a glance โ€ข Reminders โ€” local notifications so nothing slips โ€ข Home-screen widget โ€” check off tasks without opening the app โ€ข Live Activities & Dynamic Island โ€” live countdowns for timed tasks in progress โ€ข iCloud sync โ€” your timeline stays in sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac โ€ข Make it yours โ€” 25 colors and 91 icons grouped by subject, plus Light, Dark, and Glass appearances COMPLETELY FREE Every feature above is included. No paid tier, no subscription, no ads, no task limits, nothing held back. If Dotty earns a place in your day, you can leave an optional tip from the heart button in the toolbar. Tips are one-time, entirely voluntary, and unlock nothing โ€” they simply fund what comes next. PRIVACY Your data stays on your device and syncs only through your own private iCloud. Dotty collects nothing.

Screenshots

Ambient Focus4 screens
Dotty4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Dotty at 3 against Ambient Focus's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Ambient Focus sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Dotty sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ambient Focus ships an update every 2 weeks, Dotty monthly. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
Ambient Focus versus Dotty: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAmbient FocusDotty
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks โ€” betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Mac โ€” better
Requires iOS1817.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size59 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJayanta AdhikaryMohamed Smina

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Ambient Focus

Subscriptions2
  • FocusFlux Pro3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • FocusFlux Pro (Annual)3 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • FocusFlux Pro (Lifetime)$49.99
3 purchases

Dotty

One-time3
  • Small Support$1.99
  • Generous Support$4.99
  • Big Support$9.99

Questions

Is Ambient Focus free?
Ambient Focus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dotty free?
Dotty is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Ambient Focus or Dotty have ads?
Neither Ambient Focus nor Dotty shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ambient Focus or Dotty?
Ambient Focus ships an update every 2 weeks, and Dotty monthly. Most recently, Ambient Focus was updated on November 5, 2026 and Dotty on November 5, 2026.

Other comparisons