Comparison

Lilo vs Focus Buddy

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

Head to head
About

Lilo

This app helps students focus by offering study timers, Pomodoro sessions, and challenges with friends. Track progress, maintain study streaks, and compete on leaderboards to stay motivated. Includes focus music and customizable scenes to enhance concentration.

Highlights
  • Study timer and Pomodoro with breaks
  • Challenges with friends (streak, time goal, speed race)
  • Weekly leaderboards and daily study streaks
  • Day planner with tasks and subjects
  • Focus music and customizable timer scenes
  • Live Activity and home screen widget
Features
Read full description

Lilo is the study timer you use with friends. Start a focus session or a Pomodoro, challenge your friends, climb the weekly leaderboard and keep your study streak alive. 500K+ students have downloaded Lilo and left 200K+ ratings, because studying together works better than studying alone. STUDY TIMER AND POMODORO - Focus timer, stopwatch and Pomodoro with breaks. - Pick a subject and tasks before you start, so every session counts toward a goal. - Timer scenes and a full screen mode keep your phone out of the way. - A Live Activity and a home screen widget show your session and streak at a glance. CHALLENGES WITH FRIENDS - Invite friends to a study challenge: streak, time goal, speed race or ranking battle. - Follow everyone's progress live and see who stays focused the longest. - Join a challenge from a link, even before you create an account. LEADERBOARDS AND STREAKS - Weekly rankings with your friends. - Daily study streak with streak protection, so one bad day does not erase your progress. - Comment on your friends' sessions and keep each other accountable. PLANNER AND STATS - Day planner with tasks and subjects. - Study history, subject distribution, activity heatmap and advanced stats. - Share your weekly results to Instagram Stories in one tap. FOCUS MUSIC AND SCENES - Lofi, nature sounds and white noise inside the timer. - Choose a timer scene and an accent colour that matches your mood. WHO IS LILO FOR High school and university students, exam season, homework, language learning, thesis writing, and anyone who focuses better with a bit of friendly competition. Lilo is free to use. Lilo Premium adds Pomodoro and stopwatch modes, the full focus music library and extra scenes. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Terms: https://lilostudytimer.com/terms/ Privacy: https://lilostudytimer.com/privacy/

About

Focus Buddy

This app provides a virtual study space where users can join rooms and work alongside others using a focus timer. It aims to make studying more engaging and build consistency through shared focus sessions.

Highlights
  • Virtual study rooms
  • Focus timer
  • Study together feature
  • Build consistency
  • Distraction-free design
  • Pomodoro timer
Features
Read full description

Focus Buddy helps you stay focused by studying together with other people. Join a virtual study room, start a focus timer, and work alongside students, learners, and productivity-minded people who are also trying to stay consistent. Instead of studying alone, Focus Buddy gives you a simple social space where focus feels easier. Whether you are preparing for exams, working on assignments, reading, coding, or building a daily study habit, Focus Buddy helps you turn focus into a shared experience. MAIN FEATURES JOIN STUDY ROOMS Enter virtual rooms and study together with other focused people. FOCUS TIMER Set a focus timer and stay committed to your study session. STUDY TOGETHER Feel the motivation of working alongside others, even when you are studying from home. BUILD CONSISTENCY Use focused sessions to improve your discipline, routine, and productivity. SIMPLE AND DISTRACTION-FREE Focus Buddy is designed to be clean, calm, and easy to use. PERFECT FOR Students Exam preparation Homework sessions Reading Deep work Pomodoro-style focus Remote studying Productivity routines Studying alone can feel boring. Focus Buddy makes it easier to show up, stay focused, and keep going. Join a study room, start your timer, and focus together. Terms of service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Lilo4 screens
Focus Buddy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Lilo at 4.7 against Focus Buddy's 3.7. Lilo also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (4.8K vs 3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Lilo sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Focus Buddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lilo holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lilo has 4.8K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lilo ships an update every 10 days, Focus Buddy every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Lilo versus Focus Buddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLiloFocus Buddy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (4.8K ratings) — better3.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews67.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings4.8K — better3
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size179 MB78 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPawel GladyszKerem Cebi

Customer experience

Lilo

All ratings4,729 ratings
Positive92.1%
Neutral2.6%
Negative5.4%
Written reviews62 reviews
Positive67.7%
Neutral3.2%
Negative29.0%

Focus Buddy

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Lilo

Subscriptions5
  • Premium Access Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Premium Access$6.991 Month
  • Premium Access Yearly$25.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • Premium Access Yearly$29.991 Year
  • Premium Access3 Days trial$39.991 Year
2 purchases

Focus Buddy

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly14 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Annual14 Days trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is Lilo free?
Lilo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Focus Buddy free?
Focus Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Lilo or Focus Buddy?
Lilo is rated higher. Lilo averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.8K ratings, while Focus Buddy averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do Lilo or Focus Buddy have ads?
Neither Lilo nor Focus Buddy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lilo or Focus Buddy?
Lilo ships an update every 10 days, and Focus Buddy every 6 months. Most recently, Lilo was updated on November 12, 2026 and Focus Buddy on November 13, 2026.

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