Comparison

Retrotype vs Focus King

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

Head to head
About

Retrotype

Experience the satisfying feel of a classic typewriter on your device. Choose from multiple vintage models, customize sounds and visuals, and enjoy distraction-free writing with authentic haptic and audio feedback.

Highlights
  • Authentic typewriter models
  • Customizable sound packs
  • Haptic feedback
  • Multiple color palettes and paper themes
  • External keyboard support
  • Distraction-free writing environment
Features
Read full description

Rediscover the joy of writing without distractions. Retrotype transforms your device into a beautiful, tactile typewriter — complete with the sounds, rhythm, and charm of the classics. CHOOSE YOUR MACHINE Four meticulously crafted typewriter models, each with a distinct personality: - Clean, timeless design. The one that started it all. - Vintage European style with warm, earthy tones. - Mid-century curves in playful pastel palettes. - Bold industrial form with exposed ribbon cartridges. MAKE IT YOURS 22+ hand-picked color palettes. 12 paper themes. 5 authentic sound packs — from the sharp snap of a classic to the soft press of a modern electric. Dial in your haptics, adjust your margins, and set your bell. FEEL EVERY KEYSTROKE Authentic sound and haptic feedback bring every key press to life. Carriage returns, margin bells, and the steady rhythm of typing pull you into a focused flow. WRITE ANYWHERE Designed for iPhone, iPad, and Mac with seamless external keyboard support. Your documents are always ready. ONE PRICE. EVERYTHING INCLUDED. Retrotype Premium is a single purchase — no subscriptions, no recurring fees. Every model, palette, sound pack, and future update is yours forever. Retrotype is a place to slow down, find your flow, and let words unfold one keystroke at a time.

About

Focus King

Features
Read full description

Focus King turns your focus sessions into battles for your kingdom. Choose an enemy, name your quest, set your battle length, and stay focused until the timer reaches zero. Win battles to earn gold, build your realm, grow your streak, and unlock new milestones. MAKE FOCUS FEEL LIKE A GAME • Battle distractions with focused timer sessions • Choose from quick presets or set a custom duration • Earn gold for completed battles • Upgrade your kingdom and unlock castle styles • Build streaks and track your total focus time • Unlock titles, achievements, and profile milestones MORE REASONS TO RETURN • Complete Daily Decrees for extra rewards • Take on multi-day Chain Quests • Fight a Weekly Boss with every successful focus minute • Climb seasonal ranks and earn end-of-season rewards • Compare your progress on global and weekly leaderboards WANT A HARDER CHALLENGE? Activate Siege Mode for higher rewards. Victory pays more, but defeat can break your streak. TRACK YOUR CONQUEST Review your battle history, recent activity, wins and losses, defeated enemies, achievements, and long-term focus progress from your Profile. Focus King is built for studying, deep work, reading, writing, coding, chores, or any task that deserves your full attention. Start a battle. Defeat distraction. Build your kingdom.

Screenshots

Retrotype3 screens
Focus King4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Retrotype at none against Focus King's shown. Focus King's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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. Retrotype sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Focus King sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Retrotype ships an update every 3 months, Focus King weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Retrotype versus Focus King: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRetrotypeFocus King
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (19 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings19 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB31 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGood Loop Software LLCLars Ghezzi

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Retrotype

One-time1
  • Unlock Everything$4.99
1 purchases

Focus King

One-time1
  • Focus King Premium$4.99

Questions

Is Retrotype free?
Retrotype is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Focus King free?
Focus King is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Retrotype or Focus King have ads?
Focus King shows ads; Retrotype does not.
Which is updated more often, Retrotype or Focus King?
Retrotype ships an update every 3 months, and Focus King weekly. Most recently, Retrotype was updated on October 24, 2026 and Focus King on October 12, 2026.

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