Comparison

Board vs Koku

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

Head to head
About

Board

Features
Read full description

Board is a snapshot-of-thought app where you can save ideas just as they are. Write freely, and only add tags when you need to organize things later. There are no folders and no forced rules. Even unfinished thoughts or vague ideas can simply stay here. • Write without worrying about structure • Organize later with simple tags • Let ideas grow naturally instead of forcing them into lists Board is made for people who think in layers, not checklists.

About

Koku

This app helps you focus on tasks with customizable work and rest intervals. It offers a simple, distraction-free interface and integrates with your home screen and Apple Watch for easy access and control. Enjoy deep work without accounts, streaks, or subscriptions.

Highlights
  • Customizable focus and rest sessions
  • Classic Pomodoro rhythm option
  • Home Screen widget for quick access
  • Live Activities on lock screen
  • Apple Watch companion app
  • Minimalist, distraction-free design
Features
Read full description

Koku is a focus timer for deep work. Focus. Rest. Repeat. Set your own session lengths or use the classic rhythm - twenty-five minutes of focus, five minutes of rest, a longer break every four sessions. Each minute is a dot. Watch them fill. - No accounts. - No streaks. - No subscriptions. Just time, and the work in front of you. Add Koku to your Home Screen for quick access - start, pause, and skip sessions right from the widget. Keep the timer visible on your lock screen with Live Activities. Koku also includes an Apple Watch companion app that works with the iPhone app, so you can check your timer and control sessions from your wrist. Designed for iPhone, with an Apple Watch companion. Light and dark mode. Works in any language. Koku (刻) is the Japanese word for a moment of time.

Screenshots

Board3 screens
Koku4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Koku at none against Board's 1. Koku also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months). Board's advantage is iOS requirement (18.2 vs 26.4). On price, ads and device support 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. Board sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Koku asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Board ships an update every 2 months, Koku every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Board versus Koku: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBoardKoku
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.2 — better26.4
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKAZUHIRO SATORodolfo Alberto Lopez Terriquez

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Board

One-time1
  • Boards$14.99
None

Koku

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Board free?
Board is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Koku free?
Koku is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Board or Koku have ads?
Neither Board nor Koku shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Board or Koku?
Board ships an update every 2 months, and Koku every 3 days. Most recently, Board was updated on October 16, 2026 and Koku on October 11, 2026.

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