# Focado vs Note to Self

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Focado at 1.1K against Note to Self's 1. Focado also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Note to Self's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Focado sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Note to Self sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Note to Self holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Focado has 1.1K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Focado ships an update every 3 weeks, Note to Self every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 14, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Focado | Note to Self |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focado-focus-timer/id6755039509/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note-to-self-capture-and-keep/id6760983163/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 61.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 143 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Modernist LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449830298) | [Sean McDonnell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1839832497) |

## What reviewers say

### Focado

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focado-focus-timer/id6755039509)

This app uses a charming knitting avocado character to motivate users to focus. As you concentrate, the avocado knits items that can be traded for decorations to upgrade its room. It offers features like deep focus mode and Pomodoro breaks to enhance productivity.

**Highlights:** Knitting mechanic with focus progress, Trade knitted items for room decorations, Deep focus mode to block distractions, Pomodoro break timer, Live Activity for Lock Screen tracking, Customizable room themes

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Focado Monthly Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| Focado Monthly Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| Focado Monthly Pro | $9.99 | per month |
| Focado Yearly Pro | $19.99 | per year |
| Focado Yearly Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| Focado Yearly Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Bookcado | $5.99 | one-time |


### Note to Self

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note-to-self-capture-and-keep/id6760983163)

Capture thoughts, voice notes, and important information locally on your device. Organize with categories and tags, and export your data in various formats. Optional premium features enhance recording and transcription capabilities.

**Highlights:** On-device note storage, Typed note creation and editing, Voice recording and transcription (optional), Note organization with categories and tags (optional), Export notes as text, PDF, or JSON, No ads

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Note to Self Plus | $1.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Focado free?

Focado is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Note to Self free?

Note to Self is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Focado or Note to Self?

Note to Self is rated higher. Focado averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Note to Self averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Focado or Note to Self have ads?

Neither Focado nor Note to Self shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Focado or Note to Self?

Focado ships an update every 3 weeks, and Note to Self every 2 months. Most recently, Focado was updated on November 14, 2026 and Note to Self on November 9, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*