Aro vs Work Timer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Aro
This app uses the Pomodoro technique to help you focus on tasks. It offers calming environments and customizable timers to create a ritual for deep work. Track your progress and build streaks without guilt.
- Customizable Pomodoro timers
- Calming focus spaces
- Live Activities and Dynamic Island integration
- Session organization with intentions and tags
- Progress tracking and streaks
- Adaptive Pomodoro
- Ad-free experience with Pro
Read full descriptionHide full description
Aro turns the Pomodoro method into a calm ritual for beginning what matters. Choose one intention, enter a beautiful focus space, and let Aro carry the rhythm. No clutter, no pressure—just a clear place to start and an honest record of the time you gave. FOCUS THAT FEELS DIFFERENT • Name the one thing that matters now • Work with a classic 25/5 Pomodoro or shape your own rhythm • Preview every space before beginning • Pair atmosphere, sound and timing into a repeatable ritual • Keep the timer visible with Live Activities and Dynamic Island • Organize sessions with intentions and tags • See daily progress, patterns and streaks without guilt BEAUTIFUL SPACES FOR REAL WORK Move between quiet mornings, deep-work studios and late-night atmospheres. Each space is designed to reduce friction and make returning to focus feel familiar. ARO PRO Unlock the complete ritual system: • The full collection of premium focus spaces • Smart rituals that prepare your room on the days and times you choose • Mix two soundscapes with independent volume controls • Adaptive Pomodoro that learns from sessions on your device • A private weekly coach with patterns and recommendations • Unlimited rituals, backgrounds and advanced personalization • A completely ad-free experience Your existing FocusRooms sessions and Pro access remain with you when you update to Aro. Privacy policy: https://aro.manurivas.dev/privacy/ Support: https://aro.manurivas.dev/support/
Work Timer
Read full descriptionHide full description
Work Timer is a beautifully crafted productivity timer designed to help students, professionals, and creatives get more done in less time. Whether you're studying for exams, coding, writing, meditating, or tackling a big project, Work Timer keeps you in the zone with proven focus techniques and a clean, distraction-free design. THREE TIMER MODES Pomodoro. Work in focused sprints with short and long breaks. The world's most popular productivity technique, fully customizable. Countdown. Set any duration (hours, minutes, seconds) for one-shot focus sessions, meditation, or deep work blocks. Count up. Track elapsed time for open-ended sessions or any activity you want to time. LIVE ACTIVITY & DYNAMIC ISLAND See your timer live on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. No need to unlock your phone. Your timer is always visible. 34 STUNNING THEMES 31 live themes with motion backgrounds — aurora, embers, snow, rain, stars, petals, bokeh — plus 6 cinematic photo themes with a slow, quiet drift. A premium split-flap flip clock with a real fold animation. Preview any theme live before you apply it. On the Mac, Ghost, Shadow and Dev float bare digits over your desktop, always on top. FOCUS SOUNDS Choose from a curated library of focus and completion sounds to block distractions and stay productive. CUSTOM SCHEDULES Build automated work sessions tailored to your workflow. Chain focus blocks, breaks, and timers on autopilot. Perfect for study sessions or long work days. ANALYTICS & INSIGHTS Track your daily, weekly, and monthly time across all three timer modes (Pomodoro, Countdown, and Count up). See your streaks, session counts, average duration, and productivity patterns. Filter by Today, Yesterday, Week, Month, All Time, or Custom date range. SMART NOTIFICATIONS Mode-aware notifications keep you informed. Customize sound, haptic feedback, and enable a 5-minute warning before your timer ends. ZERO DISTRACTIONS Clean, distraction-free interface. No clutter. Just you and your work. SCREEN STAYS ON The screen stays on while your timer runs. No interruptions, no accidental locks. PERFECT FOR - Students studying for exams - Remote workers and freelancers - Developers and designers - Writers and creatives - Anyone who wants to stop procrastinating FREE, WITH 3 DAYS OF PRO Every new install gets 3 days of Work Timer Pro — every theme, unlimited schedules and full analytics — no card needed. Afterwards the free tier keeps 5 themes, 2 schedules and 7-day stats, supported by occasional ads delivered through Google AdMob. WORK TIMER PRO Unlock all 34 themes, unlimited custom schedules, full analytics and no ads. Choose monthly, yearly or a one-time lifetime purchase. Monthly and yearly plans start with a 3-day free trial. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period and can be managed in your Apple ID settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://worktimer.io/privacy THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE Work 25 minutes, short break 5 minutes, repeat 4 times, long break 15 minutes. Proven by millions worldwide to fight procrastination and boost deep focus. Download Work Timer now and start your most productive day yet.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Work Timer at none against Aro's 3. On price, update cadence, 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
Both are free to download. Aro sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Work Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 8, 2026.
| Parameter | Aro | Work Timer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 103 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Manuel Jose Rivas Farinas | yassine kamal |
In-app purchases
Aro
- Focus Rooms Pro Monthly3 Days trial$1.991 Month
- Focus Rooms Pro Yearly7 Days trial$9.991 Year
- Focus Rooms PRO Lifetime$39.99
Work Timer
No in-app purchases









