FocusStack vs Neatbase

What made Steve Jobs so successful? It comes down to one principle: clearly distinguishing between signal and noise. When the Apple team was designing the iPod, the table was full of feature ideas: "Should it have an FM radio? A voice recorder?" Steve Jobs recognized those additions for what they were: noise. They added complexity without strengthening the product's core value. He removed them. The signal was clear and uncompromised: a device that plays music beautifully. The signal is the three to five non-negotiable tasks that drive real results in the near term and move the mission forward. The noise is everything else: unnecessary emails, unproductive meetings, social media, minor fluctuations, and even "opportunities" that don't align with the primary objective. FocusStack helps you identify the signal—your top 3 tasks—and cut the distractions. It's a simple framework for ranking and prioritizing what actually matters. **Pick Your Top 3 (The Signal)** Enter your tasks for the day. Then, review the task list and choose three tasks that actually move the needle. These are your signal—the non-negotiables. Drag them to the top of your tasks to prioritize. Everything else goes in your backlog (the noise). Each task tracks time automatically so you know how long you've been working on what matters. **Music While You Work** Enable do not disturb and move to the focus tab of the app. Ambient lofi music loops and your time is tracked while you focus on each task. Swipe left or right to switch songs—each one changes the background colors. Or just mute it if you prefer silence. Swipe up or down to change the task you are focusing on. Stay on this page as focus time accumulates, preventing mindless checking of other apps. **See What You've Done** Check out the analytics tab to see how much time you've spent focusing today and this week. Look back at completed tasks to see what you actually finished. **Widget** There's a home screen widget that shows your top 3 focus tasks. Handy when you don't want to open the app and keeps your tasks for the day visible on your home screen. After all focus tasks are completed, widget displays a gratifying checkmark. **What It Does:** • Keep track of your top 3 focus tasks • Unlimited tasks in your backlog • Drag and drop to organize • Automatic time tracking per task • Ambient music with visual themes • Home screen widget • Basic analytics (today's time, weekly total) • Lock screen music controls • Swipe to navigate between tasks and songs The goal isn't to be busy; it's to be effective. When you consistently distinguish signal from noise, your energy is directed toward what actually produces tangible outcomes. Identify the signal, cut the distractions, and put your weight behind what truly moves the needle. I built this because I needed something simple. Just tasks and focus time. If that sounds useful to you, give it a try.

The personal database that feels like a notes app. Build your own CRM, inventory, contact book, or any other collection in minutes — native, private, and synced with iCloud. Most notes apps give you a blank page. Neatbase gives you structure. Create a notebook, choose its fields, and adding notes becomes as easy as filling out a form. View everything as clean cards or a spreadsheet-style table — sort, filter, and group to see exactly what matters. WHAT WILL YOU BUILD? - A lightweight CRM — leads, deals, follow-ups, activity logs - A home inventory — photos, prices, barcodes - A client directory — tap to call, tap to email - A project plan — statuses, due dates, progress - A content calendar planned around publish dates - An expense log with categories and receipt photos - A library of your books, movies, and recipes — rated and tagged If you can describe it, you can collect it in Neatbase. A FIELD FOR EVERYTHING Choose from 27 field types: text and numbers, currency, dates with reminders, toggles, star ratings, color-coded tags, dropdowns, images, checklists, colors, durations, percent bars, barcodes and QR codes, tap-to-call phone and tap-to-email fields, secrets locked behind Face ID or Touch ID, buttons that open URLs — plus formulas, cross-notebook references, and comment threads with Pro. Change your mind anytime: add, rename, or reorder fields, and every existing note updates instantly. TWO VIEWS, ONE NOTEBOOK Browse and edit in a clean card view, or switch to a full table — resize and reorder columns, edit inline, copy and paste, navigate with the keyboard. Each notebook remembers your view, filters, and sorting. TRULY NATIVE. ACTUALLY FAST. Built in SwiftUI for iPhone, iPad, and Mac — one download covers all three. It launches instantly, works fully offline, and syncs through iCloud. No account to create, no password, no onboarding. Most database apps are websites in a wrapper — Neatbase feels like it shipped with your device. YOUR DATA IS NOBODY'S BUSINESS Your notes live on your device and sync securely through your own iCloud. No tracking, no analytics, no ads. Export everything to CSV anytime — even on the free plan. Your data is always yours. SHARE A NOTEBOOK WITH A LINK (PRO) Send one link and up to 10 people can collaborate in real time — no accounts, no sign-up screens. Shared notebooks are end-to-end encrypted; the server never sees your data. TURN ANY NOTEBOOK INTO A WEB FORM (PRO) Publish a form in a few taps. Anyone with the link can submit from any browser, and responses land in your notebook automatically. Add your logo, pick an accent color, share the link. Perfect for intake forms, signups, surveys, orders, and RSVPs. AUTOMATE WITH THE REST API (PRO) Every notebook can expose its own REST API, with documentation generated from your actual field names. Read and write notes from scripts, shortcuts, and automations. FREE TO USE, FAIR TO UPGRADE Free includes 3 notebooks with 100 notes each, both views, iCloud sync, groups, templates, and CSV export. Neatbase Pro unlocks unlimited notebooks and notes, sharing, web forms, the REST API, and advanced fields — one simple yearly subscription, Family Sharing included. ALSO INCLUDED Notebook templates, Spotlight search, Home Screen widgets, reminders on date fields, nested groups, pinning, keyboard navigation, and custom icons for every notebook. Don't settle for a blank page. Collect and organize anything, your way. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://neatbase.com/privacy