# BookFocus vs Pause

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pause at none against BookFocus's 4. Pause also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). BookFocus's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BookFocus sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Pause asks for nothing beyond the download.

BookFocus ships an update every 4 days, Pause every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BookFocus | Pause |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 5 days |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 9 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [jaemin park](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663603862) | [Iku Yagome](https://appshunter.io/developer/6780103974) |

## What reviewers say

### BookFocus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookfocus-reading-timer/id6756373612)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Summer Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| BookFocus Premium | $1.99 | one-time |


### Pause

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pause-scroll-less-read-more/id6780103972)

This app helps you reclaim time spent on social media and videos by setting usage limits before you open them. It converts your social media time into an estimate of how many book pages you could have read, encouraging a shift towards reading.

**Highlights:** Set time limits for apps before opening, Automatically block apps when time expires, Convert social media time to book pages, Track reading progress with a virtual companion, Home screen widgets and live activities, Shareable progress cards

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BookFocus free?

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

### Is Pause free?

Pause is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do BookFocus or Pause have ads?

Neither BookFocus nor Pause shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BookFocus or Pause?

BookFocus ships an update every 4 days, and Pause every 5 days. Most recently, BookFocus was updated on October 3, 2026 and Pause on October 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.*