Comparison

Focus Timer vs Selv

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

Head to head
About

Focus Timer

Features
Read full description

Stay focused, manage your time, and understand where your day goes with Focus Timer. Focus Timer combines a Pomodoro timer, task-based focus sessions, time tracking, and simple productivity insights in one distraction-free app. Whether you're studying, working, reading, exercising, or managing everyday routines, start a timer and focus on one task at a time. TASK-BASED FOCUS TIMER Create tasks and organize your time around what you actually do. Start a timer for Study, Work, Reading, Gym, or any custom activity and let the app keep track of your focused time. Switch between tasks whenever your priorities change without losing track of your progress. POMODORO TIMER Structure your work and study sessions using the Pomodoro technique. Use the classic rhythm: 25 minutes of focused work 5 minutes of short break 15 minutes of long break Focused sessions and regular breaks can make it easier to structure study, work, and deep-work routines throughout the day. TRACK YOUR TIME See how you're spending your time instead of guessing. Focus Timer automatically records your task sessions so you can review what you worked on and how long you spent doing it. DAILY & WEEKLY INSIGHTS Build better awareness of your routines with simple productivity statistics. Review your daily activity, compare weekly focus time, and understand which tasks receive most of your attention. ADHD-FRIENDLY FOCUS The clean, straightforward interface is designed to reduce unnecessary complexity and make starting a focus session simple. Short structured sessions can be useful for anyone who prefers breaking larger tasks into smaller, more manageable periods of focused time. MADE FOR STUDY, WORK & DAILY ROUTINES Use Focus Timer for: • Studying and exam preparation • Work and deep-focus sessions • Reading and learning • Personal projects • Exercise and routines • Task and time tracking • Pomodoro sessions • Building consistent focus habits WHY USE FOCUS TIMER? Start a task in seconds, track your focused time automatically, switch between activities without losing progress, and review your daily and weekly history—all from one simple productivity timer. Spend less time thinking about the clock and more time working on what matters. Start a focus session today.

About

Selv

Organize your thoughts and files by creating dedicated conversations for each idea, project, or trip. Send text, photos, voice notes, and links within these chats. Search across all your captured content, including text in photos and voice notes, even offline.

Highlights
  • Chat-based organization
  • Send text, photos, files, voice notes
  • Search text, photos, and voice notes
  • Offline functionality
  • Share sheet integration
  • Rich text formatting (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Selv is a notebook shaped like a chat. Give every idea, project, or trip its own conversation, then send yourself text, photos, files, voice notes, and links. Search reads what you typed, the text in your photos, and your voice-note transcripts, all on your iPhone. Keep anything from the share sheet, widget, Control Center, or Siri. No account. No server. No networking code. Your archive stays on your device and works in airplane mode. The free plan includes three chats plus unlimited capture, reading, transcription, and search. Selv Pro adds unlimited chats and rich text: headings, lists, checklists, and quotes. Monthly and yearly plans renew until canceled; the one-time unlock does not renew. Spaces and tables are part of Selv Pro as well. One space is free. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://selv.nsralisa.com/privacy

Screenshots

Focus Timer4 screens
Selv4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Focus Timer at none against Selv's 3. Focus Timer also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). Selv's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs every 2 months). On price 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. Selv sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Focus Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focus Timer ships an update every 2 months, Selv daily. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Focus Timer versus Selv: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocus TimerSelv
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsDaily — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHuzaib SayyedNSRALISA

In-app purchases

None

Focus Timer

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Selv

Subscriptions2
  • Selv Pro$1.991 Month
  • Selv Pro$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Selv Pro$19.99

Questions

Is Focus Timer free?
Focus Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Selv free?
Selv is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Focus Timer or Selv have ads?
Focus Timer shows ads; Selv does not.
Which is updated more often, Focus Timer or Selv?
Focus Timer ships an update every 2 months, and Selv daily. Most recently, Focus Timer was updated on October 6, 2026 and Selv on October 1, 2026.

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