Comparison

Owloop vs Ember

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

Head to head
About

Owloop

Read full description

Focus, time, and work awareness—without pressure. OwLoop is an app that helps you work in focus, observe your habits, and better understand how you use your time. Everything works locally on your device—no accounts, no cloud, no tracking. KEY FEATURES Simple Timer: - Start work sessions with one tap - Choose work duration: 25, 30, 45, 60 minutes (or custom) - Optional break timer: 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes (or custom) - Open-ended mode: no preset, just count up Minimalist Clock: - Large, readable display in portrait and landscape - Landscape mode: full-screen StandBy-style clock - Perfect for deep work—zero distractions - Screen stays awake during active sessions Visual Calendar: - Monthly view with daily activity indicators - See your work rhythm at a glance - Color-coded activity categories - Filter by activity type Daily Details: - Track work and break time - Add descriptions and categories - Edit or delete sessions - View completion percentage Statistics: - Day, week, and month summaries - Double donut charts (work + breaks) - Export data as JSON (full control) - No limits, no premium tiers Light & Dark Mode: - Automatic system theme support - Manual toggle available - High contrast, easy on the eyes PRIVACY-FIRST DESIGN - 100% offline—all data stored locally - No user accounts or registration - No cloud sync - No analytics or tracking - No ads, ever - You own your data WHO IS THIS FOR? - Developers, designers, writers—anyone doing focused work - People practicing Pomodoro or deep work techniques - Anyone who wants to understand their time usage - Users who value privacy and local-first software WHAT OWLOOP IS NOT - Not a task manager - Not a to-do list - Not a habit tracker with streaks - Not a productivity gamification tool OwLoop is a calm, minimalist tool for measuring time and building awareness. No pressure, no guilt—just data.

About

Ember

Features
Read full description

Ember is the privacy-first focus timer built for deep work. Complete your most important goals with beautiful ambient soundscapes and zero tracking — ever. WHY EMBER? Privacy Native. Your data never leaves your device. No analytics SDKs. No data brokers. No "free app" business model. Just offline-first focus that respects your time and your data. Made in the EU with GDPR by default. Beautiful Design. A minimalist timer that fades away so you can focus. Warm gold ring on dark background with immersive full-screen sessions. Dark mode by default. Hand-crafted animations that feel like a premium physical object. Ambient Soundscapes. 8+ professionally recorded sounds (Rain, Forest, Café, White Noise, plus premium options). Multi-track mixing on Pro. Works completely offline — no internet required. Professional Analytics. Track focus streaks, daily focus scores, weekly patterns, and your most productive hours. Gamified achievements unlock as you build habits. Session Types. Choose preset durations or create custom sessions. 25-minute Pomodoro, 90-minute deep work blocks, or whatever matches your natural rhythm. WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT · Zero Tracking — We genuinely never see your data. Not "anonymized tracking," not "aggregated insights." Nothing. · Offline First — Records sessions locally. Sync optional. Zero vendor lock-in. · Fair Pricing — €3.99/month Pro (or €29.99/year), €59.99 lifetime. · European Values — GDPR compliant by design, hosted in the EU, built by humans who believe privacy is non-negotiable. THE EXPERIENCE Select your duration → Tap Start → Choose your sound → Focus completely. The app auto-hides after 5 seconds so it never distracts. Session complete? Celebrate with instant feedback on your focus score. Perfect for: - Remote workers protecting deep work time - Students building sustainable study habits - Creatives seeking uninterrupted creative flow - Anyone who refuses to trade their privacy for productivity FREE FOREVER: 7-day history, current streak, basic insights PRO (€3.99/month): All soundscapes, mixing, unlimited history, full analytics, custom durations, data export LIFETIME (€59.99): Everything in Pro, forever Questions? Privacy Policy: https://ember.eliasvandenberg.be/privacy/. Support: ember@eliasvandenberg.be. Made with care in Belgium. Terms of Use (EULA): https://apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Owloop4 screens
Ember4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Owloop at none against Ember's 3. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Ember sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Owloop asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference · 4 level
Owloop versus Ember: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOwloopEmber
PriceFreeFree
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB96 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDominik GawelElias Van den Berg

In-app purchases

None

Owloop

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Ember

Subscriptions2
  • Ember Pro7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Ember Pro7 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Ember Pro Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Owloop free?
Owloop is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ember free?
Ember is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Owloop or Ember have ads?
Neither Owloop nor Ember shows ads.

Other comparisons