Protagonist vs Focus Buddy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Protagonist
This app uses AI and financial accountability to help you achieve your goals. Commit money to your goals, submit proof of habit completion, and earn your money back, potentially with a bonus. Designed with behavioral psychology to foster lasting change.
- AI-guided goal identification
- Daily habit tracking with proof submission
- Financial commitment and rewards system
- Adaptive AI coaching
- Behavioral psychology-based design
- Progress tracking
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Protagonist is the habit tracker that pays you to follow through. Most habit apps let you off the hook. Protagonist doesn't. Set a goal that matters. Put money on the line. Upload proof every day. Earn your money back when you do what you said you'd do. **How it works** Choose your goal — Build a habit around something that actually matters to you: meditation, workouts, sales calls, writing, job applications, and more. Pick your commitment level — Put down $30, $60, or $90 for the month. Earn back $1, $2, or $3 per day when you follow through. Upload proof daily — Submit a photo, video, or screenshot showing you completed the action. AI checks your proof — Protagonist verifies whether you followed through. You can always request for a human to check it. **Why Protagonist works** Real skin in the game — Your goals are backed by money, not just motivation. Proof-based accountability — You don't just tap a checkbox. You prove you did the work. AI-guided habit design — Our AI helps you identify which daily actions are most likely to move your life forward — not just what to track, but what actually matters. Built for real life — Fitness, business, focus, creativity, mindfulness, productivity, personal growth. *** Protagonist is for people who are tired of: Setting goals and forgetting them Downloading habit apps and abandoning them Knowing what to do, but not doing it Relying on motivation that disappears after a few days This is not about perfection. It is about progress. Stay consistent and unlock charity donations, bigger rewards, and in-app character development — the kind that carries over into real life. Build momentum. Become someone you can trust. Be the protagonist of your life.
Focus Buddy
This app provides a virtual space to study and work alongside others, fostering motivation and consistency. Utilize focus timers and join shared study rooms to make productivity a collaborative experience, ideal for students and remote workers.
- Virtual study rooms
- Focus timer
- Study together
- Build consistency
- Distraction-free design
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Focus Buddy helps you stay focused by studying together with other people. Join a virtual study room, start a focus timer, and work alongside students, learners, and productivity-minded people who are also trying to stay consistent. Instead of studying alone, Focus Buddy gives you a simple social space where focus feels easier. Whether you are preparing for exams, working on assignments, reading, coding, or building a daily study habit, Focus Buddy helps you turn focus into a shared experience. MAIN FEATURES JOIN STUDY ROOMS Enter virtual rooms and study together with other focused people. FOCUS TIMER Set a focus timer and stay committed to your study session. STUDY TOGETHER Feel the motivation of working alongside others, even when you are studying from home. BUILD CONSISTENCY Use focused sessions to improve your discipline, routine, and productivity. SIMPLE AND DISTRACTION-FREE Focus Buddy is designed to be clean, calm, and easy to use. PERFECT FOR Students Exam preparation Homework sessions Reading Deep work Pomodoro-style focus Remote studying Productivity routines Studying alone can feel boring. Focus Buddy makes it easier to show up, stay focused, and keep going. Join a study room, start your timer, and focus together. Terms of service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Protagonist at 4.4 against Focus Buddy's 3.7. Protagonist also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Focus Buddy's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, 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. Focus Buddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Protagonist asks for nothing beyond the download.
Protagonist holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 3 respectively.
| Parameter | Protagonist | Focus Buddy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (7 ratings) — better | 3.7 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 7 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 57 MB | 72 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Protagonist Research, Corp. | Kerem Cebi |
Customer experience
Protagonist
Focus Buddy
In-app purchases
Protagonist
No in-app purchases
Focus Buddy
- Monthly14 Days trial$1.991 Month
- Annual14 Days trial$9.991 Year









