Comparison

focus.music vs Kontext

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

Head to head
About

focus.music

This app helps you achieve deep focus faster and maintain it longer through adaptive music environments. It learns your preferences to personalize sessions for sustained concentration during work or study.

Highlights
  • Adaptive focus environments
  • Personalized session learning
  • Human-composed music
  • Focus sessions, not playlists
  • Customizable session timers
  • Research-backed design
Features
Read full description

Ever sit down to work, only to find yourself distracted before you've even started? If you struggle with distractions, have ADHD, or find it difficult to get started, you're not alone. focus.music combines scientifically designed music with an adaptive system that helps you settle into work faster and stay focused longer. Start a session and begin. GUIDED OR MANUAL. YOU CHOOSE. There isn't one right way to use focus.music. Choose Guided Mode if you'd like focus.music to recommend focus environments based on your sessions. Choose Manual Mode if you already know what works best for you and want to browse and choose your own focus environment. Switch between them whenever you like. FOCUS SESSIONS, NOT PLAYLISTS This is not a playlist app. It is a focus environment designed for real work. Set a 25-minute, 50-minute, custom, or free-flow session. Name your task. Press play. Let the music support the work instead of competing for your attention. HUMAN MUSIC Every track is composed and performed by professional musicians. No AI-generated audio. No vocals competing for your attention. No endless playlists to sort through. Just carefully crafted focus environments designed to help you stay in the zone. A SYSTEM THAT LEARNS WITH YOU The more you use focus.music, the better it understands what helps you stay engaged. It learns from the sessions you complete and gradually makes better recommendations, while always leaving you in control. BUILT ON 16 YEARS OF RESEARCH focus.music combines more than 16 years of research into music, attention, and cognitive performance with behavioral data gathered across millions of real focus sessions. Our goal is simple. Help you spend less time trying to focus and more time doing meaningful work. BUILT FOR REAL WORK Use focus.music for: - Deep work - Writing - Studying - Coding - Planning - Creative work - Reading - Research - Admin tasks - Any task where staying focused matters TRY IT FREE Start with a 7-day free trial and experience the difference for yourself. Make your hours count. SUBSCRIPTION - FOCUS.MUSIC FULL ACCESS A focus.music subscription unlocks every focus environment and energy level, unlimited focus sessions, full timer control with 25-minute, 50-minute, custom, and free-flow sessions, plus uninterrupted playback. - Monthly: $4.99 per month - Annual: $39.99 per year (save 33%) - 7-day free trial with full access - no charge during the trial - Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase - Your subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period, at the rate of your selected plan - You can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal in your App Store account settings after purchase - Any unused portion of the free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription - We'll remind you by email before your trial ends. Cancel anytime in two clicks. Privacy Policy URL: https://focus.music/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://focus.music/terms Support URL: https://focus.music/faq Marketing URL: https://focus.music

About

Kontext

Features
Read full description

Kontext remembers what goes with whom – so you don't forget anything at your next meeting. Wanted to ask someone about their vacation, return a book, or talk through an idea? Kontext keeps it with that person and reminds you before you meet. FOR NEXT TIME • Note what you want to say, ask or bring for each person • Key facts at the very top: kids, allergies, gift ideas • Notes and reminders, with date and place if you like PREPARED BEFORE EVERY MEETING • Kontext spots events with your people in your calendar, by title and attendees • Shortly before, Kontext reminds you and shows what's still open • Optionally, Kontext adds a clearly marked note to the event. Your own text is never touched. AT THE RIGHT PLACE • Reminders that fire when you arrive at or leave a place – no appointment needed • Choose the place by address search or current location, and set the radius BIRTHDAYS AT A GLANCE • Upcoming birthdays right on the start screen • Enter them by hand or take them from your contacts, with a reminder on the day ALWAYS WITHIN REACH • Widget for the Lock Screen and Home Screen: your next meeting and what's due, at a glance • Quick-capture tile in Control Center • Quick actions on long-press of the app icon • Apple Watch with a complication: your next meeting and your notes on your wrist • Capture quickly with Siri and Shortcuts YOUR OVERVIEW, YOUR RULES • "Due & upcoming" on the start screen can now be grouped: by person, urgency or day BUILT TO BE CALM • A tidy design with room to breathe, light and dark • Nothing flashes red, nothing nags you • Completed items go to the archive – nothing is lost • Merge duplicate people, with undo • Built for everyone: VoiceOver, reduced transparency, differentiate without color PRIVATE • No account, no ads, no tracking • Your data stays on your devices and in your iCloud ON YOUR DEVICES, IN YOUR LANGUAGE • iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch, synced through your iCloud • Now also available in German, English, French, Spanish and Italian FREE AND FAIR Up to 5 people are free. With Kontext Pro (one-time purchase, no subscription, Family Sharing included) you manage any number of people on all your devices. On iPhone and iPad you can also choose between six app icons. Kontext is for anyone who has a lot to keep in mind and wants a calm memory for it.

Screenshots

focus.music4 screens
Kontext4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: focus.music at 15.0 against Kontext's 18.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. focus.music sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Kontext sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

focus.music ships an update every 10 days, Kontext weekly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
focus.music versus Kontext: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterfocus.musicKontext
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDulcettaTorben Lew Krackow

In-app purchases

2 purchases

focus.music

Subscriptions2
  • Focus Music Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Focus Music Yearly$39.991 Year
1 purchases

Kontext

One-time1
  • Kontext Pro$17.99

Questions

Is focus.music free?
focus.music is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Kontext free?
Kontext is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do focus.music or Kontext have ads?
Neither focus.music nor Kontext shows ads.
Which is updated more often, focus.music or Kontext?
focus.music ships an update every 10 days, and Kontext weekly. Most recently, focus.music was updated on October 31, 2026 and Kontext on October 31, 2026.

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