Comparison

Focustown vs ReadUp

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

Head to head
About

Focustown

This app offers a cozy, virtual environment for focused study sessions with people worldwide. Choose from various study spaces, connect with friends, and earn rewards to customize your experience. It's designed to help users stay motivated and achieve their goals.

Highlights
  • Cozy study environments
  • Study with real people globally
  • Earn coins and customize character
  • Study sessions with friends
  • Built-in focus timer
Features
Read full description

Study with people from all over the world in a cozy low poly environment. Focustown helps you achieve your dreams one focus session at a time. Pick your vibe — a cozy cafe or a quiet library — and join a server where you can sit next to real people studying in real time. Whether you're a student grinding for exams or a working professional tackling your next big project, you're never alone on your journey. FEATURES: • Cozy Study Environments – Choose between beautifully designed cafes and libraries to set the perfect study mood. • Study With Real People – Join servers and focus alongside others from around the world in real time. • Earn Coins & Customize – Complete focus sessions to earn coins and decorate your character with fun accessories. • Study With Friends – Start sessions with your real friends and hold each other accountable. • Focus Timer – A built-in study timer to keep you on track and make every session count. Focustown was built to inspire millions of students and working professionals — reminding them that they're not alone in their journey to make a dent in this universe. Your dreams are worth every focus session. Start yours today. Similar apps include: Forest, Focus Tree, Flora, or Study Bunny Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

ReadUp

This app encourages reading by temporarily blocking distracting applications. Users set reading goals and unlock their apps only after completing their reading sessions. It offers a curated library and tracks reading progress to help users reduce screen time and finish more books.

Highlights
  • Block distracting apps
  • Set reading goals
  • Unlock apps after reading
  • Curated book library
  • Track reading progress
  • Reading streaks
  • Replace scrolling time
Features
Read full description

Read first. Scroll later. Your phone makes scrolling effortless and reading easy to postpone. ReadUp flips that around: Block the apps that distract you. Pick books you want to read. Read until you reach your goal, then your apps unlock. No endless bans. No pretending you’ll never scroll again. Just one simple trade: Your attention, spent on something worth reading first. How it works 1. Choose the apps you want to block 2. Pick a book and set a reading goal 3. Read actively in ReadUp 4. Unlock your apps for the time you earned 5. Return tomorrow and keep your progress going You can keep reading for as long as you want. ReadUp never interrupts a good chapter just because you’ve reached your goal. Why ReadUp? Most app blockers only tell you to stop. ReadUp gives you something better to do. A chapter before TikTok.
A few pages before Instagram.
A meaningful story before another hour disappears into your feed. You don’t have to delete the apps you enjoy. You simply put reading first. What’s inside * A curated library of great books * A focused, comfortable reading experience * Custom reading and unlock times * App shielding using Apple’s Screen Time controls * Active reading and inactivity tracking * Saved reading position * Reading streaks and daily progress * Pages read, books completed, and reading time tracked * A view of how much scrolling time you’ve replaced What changes You finish more books.
 You scroll with intention. You protect time for something meaningful. Your phone comes after the promise you made to yourself. Less doomscrolling. More stories, ideas, and pages you’ll remember. Read first. Then scroll. ** Ongoing use requires an active subscription. ** Privacy Policy: https://readup-app.com/privacy/ Terms of Service: https://readup-app.com/tos/ Contact: contact@readup-app.com

Screenshots

Focustown4 screens
ReadUp4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Focustown at 4.8 against ReadUp's 4.1. Focustown also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and update cadence (daily vs every 10 days). ReadUp's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, 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. Focustown sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and ReadUp sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Focustown holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Focustown has 9.6K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Focustown's written reviews are positive against 50% of ReadUp's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focustown ships an update daily, ReadUp every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Focustown versus ReadUp: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocustownReadUp
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (9.6K ratings) — better4.1 (12 ratings)
Positive reviews77.3% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings9.6K — better12
Update frequencyDaily — betterEvery 10 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#206 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.2 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size1.1 GB56 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperSecond Round Inc.Nedas Mikucionis

Customer experience

Focustown

All ratings9,567 ratings
Positive95.3%
Neutral2.5%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews1,056 reviews
Positive77.3%
Neutral9.5%
Negative13.3%

ReadUp

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative18.2%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Focustown

Subscriptions4
  • Foucstown Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Foucstown Pro Yearly$19.991 Year
  • Foucstown Pro Yearly$39.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Foucstown Pro Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time6
  • Starter Pack$0.99
  • Pocketful Golden Beans$0.99
  • Purchase Coffee Boost$0.99
Show 3 more
  • Sack of Golden Beans$2.99
  • Bucket of Golden Beans$9.99
  • Bucket of Golden Beans$19.99
6 purchases

ReadUp

Subscriptions6
  • Full Access (Weekly)$8.997 Days
  • Full Access (Discounted Yearly)$24.991 Year
  • Full Access (Yearly)3 Days trial$39.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • Full Access (Yearly)$39.991 Year
  • Full Access (Yearly)3 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Full Access (YearlyNT)$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Focustown free?
Focustown is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ReadUp free?
ReadUp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Focustown or ReadUp?
Focustown is rated higher. Focustown averages 4.8 out of 5 from 9.6K ratings, while ReadUp averages 4.1 from 12 ratings.
Do Focustown or ReadUp have ads?
Focustown shows ads; ReadUp does not.
Which is updated more often, Focustown or ReadUp?
Focustown ships an update daily, and ReadUp every 10 days. Most recently, Focustown was updated on November 11, 2026 and ReadUp on November 10, 2026.

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