Comparison

Focus Timer vs Nudge

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

Head to head
About

Focus Timer

Features
Read full description

Drag your finger to set your focus time! The shrinking red circle intuitively shows the remaining time. Use this focus timer whenever you need to concentrate on your studies or work.

About

Nudge

Features
Read full description

Focus is hard when life keeps interrupting. Kids, coworkers, phone calls, that thing you just remembered โ€” it all adds up. Most timer apps punish you for being human. Nudge doesn't. **KEY FEATURES** - Gentle timer that pauses without punishment โ€” pause whenever life interrupts, resume when you're ready. No dead trees, no failed sessions, no guilt. - Background execution that actually works โ€” lock your phone, switch apps, put it in your pocket. Your timer keeps running and alerts you when it's time. - Silent vibration mode (Library Safe) โ€” a custom triple-pulse vibration pattern that works even on mute. Focus in libraries, open offices, and shared spaces without disturbing a soul. - Flexible presets โ€” Pomodoro, countdown, or open-ended count-up mode. Build timers that match how you actually work, not how a textbook says you should. - Session history with honest stats โ€” see your real focus time, pause count, and total duration. No inflated numbers, no gamified streaks to stress about. - Smart defaults & day context โ€” time-of-day greetings, remembered last preset, auto-start breaks. Nudge learns how you work and gets out of the way. **WHY NUDGE?** We built Nudge because every focus timer we tried made us feel worse. Paused? Failed session. Locked your phone? Timer stopped. Need silence? Too bad, here's an alarm. Nudge is different: - No shame for pausing. Life happens. Your timer understands. - ADHD-friendly. Flexible structures instead of rigid 25/5 boxes. Time awareness without time pressure. - Warm, not aggressive. Amber glow instead of red alerts. Encouraging copy instead of streaks and punishments. - One-time purchase. No subscriptions draining your account every month. **WHAT'S INCLUDED FREE** - Classic Pomodoro timer (25/5) - Up to 3 custom presets - Full session history - Silent vibration alerts - Background timer execution - All core features, no ads, no account required **NUDGE PRO โ€” $6.99 (one-time)** - Unlimited custom presets - Per-timer analytics and breakdowns - Time awareness mode (periodic gentle nudges for time-blindness) - Shortcuts integration - CSV data export - Priority support All your data stays on your device. No account needed. No tracking. Just you and your focus. Questions or ideas? hello@nudge-timer.com Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://nudge-timer.com/privacy

Screenshots

Focus Timer3 screens
Nudge2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Focus Timer at none against Nudge's 1. Nudge's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Nudge sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Focus Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focus Timer ships an update every 6 days, Nudge weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Focus Timer versus Nudge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocus TimerNudge
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 days โ€” betterWeekly
AdsYesNo โ€” better
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad โ€” better
Requires iOS1817.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size7 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSooRyong HyunRailsSquad OU

In-app purchases

None

Focus Timer

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Nudge

One-time1
  • Nudge Pro$6.99

Questions

Is Focus Timer free?
Focus Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nudge free?
Nudge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Focus Timer or Nudge have ads?
Focus Timer shows ads; Nudge does not.
Which is updated more often, Focus Timer or Nudge?
Focus Timer ships an update every 6 days, and Nudge weekly. Most recently, Focus Timer was updated on October 5, 2026 and Nudge on October 2, 2026.

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