Comparison

Focal vs FocusFlow

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

Head to head
About

Focal

This app helps you regain focus by blocking distracting applications and websites during timed work sessions. It offers customizable timers, progress tracking, and quick start presets to enhance productivity for studying, writing, coding, and more.

Highlights
  • Customizable focus timers
  • Block distracting apps and websites
  • Progress tracking and streaks
  • Quick start presets
  • Fullscreen timer interface
  • Clean, distraction-free design
Features
Read full description

Take back your focus. Block distractions. Get more done. Focal is the focus timer that actually keeps you off your phone. Set a timer, block your most distracting apps, and lock in — so you can do your best work without fighting your own device. FOCUS TIMER Start a 25-minute Pomodoro, a 50-minute deep work session, or any custom length you want. The timer runs fullscreen so your only job is to stay in it. BLOCK DISTRACTING APPS Focal uses Screen Time to block apps and websites the moment you start a session. Social media, games, news — gone until your timer ends. No willpower required. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS See your daily focus time, streak, and focus score grow as you build the habit. Small wins add up fast. QUICK START PRESETS Jump into Pomodoro, deep work, or your own custom sessions in one tap. No setup, no friction. BUILT FOR DEEP WORK Clean design with no distractions — because a focus app shouldn't be one more thing competing for your attention. Whether you're studying, writing, coding, or just trying to be more intentional with your time, Focal gives you the structure to make it happen. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

FocusFlow

This app helps you regain control of your screen time by requiring you to complete tasks before unlocking your apps. It uses AI-powered photo verification to ensure you've finished your work, earning you time to use your phone guilt-free. Features include customizable blockout schedules and family accounts for parental oversight.

Highlights
  • AI photo verification for task completion
  • Earned scroll time that counts down
  • Customizable blockout schedules
  • Daily limits per app or group
  • Emergency override with logging
  • Import tasks from calendar and reminders
  • Family accounts for parental control
Features
Read full description

Your apps stay locked until you finish what you actually need to do. FocusFlow is a different kind of screen time app. Most blockers let you tap "ignore limit" and carry on scrolling. FocusFlow makes you earn it. Add a task, do it, take a photo as proof, and AI checks the photo really shows the work. Verified work earns scroll time. Nothing else unlocks your apps. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick the apps that eat your day. Instagram, TikTok, X, games, anything. 2. Add today's tasks. Homework, gym, laundry, whatever you keep putting off. 3. Finish one and snap a photo. The AI checks it against the task. 4. Earn minutes. Your apps unlock, and the time counts down while you use them. 5. Hit zero and they lock again, even with FocusFlow closed. WHY IT WORKS A limit you can dismiss is a suggestion. Apple's own Screen Time puts "Ignore Limit" one tap away, and everyone taps it. FocusFlow replaces that tap with doing the thing you were avoiding. The friction is the point. FEATURES Photo verification, so finishing means finishing. Reward time that counts down only while you are in the apps you picked. Blockout schedules for class, work, practice or bedtime, when nothing unlocks. Daily limits per app or per group, on top of earned time. An emergency override with a wait and a log, for when you genuinely need in. Canvas assignments and exams become tasks automatically, and Reminders and your calendar can be imported too. A morning notification with the day's tasks, an evening nudge to plan tomorrow, and a warning before your minutes run out. Your own history: tasks finished, time earned, time spent. Family accounts: parents set tasks for their kids and approve them from their own device. PRICING FocusFlow is free to download, and everything outside the family plan is free for now. FocusFlow Family, for parents who set tasks for their kids, is an auto-renewing subscription: $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial. Payment is charged to your Apple ID when the trial ends. It renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple ID settings. Terms of Use: https://getfocusflow.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://getfocusflow.app/privacy PRIVACY FocusFlow does not sell your data, does not run ads and has no analytics. Your proof photos are used to check the task and nothing else. Apple's Screen Time keeps your app usage private, even from us. We can block an app without ever learning which one it is. Built by a student who lost five hours a day to his phone. Requires iPhone or iPad and Screen Time permission.

Screenshots

Focal4 screens
FocusFlow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: FocusFlow at every 2 days against Focal's every 5 days. FocusFlow also leads on ratings volume (15 vs 3). Focal's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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. Focal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and FocusFlow sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Focal against 5.0 for FocusFlow. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FocusFlow has 15 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focal ships an update every 5 days, FocusFlow every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Focal versus FocusFlow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocalFocusFlow
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings)5.0 (15 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings315 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size51 MB3 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperVista Wholesale Central LLCSpencer Lay

Customer experience

Focal

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

FocusFlow

All ratings15 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Focal

Subscriptions2
  • Focal Pro7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Focal Pro3 Days trial$34.991 Year
2 purchases

FocusFlow

Subscriptions2
  • FocusFlow Family Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • FocusFlow Family Yearly7 Days trial$69.991 Year

Questions

Is Focal free?
Focal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FocusFlow free?
FocusFlow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Focal or FocusFlow?
Focal and FocusFlow are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 15 ratings respectively.
Do Focal or FocusFlow have ads?
Neither Focal nor FocusFlow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Focal or FocusFlow?
Focal ships an update every 5 days, and FocusFlow every 2 days. Most recently, Focal was updated on October 31, 2026 and FocusFlow on November 9, 2026.

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