Comparison

Unheld vs Koku

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

Head to head
About

Unheld

Features
Read full description

Unheld is a quiet space for focus. Most focus apps make you watch the clock. Unheld does the opposite. Start a session, put your phone down, and focus without thinking about time. There are no ticking countdowns, no pressure, and no productivity scores. Time is held quietly in the background so you can stay present with your work. Unheld is designed for people who want calm focus instead of urgency — students, creatives, professionals, and anyone who finds traditional timers stressful. Features • One-tap focus sessions • No countdown by default • Gentle end reminders (optional) • Session history for reflection, not tracking • Apple Watch support • Local-only storage — your data stays on your device Premium (One-time purchase) Unlock session history, weekly summaries, and optional tags with a single purchase. No subscriptions. Designed for calm Unheld is not a Pomodoro timer and not a productivity system. It’s a quiet container for focus — so you can stop thinking about time and simply work.

About

Koku

This app helps you focus on tasks with customizable work and rest intervals. It offers a simple, distraction-free interface and integrates with your home screen and Apple Watch for easy access and control. Enjoy deep work without accounts, streaks, or subscriptions.

Highlights
  • Customizable focus and rest sessions
  • Classic Pomodoro rhythm option
  • Home Screen widget for quick access
  • Live Activities on lock screen
  • Apple Watch companion app
  • Minimalist, distraction-free design
Features
Read full description

Koku is a focus timer for deep work. Focus. Rest. Repeat. Set your own session lengths or use the classic rhythm - twenty-five minutes of focus, five minutes of rest, a longer break every four sessions. Each minute is a dot. Watch them fill. - No accounts. - No streaks. - No subscriptions. Just time, and the work in front of you. Add Koku to your Home Screen for quick access - start, pause, and skip sessions right from the widget. Keep the timer visible on your lock screen with Live Activities. Koku also includes an Apple Watch companion app that works with the iPhone app, so you can check your timer and control sessions from your wrist. Designed for iPhone, with an Apple Watch companion. Light and dark mode. Works in any language. Koku (刻) is the Japanese word for a moment of time.

Screenshots

Unheld4 screens
Koku4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Koku at none against Unheld's 1. Unheld's advantage is iOS requirement (16.6 vs 26.4). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Unheld sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Koku asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Unheld versus Koku: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUnheldKoku
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequency—Every 3 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS16.6 — better26.4
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGuo YuRodolfo Alberto Lopez Terriquez

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Unheld

One-time1
  • Unheld Premium$5.99
None

Koku

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Unheld free?
Unheld is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Koku free?
Koku is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Unheld or Koku have ads?
Neither Unheld nor Koku shows ads.

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