Comparison

Mastery vs Pomodoro Focus Timer

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

Head to head
About

Mastery

Features
Read full description

Mastery — Stop feeding distractions. Start building power. Most people don’t have a time problem. They have a standards problem. You say you want discipline, then hand your day to social apps, random scrolling, and mood-based decisions. Mastery is built to end that cycle. Mastery turns your habits and skills into a score-driven progression system with real consequences, real momentum, and real proof that you’re changing. The killer feature: Non-Negotiable Mode This is where Mastery separates itself from soft productivity apps. Set a habit as non-negotiable, choose distracting apps, and those apps stay locked until you complete the habit. No fake “nudges.” No gentle reminders. If the work isn’t done, the distractions stay closed. You can configure it your way: • Set global blocked apps for your full discipline system • Add extra blocked apps to specific habits • Choose active weekdays • Run all-day locks or custom time windows If you keep breaking promises to yourself, this is the feature that stops the bleed. Free vs Premium The free version of Mastery allows tracking up to 3 habits or skills. With a Mastery subscription, you can unlock unlimited habit and skill tracking, allowing you to build a complete discipline system around everything that matters to you. What you get with Mastery • Habit + skill tracking in one clean system • Daily completions with clear limits and progress states • Mastery Points for actions that move your life forward • Leveling system and chapter progression (100 completions per chapter) • Mission system that rewards consistency and challenge milestones • Daily check-ins for momentum • Journaling for reflection and self-accountability • Full journey timeline of completions, check-ins, missions, and level-ups • Reminder system with scheduling options • Home screen widget support • Deep links for fast access to specific habits How it works 1. Create your habits and skills. 2. Mark the most important ones as non-negotiable. 3. Block your biggest distractions. 4. Execute daily, earn points, level up, repeat. Simple structure. High standards. No excuses. Who Mastery is for • People tired of “starting over on Monday” • Builders, athletes, creators, students, operators • Anyone ready to trade comfort for progress If you want another cute habit tracker, this isn’t it. If you want a system that pushes you to keep promises to yourself, welcome to Mastery. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Pomodoro Focus Timer

Enhance productivity with a customizable Pomodoro timer, distraction blocking, and habit building. Track your focus sessions, gain insights into your work patterns, and improve concentration with ambient sounds. Plan your week and sync with your calendar for a structured approach to deep work.

Highlights
  • Customizable Pomodoro timer
  • Break habit builder
  • Distraction blocking (Focus Shield)
  • Ambient focus sounds
  • Productivity statistics and insights
  • Weekly planner
  • Apple Calendar sync
Features
Read full description

Stay focused, block distracting apps, and finish what you start with Deeply - a Pomodoro focus timer, app blocker, study planner, and body-doubling companion in one beautifully simple app. Whether you are studying for exams, doing deep work, building an ADHD-friendly routine, or trying to reduce screen time, Deeply helps you start faster, protect your attention, and build consistent focus habits. BLOCK DISTRACTING APPS Focus Shield helps you stay away from distracting apps while you work or study. Choose which apps to block during a focus session, or schedule Focus Shield for the hours when you need uninterrupted concentration. Need extra accountability? Commitment Mode adds deliberate friction when you try to end a session early, helping you follow through on the goal you set. A FLEXIBLE POMODORO FOCUS TIMER Choose the focus method that works for you: • Classic 25-minute Pomodoro sessions • Custom focus and break durations • Longer deep-work sessions • Open-ended stopwatch mode • Tasks, projects, and tags • Intentional break reminders Live Activities, Dynamic Island, StandBy, widgets, and Apple Watch support keep your timer visible without repeatedly reopening the app. LIVE FOCUS ROOMS AND BODY DOUBLING You do not have to focus alone. Join live Focus Rooms such as Cozy Café, Silent Library, and Coding Cave to work alongside others in real time. See who is currently focusing, send encouraging reactions, and use body doubling to create gentle accountability. Public Focus Rooms are free to join, while Deeply Pro lets you create custom rooms of your own. PLAN YOUR DEEP WORK Turn your intentions into a realistic focus plan: • Schedule focus sessions throughout the week • Organize work with projects and tags • Sync focus time with Apple Calendar • Launch planned sessions with less friction • Build healthy break habits such as hydrating, stretching, walking, or breathing TRACK YOUR FOCUS AND BUILD CONSISTENCY Understand where your time goes with clear productivity insights: • Daily, weekly, and monthly focus statistics • Focus streaks and achievements • Session history and activity reports • Time tracked by project or tag • Insights into your most productive hours CREATE YOUR PERFECT FOCUS ATMOSPHERE Set the mood with calming ambient sounds including rain, white noise, café ambience, fireplace sounds, and more. Connect Apple Music to automatically play your chosen focus playlist when a session begins. Personalize your timer with multiple themes and custom colors so your workspace feels like your own. MADE FOR THE APPLE ECOSYSTEM Deeply works across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. iCloud keeps your focus history, habits, tags, and settings synchronized across your devices. DEEPLY IS GREAT FOR • Students preparing for exams or completing assignments • People building ADHD-friendly study and work routines • Professionals, remote workers, freelancers, and developers • Anyone who benefits from body doubling and accountability • People reducing social media distractions and screen time • Anyone working to overcome procrastination and build better habits DEEPLY PRO Upgrade to unlock advanced productivity insights, Commitment Mode, unlimited tags, custom Focus Rooms, premium themes, and future Pro features. A free trial is available with the yearly plan. Deeply is free to download, and no account is required to start your first focus session. Start focusing deeply today. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Mastery4 screens
Pomodoro Focus Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pomodoro Focus Timer at none against Mastery's 3. Pomodoro Focus Timer also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks) and device support (4 vs 1). On price 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. Mastery sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Pomodoro Focus Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mastery ships an update every 2 weeks, Pomodoro Focus Timer every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Mastery versus Pomodoro Focus Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMasteryPomodoro Focus Timer
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB102 MB
Age rating+124+
DeveloperAdam KovacsGourav Bagora

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Mastery

Subscriptions2
  • Mastery Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Annual$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Mastery Lifetime$29.99
None

Pomodoro Focus Timer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Mastery free?
Mastery is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pomodoro Focus Timer free?
Pomodoro Focus Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Mastery or Pomodoro Focus Timer have ads?
Neither Mastery nor Pomodoro Focus Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mastery or Pomodoro Focus Timer?
Mastery ships an update every 2 weeks, and Pomodoro Focus Timer every 5 days. Most recently, Mastery was updated on October 3, 2026 and Pomodoro Focus Timer on October 8, 2026.

Other comparisons