Comparison

Focus Train vs FocusPal

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

Head to head
About

Focus Train

Enhance your focus with immersive railway journeys and ambient soundscapes. Track your progress like a travel log, unlock new destinations, and earn medals. This app offers a unique, atmospheric approach to productivity.

Highlights
  • Immersive focus journeys with satellite landscapes
  • Ambient soundscapes (train, rain, ocean, forest)
  • Gamified progress tracking and medal system
  • Cinematic views (satellite map or window mode)
  • Premium aesthetics with gesture-driven interface
  • Privacy-focused local data storage
Features
Read full description

Focus Train turns your productivity sessions into beautiful, scenic railway journeys. It is designed for students, deep workers, and dreamers who need an escape from distractions to find their flow. It has 3 primary features: - Immersive Focus Journeys: Transform your timer into a travel experience. Watch your train traverse real-world satellite landscapes as you work, with every minute bringing you closer to a new destination. - Ambient Soundscapes: Block out the noise with dynamic, high-quality audio environments. Choose from the rhythmic clatter of Train wheels, calming Raindrops, deep Ocean waves, or a peaceful Forest. - Gamified Progress: A tracking system that feels like a travel log. Record every trip in your history, track your total distance, unlock new stations, and earn medals as you master your focus. Cinematic Views: Switch between a detailed satellite map or an immersive "Window" mode to watch the world go by. Premium Aesthetics: A stunning, gesture-driven interface with liquid-glass effects, haptic feedback, and fluid animations. Privacy First: Your journey data and habits are stored locally on your device, respecting your privacy. Focus Train is a unique alternative to Forest, Flora, and generic Pomodoro timers for those seeking a more atmospheric and relaxing path to productivity! Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

FocusPal

This app offers a personalized Pomodoro timer experience by allowing users to create a "Pal" from their own photos. It includes features to block distractions, display a live countdown on the Lock Screen, and track focus sessions with detailed reports.

Highlights
  • Customizable Pal companion from photos
  • Pomodoro timer with adjustable durations
  • Focus Shield to block distractions
  • Live countdown on Lock Screen and Dynamic Island
  • Animated Pal companions
  • Customizable focus backgrounds
  • Focus time tracking and stats reports
Features
Read full description

FocusPal is a Pomodoro timer with a Pal you create from your own photo — plus Focus Shield to keep distractions out of reach and a live countdown on your Lock Screen. Create a Pal from a photo of your favorite pet, plush toy, or little companion, then let it stay with you while you work, study, read, write, or build a better daily routine. Instead of staring at a plain countdown, FocusPal gives your focus session a friendly presence on screen. CREATE YOUR OWN PAL Turn a photo into a personal Pal, choose a cozy spot, and bring it to life with companion animations. Your Pal can be a pet, a toy, or anything that makes your focus space feel more personal. FOCUS WITH POMODORO SESSIONS Start a focus session, stay with one task, then take a short or long break when it is time to reset. Customize your focus duration, break duration, long break length, and cycle rhythm to match the way you actually work. BLOCK DISTRACTIONS WITH FOCUS SHIELD Decide what stays out of reach while you focus. Focus Shield uses Screen Time to hold back the apps and websites you choose, then clears itself when your session ends or you start a break. Pick Strict to shield everything blockable, Allowlist to keep a few exceptions open, or Loose to leave your phone exactly as it is. SEE YOUR TIMER AT A GLANCE Your session stays visible on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, so you can check the time left without unlocking your phone or reopening the app. ENJOY DIFFERENT PAL ANIMATIONS Your Pal is not just a static image. FocusPal supports animated Pal companions, making each focus session feel more alive and less mechanical. CUSTOMIZE YOUR FOCUS SPACE Choose from different focus backgrounds and create a calm space for your timer and Pal. Whether you prefer a cozy room, a bright sky, or a softer scene, FocusPal helps your focus space feel like your own. TRACK YOUR FOCUS TIME Review your focus history with dedicated stats reports. See your weekly, monthly, and yearly focus patterns, and understand how your sessions add up over time. GOOD FOR - Studying - Deep work - Reading - Writing - Homework - Creative work - Work sessions - Gentle Pomodoro routines - Building a focus habit FocusPal is built for people who want a simple Pomodoro timer with a softer, more personal feeling. It gives you a timer, breaks, Pal animations, focus backgrounds, and progress reports in one calm place. Terms of Use: https://focuspalapp.com/en/term-of-service Privacy Policy: https://focuspalapp.com/en/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Focus Train4 screens
FocusPal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: FocusPal at 5.0 against Focus Train's 4.0. FocusPal also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%). Focus Train's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.2). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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. Focus Train sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and FocusPal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FocusPal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Focus Train's written reviews are positive against 100% of FocusPal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focus Train ships an update every 2 weeks, FocusPal weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Focus Train versus FocusPal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocus TrainFocusPal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings44
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.2
Further details — not scored
Size200 MB145 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEloan TourtelierLIFEPLUS TECH LTD

Customer experience

Focus Train

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%

FocusPal

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

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Focus Train

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Yearly$17.991 Year
3 purchases

FocusPal

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Pro$2.991 Month
  • Annual Pro$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro$26.99

Questions

Is Focus Train free?
Focus Train is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FocusPal free?
FocusPal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Focus Train or FocusPal?
FocusPal is rated higher. Focus Train averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while FocusPal averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Focus Train or FocusPal have ads?
Neither Focus Train nor FocusPal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Focus Train or FocusPal?
Focus Train ships an update every 2 weeks, and FocusPal weekly. Most recently, Focus Train was updated on October 24, 2026 and FocusPal on October 31, 2026.

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