Spicy Focus vs Ontime

Spicy Focus - Science-Based Timer for ADHD Brains Every feature in Spicy Focus is grounded in peer-reviewed ADHD neuroscience. Not productivity advice repackaged with a "for ADHD" label — actual research. Here's what's inside and why. FREE FEATURES Smart Duration Recommendations ("Focus Calibration") ADHD brains literally cannot predict their own focus capacity — that's time blindness (Barkley, 2015). And choosing from 7 duration options triggers decision paralysis (Baumeister's decision fatigue research). Spicy Focus learns from your history — energy levels, completion rates, time of day, activity labels — and auto-selects the duration you're most likely to complete. It nudges you up when you're on a streak (adaptive difficulty from game design) and pulls back when you're struggling. You can always override it. But you'll rarely need to. "Just 5 Minutes" Micro-Commitment ADHD brains need 2-3x more dopamine stimulation to initiate tasks (Volkow et al., NIDA PET imaging study). The 5-minute rule is the #1 clinician-recommended technique for overcoming initiation paralysis. Commit to 5 minutes. When it's up, you choose: extend or stop. Research shows 80%+ continue past the initial commitment. Session Intentions Vague goals are executive dysfunction's worst enemy. Research on implementation intentions (Gollwitzer, 1999) shows that specifying exactly what you'll do — "I will write the intro paragraph" — dramatically increases follow-through. Set one concrete task before each session. Check it off when you're done. Hyperfocus Nudge 68% of adults with ADHD report frequent hyperfocus episodes (Ashinoff & Abu-Akel, 2021). The optional Focus Nudge gently reminds you to stretch, drink water, or rest your eyes without interrupting your flow. Ambient Soundscapes A 2024 meta-analysis found that ambient noise has a statistically significant benefit for ADHD focus (effect size g=0.249, p=0.0001) — but a negative effect on neurotypical brains. The benefit is ADHD-specific (Soderlund, Sikstrom & Smart, 2007). Also free: countdown timer, stopwatch mode, energy tracking, session history, and dark mode. SPICY FOCUS PRO - $4.99 (with 7-day free trial) Unlock the full toolkit: - Insights dashboard with focus trends, heatmaps, and energy correlation charts - Focus streaks with Grace Days — your streak won't break if you miss a day, because shame-based systems backfire for ADHD brains (backed by RSD research) - Daily goals with flexible tracking - Pomodoro mode with customizable intervals - XP and leveling system for long-term motivation - Premium soundscapes - Personal records and streak calendar Every feature cites its research in the in-app Science section. 366 million adults worldwide have ADHD. This app was built for you.

If you have ADHD or time blindness, you know the feeling. You had plenty of time. Then somehow you're late again, apologizing, watching someone's face fall. It's not that you don't care — your brain just doesn't track time the way clocks do. Ontime is the external clock your brain is missing. Tell it when you need to be out the door and what your routine looks like. It does the backward math and tells you the exact minute to start — no guessing, no "one more minute." HOW IT WORKS • Backward planning: enter your deadline; Ontime stacks your routine steps and finds your true start time • Start-now alarm: one loud, unmissable alert at the exact minute to begin — not a vague reminder • Step-by-step mode: while you get ready, see what to do now and whether you're ahead or behind • Built-in buffer: pads for the transitions your brain skips MADE FOR ADHD BRAINS • Live Activity: the countdown lives on your Lock Screen, always in sight • Apple Watch: glanceable time pressure without picking up your phone • Widgets: "start in 23 min" right on your Home Screen • Insights: see which routines run over and which weekdays need more buffer • No streaks, no guilt. Just out the door on time. ONTIME PRO Ontime requires an Ontime Pro subscription — monthly or annual, auto-renewing. The annual plan starts with a free trial: nothing is charged until it ends, and you can cancel anytime in Settings. Prices are shown in the app before you subscribe. Terms of Use: https://on-time-ios.web.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://on-time-ios.web.app/privacy