Comparison

Focus Flow vs Waves

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

Head to head
About

Focus Flow

Features
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Focus Flow helps you stay consistent with distraction-free focus sessions. Features: • Fast, minimal focus timer • Custom durations and break flow • Daily goal and session tracking • Weekly stats, streak, and focus score • Home Screen widgets (Premium) • Theme customization (light/dark + accent colors) Premium is a one-time lifetime purchase — no subscription. Designed for students, creators, and professionals who want a simple but powerful focus routine. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Waves

Features
Read full description

Waves is a focus timer that helps you reset before deep work. It creates a quiet space to settle your attention before working, studying, reading, or creating. Procrastination keeps you switching between apps, checking notifications, and searching for one more thing to consume. Waves interrupts that cycle. It replaces the stream of stimulation with a timer, gentle visual movement, and a deliberate pause before deep work. Set a session, stay with the scenery, and use the quiet interval as your signal to stop switching and begin. Return to the same process whenever you need a repeatable transition into focus. Waves embraces intentional boredom so you can approach your next task with a clearer sense of purpose. IMMERSIVE FOCUS SESSIONS Watch gentle waves, bubbles, flowing lines, orbiting shapes, campfires, deep-space scenes, underwater environments, and other low-stimulation backgrounds. FEATURES • Adjustable focus timer • Immersive animated scenery • Multiple color schemes for each scene • Timer pauses when the app is no longer active • Preferences and timer state saved between sessions • No accounts, advertising, analytics, or user tracking ATTENTION AS WAVES Completed sessions increase your Focus Score and shape a visual wave. As your score rises, the wave gradually becomes smoother, giving you a simple visual record of your focus routine. WAVES PREMIUM Waves Premium unlocks Campfire, Deep Space, Underwater, and new premium scenery added over time. Monthly and annual subscription options are available. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://kkessens.github.io/waves-legal/

Screenshots

Focus Flow4 screens
Waves4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Waves at none against Focus Flow's shown. Waves also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Focus Flow sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Waves sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
Focus Flow versus Waves: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocus FlowWaves
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCEYHUN KAYACANKEITH JOSEPH KESSENS

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Focus Flow

One-time2
  • Lifetime UpgradeFree
  • FocusFlow Lifetime$4.99
2 purchases

Waves

Subscriptions2
  • Waves Premium Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Premium Annual$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Focus Flow free?
Focus Flow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Waves free?
Waves is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Focus Flow or Waves have ads?
Focus Flow shows ads; Waves does not.

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