FocusTasks vs Nova Record
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
FocusTasks
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FocusTasks combines a Pomodoro timer and a task manager into one app for building a daily focus habit. No account required. Works fully offline, with no ads and no tracking. Start a session in one tap from the home screen widget or your Apple Watch, and watch your streak grow. ā Main Features ⢠Pomodoro timer: work and break sessions switch automatically ā durations are fully customizable ⢠Task management: organize your day with "Today's Focus" and a backlog ⢠Stats & streaks: daily, weekly and monthly focus time with a streak counter ⢠Share your wins: post "6 pomodoros done today!" in one tap ⢠Home screen widget: your next task and a start button, right on the home screen ⢠Apple Watch: start, pause and complete tasks from your wrist ⢠Notifications: get notified when a session ends, even in the background ⢠Dark mode / available in 9 languages ā Privacy First ⢠No account. All data stays on your device ⢠No ads, no analytics, nothing leaves your phone ā Why "End by Time"? In FocusTasks, sessions always end when the timer runs out ā even if the task isn't finished. This design uses the Zeigarnik effect: a psychological finding that people remember unfinished tasks better and are more motivated to resume them. By stopping mid-task when the timer ends, your work naturally stays "in progress", making it easier to pick up again later. It lowers the mental barrier to restarting and helps you build a sustainable study and work habit. ā Great For ⢠Building a study habit for school, exams or certifications ⢠Staying on track while working from home ⢠Anyone who never sticks with task management apps ⢠People looking for a simple, privacy-friendly focus timer ā Terms of Use https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Nova Record
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Nova Record turns your iPhone and Apple Watch into a private conversation recorder with on-device AI transcription. Your audio and transcripts never leave your device ā no accounts, no cloud processing, no tracking. RECORD ANYWHERE ⢠One-tap recording on iPhone, Apple Watch, Control Center, Lock Screen and Action button ⢠Live Activity with timer and controls in the Dynamic Island ⢠External microphone support with input selection ⢠Recordings from your watch transfer to your iPhone automatically ⢠While your iPhone is recording, the watch becomes a remote: mark a moment, pause, stop TRANSCRIBE OFFLINE ⢠Fast on-device transcription in many languages ⢠Choose between the system speech engine and Whisper models (tiny to large) ā downloaded once, then fully offline ⢠Speaker detection separates who said what ⢠Tap any sentence to jump playback to that moment NOVA INTELLIGENCE (subscription) ⢠Summarise a conversation into key points ⢠Clean up the wording without filler words ā with your own glossary for technical terms ⢠Title suggestions for your recordings ⢠Semantic search: find transcripts by meaning rather than keywords, by voice from your Apple Watch or iPhone (ā¬3.49/year, auto-renews, cancel anytime in Settings) FIND & SHARE ⢠Full-text search across all transcripts, plus Spotlight integration ⢠Export as text, Markdown, SRT subtitles, JSON or PDF ⢠Share audio and transcripts via AirDrop, Files and more ⢠Optional iCloud sync and collaboration ā data stays in your private iCloud ⢠Trash: deleted recordings wait 30 days before they are gone for good AUTOMATE (one-time purchase) ⢠Deep Shortcuts integration: start/stop recording, transcribe, search, export and chain your own workflows with Siri PRIVACY FIRST Recording requires the consent of everyone involved ā Nova Record reminds you on first launch. No analytics, no ads. See our privacy policy: https://cluster-one.eu/nova-apps/privacy/ Subscription terms: Payment is charged to your Apple Account. The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in your Apple Account settings. Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nova Record at none against FocusTasks's 4. FocusTasks's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 4 days) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. FocusTasks sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Nova Record asks for nothing beyond the download.
FocusTasks ships an update every 2 days, Nova Record every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | FocusTasks | Nova Record |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days ā better | Every 4 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No ā better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 ā better | 26.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Roku, K.K. | Marlon Meuters |
In-app purchases
FocusTasks
- Support$1.991 Month
- Small Support$0.99
- Medium Support$3.99
- Large Support$69.99
Nova Record
No in-app purchases









