Comparison

OneScreenTimer vs Focal

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

Head to head
About

OneScreenTimer

This focus timer helps you stay present and productive with customizable themes and durations. It offers a minimalist interface, streak tracking, and live activity integration for seamless focus sessions. Enjoy a distraction-free experience with no accounts or data tracking.

Highlights
  • Customizable timer durations
  • 6 curated themes with matching icons
  • Streak tracking and freezes
  • Live Activities and Dynamic Island integration
  • Home screen widgets
  • Offline functionality
  • Dark mode support
Features
Read full description

Stop doomscrolling. Start focusing. One Screen Timer is the aesthetic focus timer that actually makes you want to lock in. Pick your vibe. Set your time. Watch the ring fill up. That's it -no bloated features, no accounts, no data tracking. Just a beautifully designed timer that helps you stay present. SET YOUR TIME YOUR WAY Swipe minutes and seconds independently -set anything from 5 seconds to 2 hours. Smart presets remember your favorite durations. Tap one to instantly start. PICK YOUR VIBE 6 curated themes -Study, Workout, Meditate, Create, Focus, and Vibe -each with its own color palette, icon, and mood. Switch themes and your app icon changes automatically to match. Your home screen icon updates to reflect your current vibe -the only timer that lets you personalize your icon. STAY ON TRACK Streak tracking keeps you accountable day after day. Streak freezes have your back when life gets in the way. NEVER LEAVE YOUR FLOW Live Activities and Dynamic Island show your timer right on the lock screen and at the top of your display -no need to open the app. Home screen widgets display your daily focus minutes and streak at a glance. ZEN MODE Ultra-minimal interface -just you and the timer. Tap to start, tap to pause. Pure focus, zero distractions. Screen stays awake during your session -no interruptions, no unlocking. DESIGNED WITH INTENTION Celebration animations when you complete a session -because small wins deserve hype. Gentle sound and haptic cues keep you grounded without being jarring. Beautiful dark mode support that's easy on the eyes for late-night study sessions. YOUR PRIVACY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE Fully offline. No accounts. No data collection. No ads. Ever. BILINGUAL Full English and Chinese (简体中文) support built in. Built by an indie studio that believes a timer should do one thing and do it well. No clutter. No distractions. Just focus. Download One Screen Timer and start your streak today.

About

Focal

Features
Read full description

See the time you have left. Focal turns a countdown into something you can look at: a colored disk that shrinks as your time runs out — the same idea as the timer on a classroom wall, in your pocket, on your lock screen, and on your desk while the phone charges. ONE THING AT A TIME A routine in Focal is a chain of short steps, each with its own length. Focal shows you the step you are on and nothing else, then moves to the next one by itself. Morning launch, shutdown, cleaning sprint, a study block — start with ten ready-made routines or build your own. TIME YOU CAN SEE, EVERYWHERE • Full-screen timer in three shapes: disk, bar, or pie • Live Activity and Dynamic Island — the countdown keeps running on your lock screen • Home and Lock Screen widgets for your next routine • Put the phone on its side while charging and StandBy becomes a desk timer • Start from Siri, the Action Button, or Control Center BUILT FOR THE WAY ATTENTION ACTUALLY WORKS • Gentle haptics at the halfway mark and in the final minute • When time is up the clock keeps counting, and Focal taps you on the shoulder at five and fifteen minutes — the alarm for when you fall into something too deep • Add a minute without losing your place • Eight themes, including high-contrast and a quiet monochrome one NOTHING LEAVES YOUR PHONE. No account. No cloud. Nothing you make ever leaves your phone — the timer works in airplane mode, because it never needed the internet. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

OneScreenTimer4 screens
Focal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: OneScreenTimer at daily against Focal's weekly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. OneScreenTimer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Focal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OneScreenTimer ships an update daily, Focal weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
OneScreenTimer versus Focal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOneScreenTimerFocal
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyDaily — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJUMING LAIHo Van Dai

In-app purchases

1 purchases

OneScreenTimer

One-time1
  • One Screen Timer Pro$1.99
3 purchases

Focal

Subscriptions2
  • Focal Pro — Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Focal Pro — Yearly$7.991 Year
One-time1
  • Focal Pro — Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is OneScreenTimer free?
OneScreenTimer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Focal free?
Focal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do OneScreenTimer or Focal have ads?
Neither OneScreenTimer nor Focal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OneScreenTimer or Focal?
OneScreenTimer ships an update daily, and Focal weekly. Most recently, OneScreenTimer was updated on September 30, 2026 and Focal on October 5, 2026.

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