First Thingy vs Easel
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
First Thingy
Read full descriptionHide full description
Most productivity apps give you more ways to make longer lists. One Thing gives you one task. Set the one thing that matters most right now. Work on it. When you're done, mark it complete. If you give up, you have to say why — in your own words, saved permanently. That's it. Why only one task? Because you can only do one thing at a time anyway. The list is the lie. One Thing removes the lie. Why must you explain yourself? Because excuses are easy when no one is watching. One Thing is watching. Not to judge — to help you see the patterns you hide from yourself. The Honest Record Every task you've set, completed, or abandoned lives here. No editing. No deleting. Just the truth about how you spend your time and attention. Features: • Set one active task at a time — enforced • Abandoning requires a written explanation • Permanent honest record of all your tasks • Daily reminder at a time you choose • Light and dark mode • No account needed, no cloud sync, no tracking Your data stays on your device. Always.
Easel
Read full descriptionHide full description
Easel turns focus into something you look forward to. Choose how long you want to concentrate. As your timer runs, a genuine masterpiece slowly emerges from the fog, painted from the center outward. When you finish, the painting is fully revealed and yours to keep in your personal gallery. No feeds. No noise. Just you, your work, and a quiet moment with a great painting. WHY EASEL A calmer way to focus. The reward is not a buzzing notification. It is a beautiful work of art, appearing only if you see your session through. Real masterpieces. Every painting is a genuine public domain work from the great museums, by artists like Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Turner, and Vermeer. Single sessions or full Pomodoro cycles. Focus once, or run classic Pomodoro blocks with breaks and earn a painting for each one. Your personal gallery. Every completed session adds its painting to a collection that grows with your focus. Focus with intention. Choose a collection to focus with, from serene landscapes to old master portraits. Quiet company. Optional ambient piano, drawn from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, plays gently while you work. Beautiful on every device. Widgets bring a painting of the day to your home and lock screen. Easel is free, made by one person, with a small tip jar for anyone who wants to support it. No subscriptions, no ads, no pressure. Focus. Reveal. Keep.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: First Thingy at none against Easel's 3. First Thingy also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. Easel sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. First Thingy asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | First Thingy | Easel |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 36 MB | 74 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | ANTON KENT GUNNAR KARLSSON | Adam Markocki |
In-app purchases
First Thingy
No in-app purchases
Easel
- Buy me a coffee$2.99
- Nice Coffee$4.99
- Coffee Pot$9.99









