Comparison

FocusGate vs Pause

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

Head to head
About

FocusGate

This app helps you reclaim time lost to scrolling by setting up personalized "Focus Gates." When you try to open distracting apps, it presents your priorities and tasks first, offering a gentle nudge to refocus. Track your progress and build momentum towards better digital habits.

Highlights
  • Customizable Focus Gates for any app
  • Personalized task reminders before app opens
  • Mid-session "Doom Scroll" check-ins
  • Real-time interrupts redirect to Focus Gates
  • Daily Focus Score and progress dashboard
  • Shareable progress cards with cosmic artwork
Features
Read full description

Stop doomscrolling. Start doing. You open Instagram "just for a second." Forty minutes later, you're still scrolling. Sound familiar? FocusGate isn't just anothe app blocker - it puts your real priorities in the way first. Set up Focus Gates with personal reminders and tasks. When you reach for a distracting app, FocusGate steps in with what actually matters to you - then lets you choose. No guilt trips. No hard locks. Just a moment of clarity that changes everything. The result? You reclaim hours every week - not by willpower, but by design. ------- FOCUS GATES - Your Priorities Come First Create custom gates for any app. Each gate carries your reminders: "Did you finish that report?" "Have you called Mom back?" "Drink some water first." Complete your tasks, then continue. • Choose which apps to gate and when (weekdays, weekends, custom schedules) • Add personal task reminders that appear before each app opens • Track Focus Momentum - watch your task completion grow • Built-in breathing exercises to reset before you scroll DOOM SCROLL CHECK-INS Already deep in a scroll session? FocusGate has your back. Set check-in intervals so FocusGate asks you mid-session: "Still here on purpose?" Choose the right frequency for you and FocusGate becomes the perfect safety net for when you fall down the rabbit hole. REAL-TIME INTERRUPTS THAT ACTUALLY HELP FocusGate works at the system level. When you open a gated app, you're immediately redirected to your Focus Gate - no workaround, no delay. FOCUS SCORE & PROGRESS DASHBOARD See your digital habits transform with real data: • Daily Focus Score (0–100) based on gates completed, breaks taken, and check-ins honored • Native Screen Time integration for detailed usage reports • Top Disruptors - see which apps steal the most time • Track your progress over days, weeks, and months SHARE YOUR WINS Hit a milestone? FocusGate creates stunning share cards with your stats - gorgeous cosmic artwork you'll actually want to post. Show your friends what "in control" looks like. ------- WHY FOCUSGATE IS DIFFERENT Most screen time apps treat you like someone who needs to be locked out of your own phone. FocusGate treats you like a capable person who just needs a better system. → Not a hard lock - a gate. You always have the choice to continue. → Not a countdown timer - a task system. Your real priorities interrupt the scroll. → Not a guilt trip - a momentum builder. Every completed task adds to your Focus Score. → Not another generic utility - a beautifully crafted experience you'll actually want to use. ------- WORKS WITH YOUR PHONE, NOT AGAINST IT • Deep Screen Time API integration with native usage reports • Shields distracting apps at the system level • Smart notifications power every gate and check-in in real time Terms, Privacy & Conditions: https://www.focusgate-app.com/focusgate/terms

About

Pause

Features
Read full description

Pause: Break the Doomscrolling Loop Break free from the doomscrolling loop and reclaim your time with Pause. Pause isn't another screen time blocker. Instead of locking you out of your phone or making you feel guilty, Pause interrupts your autopilot habits at the exact moment they happen. Whenever you instinctively open a distracting app, Pause steps in first with a mandatory 60-second mindful breathing exercise. It takes just one minute to break the cycle of mindless scrolling. Take a breath, identify what you're actually looking for, and decide intentionally whether you still want to open the app. HOW IT WORKS Create Intervention Plans: Select the apps that trigger your distracting or compulsive usage, such as Instagram, TikTok, or X. The 60-Second Intercept: When you open a targeted app, Pause appears first. Complete a 60-second mindful breathing exercise before continuing. Identify Your Triggers: Log how you're feeling in the moment — Bored, Anxious, Procrastinating, or another trigger — to better understand what drives your scrolling habits. Make a Choice: After 60 seconds, you're in control. Choose to continue to the app or step away and reclaim your time. BUILD HEALTHIER HABITS Evening Reflections: gentle reminder at the end of the day to check in with your mood and reflect on your screen time. Weekly Insights: Track your progress over time. Discover your most common trigger apps, peak urge times, and your Pause Success Rate the percentage of times you chose to step away. Privacy First: Your intervention plans and check-ins are private and securely tied to your account. TAKE BACK YOUR ATTENTION Stop letting algorithms control your attention. Add a little friction to distracting habits, build awareness around your screen time, and get your focus back. Take a breath. Take a Pause.

Screenshots

FocusGate4 screens
Pause4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pause at none against FocusGate's 2. Pause also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). FocusGate's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price 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. FocusGate sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Pause asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FocusGate ships an update every 3 weeks, Pause every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
FocusGate versus Pause: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocusGatePause
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size186 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFocusGateUPSTART INNOVATION, LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

FocusGate

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly Subscription$1.997 Days
  • Yearly Subscription$14.991 Year
None

Pause

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FocusGate free?
FocusGate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pause free?
Pause is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do FocusGate or Pause have ads?
Pause shows ads; FocusGate does not.
Which is updated more often, FocusGate or Pause?
FocusGate ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pause every 4 days. Most recently, FocusGate was updated on October 5, 2026 and Pause on September 25, 2026.

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