Comparison

Pomodoro Timer vs Refocus

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

Head to head
About

Pomodoro Timer

Features
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FocusLab is a clean focus timer for deep work, study, and intentional attention. Start a focus session, stay on track with a minimal timer, and review your progress with simple statistics. FocusLab keeps the core experience lightweight: choose a session length, focus, finish, and see how your attention builds over time. Free features: • Focus timer for everyday sessions • Basic statistics for minutes, completed sessions, streaks, and average length • Session review notes • Live Activities and widgets • Local-first focus tracking FocusLab Premium unlocks deeper tools: • Deep and Ultradian focus modes • Focus Score and score breakdown • Weekly focus charts • 30-day consistency heatmap • Insights by mode, interruptions, reviews, and patterns • Full session history and editing • Shareable focus summary cards FocusLab is designed for people who want fewer distractions and better feedback, not another noisy productivity system. If you decide to get a FocusLab Premium subscription, your purchase will be charged to your iTunes account. One year costs $14.99. Active subscriptions will be auto-renewed 24 hours before the expiry date. You can manage subscriptions from an Account in iTunes after subscribing, and you’ll also be able to cancel the auto-renewing subscription at any time. Any unused portion of the free trial period will be forfeited if you purchase a subscription to FocusLab Premium before your trial expires. Terms & Conditions: https://yahenskyi.dev/terms-conditions/ Privacy Policy: https://yahenskyi.dev/privacy-policy/

About

Refocus

Features
Read full description

Focus is not just about willpower. It can be designed. Refocus is a focus timer created with inspiration from scientific research on attention, breaks, and cognitive load. Today, our minds are constantly exposed to stimulation from smartphones, social media, notifications, videos, and endless streams of short information. When your mind is still filled with that noise, simply starting a traditional focus timer may not be enough to help you switch into a focused state. Refocus begins by preparing the state before focus. First, you take a short break to let your mind cool down and settle. Before the break, you can write down one small thing you want to do afterward. This helps you stop holding the next task in your head while resting, and makes it easier to return to work smoothly when the break ends. Refocus is not just about dividing time. It is about resting, clearing your mind, remembering what comes next, and returning to focus. Main features: ・A focus timer designed with scientific insights in mind ・A unique workflow that starts with a break ・A simple note feature to write down what you will do after the break ・A smooth flow that helps you return to focus after resting ・A simple cycle of focus and break sessions ・Calming animations and a minimal interface Recommended for people who: ・Take time to get into focus ・Feel mentally scattered after using smartphones or social media ・Forget what they were going to do after taking a break ・Want to reset their mind before starting work ・Prefer a simple and calm timer app ・Want to enter focus naturally, without forcing it Rest first. Clear your mind. Leave your next task behind. Then return to focus. Refocus is a timer designed to help create a state where focus can happen more naturally.

Screenshots

Pomodoro Timer4 screens
Refocus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Refocus at none against Pomodoro Timer's 2. Refocus also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pomodoro Timer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Refocus asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Pomodoro Timer versus Refocus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPomodoro TimerRefocus
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB51 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVolodymyr YahenskyiHiroki Nishikawa

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Pomodoro Timer

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly plan$1.997 Days
  • Annual plan7 Days trial$14.991 Year
None

Refocus

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pomodoro Timer free?
Pomodoro Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Refocus free?
Refocus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Pomodoro Timer or Refocus have ads?
Neither Pomodoro Timer nor Refocus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pomodoro Timer or Refocus?
Pomodoro Timer ships an update every 3 weeks, and Refocus every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pomodoro Timer was updated on September 24, 2026 and Refocus on September 16, 2026.

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