Comparison

Refocus vs Ichi

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

Head to head
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.

About

Ichi

Features
Read full description

Ichi is the calmest way to do one thing at a time. Most to-do apps hand you a wall of tasks and a quiet feeling of dread. Ichi does the opposite: it collapses the whole list down to a single, beautiful screen — the one thing you're on right now. Finish it, and the next one rises gently into place. Reach the end, and the screen quietly exhales: all clear. No due dates. No "overdue." No streaks to protect, no caps to hit, no ads. Just the next thing, and the calm of knowing nothing is slipping through. ONE TASK, FRONT AND CENTER • Your single most important task, in beautiful big type • Complete it and the next one rises into place — a calm move, never confetti • An ordered "Up next" queue you reorder with a drag; the top becomes now CAPTURE WITHOUT FRICTION • Add a task in a tap — from the app, a Home Screen widget, the Share Sheet, or a word to Siri • Everything new waits quietly in the queue until you're ready for it • Nothing is ever silently deleted A WIDGET THAT'S NEVER STALE • Glance at your current task from the Home Screen, Lock Screen, or StandBy • It reads the same source as the app, so it always shows the true next thing MADE TO FEEL GOOD • Spring-physics motion, considered haptics, and Liquid Glass materials • Four hand-tuned themes — Warm Paper and Cool Mist free; Nocturne and Aurora with Pro • Light and dark, full Dynamic Type, VoiceOver, and Reduce Motion support • Private by design — your tasks sync through your own iCloud, never our servers ICHI PRO Every feature is free, forever. Pro is purely for the beauty: the Nocturne and Aurora themes, the StandBy nightstand widget, and alternate app icons. Pro is available as a one-time purchase or a yearly auto-renewable subscription, and is always restorable. Pro never sells capacity, there are no caps to lift. Do one thing. Then the next. — Ichi Pro (yearly) is an auto-renewable subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically for the same price and duration unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. A one-time lifetime purchase is also available. Terms of Use (EULA): https://ichi.quyctd.dev/terms Privacy Policy: https://ichi.quyctd.dev/privacy

Screenshots

Refocus4 screens
Ichi4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Refocus at none against Ichi's 2. Refocus also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Refocus versus Ichi: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRefocusIchi
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size51 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHiroki NishikawaDinh Quy

In-app purchases

None

Refocus

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Ichi

Subscriptions1
  • Ichi Pro$1.991 Year
One-time1
  • Ichi Pro (Lifetime)$5.99

Questions

Is Refocus free?
Refocus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ichi free?
Ichi is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Refocus or Ichi have ads?
Neither Refocus nor Ichi shows ads.

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