Comparison

Mini Focus Timer vs Needle · Pomodoro Timer

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

Head to head
About

Mini Focus Timer

This minimalist timer uses the Pomodoro technique to help you focus for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. It features a simple interface with a circular dial and a large start button, offering focus, short break, and long break phases. Track your progress with daily, weekly, and monthly charts.

Highlights
  • Minimalist Pomodoro timer
  • Focus, short break, long break phases
  • Circular glass dial interface
  • Home & lock screen widgets
  • Apple Watch complications
  • Daily, weekly, monthly focus charts
Features
Read full description

Prop up iPhone Duo and stay focused. The upper part of the half-open inner display shows the remaining time and current phase in large type, with start, pause and other controls plus the next phase below. Your timer keeps its state as you fold or unfold between the outer and inner displays. On the half-open inner display, the upright area shows just one large circular timer in the center. Focus 25, rest 5. That's it. MiniFocus is the simplest Pomodoro timer for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch — one glossy glass dial, one big start button, and a gentle ping when the phase ends. • Three phases only — focus, short break, long break • Big circular glass dial in the iOS 26 Liquid Glass tone • Home & lock screen widgets — running timer · today stats · quick start • Apple Watch complications — your remaining time, always one glance away • Universal — iPhone, iPad, and a paired Apple Watch app, all in one • Daily, weekly, monthly focus charts • No sign-up. No ads. No tracking. No IAP. No account, no cloud — everything lives on your device. The point isn't measuring time. It's not drifting away for 25 minutes.

About

Needle · Pomodoro Timer

Features
Read full description

Needle is a calm, beautiful Pomodoro timer that helps you spend your time on what matters, one session at a time. Pick what you want to focus on, set the length, and start. When the time is up, take a real break. That's the whole method, proven for decades. FOCUS WITHOUT FRICTION • Set the length on a tape in the middle of the screen, then start in one tap • Focus Lock adds a few seconds of friction before you can give up early — or, set to Locked, refuses to let you stop until the block ends • Tag every session: Work, Study, Code, anything you like • A real alarm at the end of a session that breaks through silent mode and Focus SOUND AND SCENES TO WORK TO • A full-screen focus player opens as your session starts • Quran recitations, free for everyone: choose from up to 14 reciters and listen to all 114 surahs • Lofi tracks across three moods — Ambient & Zen, Chillhop & Jazz, Late Night — bundled and offline, no account, no streaming; one free track in every mood, the full library with Needle+ • 40 ambient sounds — rain, nature, night, travel and more — to layer, each with its own volume (Needle+) • Looping video scenes, or none at all SEE WHERE YOUR TIME GOES • A day view, a week strip, and a full session timeline • Build a daily streak and keep it alive • Set a daily goal that fits your life and watch it fill • Export every session to CSV whenever you want ON EVERY SCREEN YOU OWN • iPhone, iPad and Mac — on Mac, a compact Liquid Glass timer that lives in the menu bar • An Apple Watch app that runs sessions on its own • Control Center tiles • Start, pause and stop the timer from Spotlight, Siri and Shortcuts MAKE IT YOURS • Backgrounds and eight alternate app icons • Eleven languages • Dark by design, easy on the eyes at 2am Needle+ (optional subscription) The full lofi library and all 40 ambient sounds, unlimited tags and colors, detailed stats and insights, and Live Activity with the Dynamic Island. Family Sharing supported, so one subscription covers your whole family. Monthly or yearly; payment is charged to your Apple Account and renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Your time is your most valuable asset. Spend it on what matters. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Mini Focus Timer4 screens
Needle · Pomodoro Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mini Focus Timer at none against Needle · Pomodoro Timer's 2. 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. Needle · Pomodoro Timer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Mini Focus Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mini Focus Timer ships an update every 8 days, Needle · Pomodoro Timer every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 7 level
Mini Focus Timer versus Needle · Pomodoro Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMini Focus TimerNeedle · Pomodoro Timer
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB153 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLim SangjinGaliya Zhenis

In-app purchases

None

Mini Focus Timer

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Needle · Pomodoro Timer

Subscriptions2
  • Needle+ Monthly7 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Needle+ Yearly7 Days trial$5.991 Year

Questions

Is Mini Focus Timer free?
Mini Focus Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Needle · Pomodoro Timer free?
Needle · Pomodoro Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Mini Focus Timer or Needle · Pomodoro Timer have ads?
Neither Mini Focus Timer nor Needle · Pomodoro Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mini Focus Timer or Needle · Pomodoro Timer?
Mini Focus Timer ships an update every 8 days, and Needle · Pomodoro Timer every 6 days. Most recently, Mini Focus Timer was updated on October 25, 2026 and Needle · Pomodoro Timer on October 29, 2026.

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