Benchpad vs Bruno Blocker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Benchpad
Read full descriptionHide full description
Benchpad is a scratchpad, not a second brain. Three pads. You name them โ Work / Personal / Scratch, Today / This Week / Someday, whatever fits your head. No folders, no tags, no filing decisions. Open, type, close. WRITE WITHOUT DECIDING Every note app asks "where does this go?" before you've written a word. Benchpad doesn't. Three pads means the decision is already made. WORKS ON A PLANE Offline-first, not offline-tolerant. Every keystroke saves to your device before any network request. Sync happens in the background when you're online โ and merges conflict-free if you edited on two devices at once. CONSTRAINT IS THE PRODUCT Benchpad is for people who want to write things down โ not maintain a system. A note app that knows when to stop. When you can't create infinite folders, you write instead of organizing. Constraint isn't a compromise. It's the product. A REAL EDITOR Headings, checklists, tables, code blocks with syntax highlighting, images, file attachments all with slash commands and a block editor. NO AI. NO ADS. NO DATA MINING. Nothing reads, summarizes, or trains on your notes. Notes are encrypted at rest. Plain markdown โ copy everything out anytime, no lock-in. FREE FOREVER, REALLY One pad, the full editor, offline support, sync, and an archive of 100 notes โ free, no credit card, no time limit. Pro ($10/year flat) unlocks all three pads, all six themes, attachments, voice-note audio, and Markdown/PDF export. Benchpad is for people who want to write things down โ not maintain a system. A note app that knows when to stop.
Bruno Blocker
Read full descriptionHide full description
Bruno Blocker is a completely free app designed to help you regain control of your focus. Set per-app limits, customize schedules, and start focus sessions with nearly endless customization. Add high friction, customizable unblock methods to keep you focused and reduce your screen time. Features: - Focus timer: block distracting apps for a chosen duration - Schedules: Set windows of time where your selected apps are blocked - Limits: Set app limits with a customizable amount of unblocks - Friction checks: Set a warning screen that requires interaction before opening chosen apps. - Completely free: no paywall, no accounts, and no data collected. - Pomodoro cycles: automatic work/break periods set to your preferences. - Strict mode: lock a focus session so it can't be stopped early. - Location triggers: focus starts on its own when you reach the office or library. - Themes: dark or light, plus any accent color you like. - Daily goals & streaks: set a target focus amount for each day and track progress. - Quick start: launch a session from a widget, Siri, or shortcuts. - Free time: Give yourself a set amount of time before your apps are blocked when you want a break. - Live activities: your focus timer appears on the lock screen and dynamic island. Privacy: I don't collect any data. read more at https://brunoblocker.com/privacy Questions: Want a feature or have any questions? Reach out to me.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bruno Blocker at none against Benchpad's 1. Benchpad's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Benchpad sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Bruno Blocker asks for nothing beyond the download.
Benchpad ships an update fortnightly, Bruno Blocker every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Benchpad | Bruno Blocker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 2 weeks โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No โ better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod โ better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 โ better | 17.6 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 113 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Gagandeep Singh | Aksel Salmi |
In-app purchases
Benchpad
- Benchpad Pro$9.991 Year
Bruno Blocker
No in-app purchases









