Comparison

Tempo vs Focal

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

Head to head
About

Tempo

Features
Read full description

Tempo — focus, stripped to the essentials. Pick a duration and start. Your time left and progress ring live on the Dynamic Island and Lock Screen, so you always know how long is left without unlocking or switching back. ONE FLOW, DONE RIGHT · Dial a duration or tap a preset — start instantly · Live progress ring on the Dynamic Island / Lock Screen, system-smooth and battery-friendly · A strong alert at zero wraps each session up cleanly RESTRAINT IS A FEATURE · No subscription, no ads, no social, no leaderboards · Designed not to nag or hook — use it and get on with your day TEMPO PRO (one-time purchase, yours forever) · Custom themes: 6 palettes that light up the Island and Lock Screen · Custom presets: save your own set of durations · History & stats: revisit every session and your total time PRIVACY FIRST · Everything stays on your device and your iCloud — never uploaded · No account, no tracking, no third-party SDKs Focus was always meant to be this simple.

About

Focal

Features
Read full description

See the time you have left. Focal turns a countdown into something you can look at: a colored disk that shrinks as your time runs out — the same idea as the timer on a classroom wall, in your pocket, on your lock screen, and on your desk while the phone charges. ONE THING AT A TIME A routine in Focal is a chain of short steps, each with its own length. Focal shows you the step you are on and nothing else, then moves to the next one by itself. Morning launch, shutdown, cleaning sprint, a study block — start with ten ready-made routines or build your own. TIME YOU CAN SEE, EVERYWHERE • Full-screen timer in three shapes: disk, bar, or pie • Live Activity and Dynamic Island — the countdown keeps running on your lock screen • Home and Lock Screen widgets for your next routine • Put the phone on its side while charging and StandBy becomes a desk timer • Start from Siri, the Action Button, or Control Center BUILT FOR THE WAY ATTENTION ACTUALLY WORKS • Gentle haptics at the halfway mark and in the final minute • When time is up the clock keeps counting, and Focal taps you on the shoulder at five and fifteen minutes — the alarm for when you fall into something too deep • Add a minute without losing your place • Eight themes, including high-contrast and a quiet monochrome one NOTHING LEAVES YOUR PHONE. No account. No cloud. Nothing you make ever leaves your phone — the timer works in airplane mode, because it never needed the internet. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Tempo4 screens
Focal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Focal at every 3 days against Tempo's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Tempo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Focal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tempo ships an update every 2 months, Focal every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Tempo versus Focal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTempoFocal
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer相超 邱Ho Van Dai

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Tempo

One-time1
  • Tempo Pro$2.99
3 purchases

Focal

Subscriptions2
  • Focal Pro — Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Focal Pro — Yearly$7.991 Year
One-time1
  • Focal Pro — Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is Tempo free?
Tempo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Focal free?
Focal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Tempo or Focal have ads?
Neither Tempo nor Focal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tempo or Focal?
Tempo ships an update every 2 months, and Focal every 3 days. Most recently, Tempo was updated on September 21, 2026 and Focal on September 18, 2026.

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