# Stopwatch Journal vs Focal

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Stopwatch Journal at none against Focal's 3. Stopwatch Journal also leads on device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Focal's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Focal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Stopwatch Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

Stopwatch Journal ships an update fortnightly, Focal weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stopwatch Journal | Focal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Size | 79 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [WaldKlang Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1848463571) | [Ho Van Dai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1572981836) |

## What reviewers say

### Stopwatch Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stopwatch-journal/id6787440031)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Focal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focal-visual-timer-and-routine/id6801943122)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Focal Pro — Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Focal Pro — Yearly | $7.99 | per year |
| Focal Pro — Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stopwatch Journal free?

Stopwatch Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Focal free?

Focal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Stopwatch Journal or Focal have ads?

Stopwatch Journal shows ads; Focal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Stopwatch Journal or Focal?

Stopwatch Journal ships an update fortnightly, and Focal weekly. Most recently, Stopwatch Journal was updated on October 14, 2026 and Focal on October 5, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*