Emphasis vs FocusTimer 2
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Emphasis
This app helps users achieve deep work by providing customizable focus intervals and ambient soundscapes. It tracks your focus progress and offers personalized statistics to help you reclaim your time from distractions.
- Customizable focus intervals
- Ambient background sounds
- Focus-O-Meter for distraction tracking
- Personalized progress statistics
- Cloud sync across devices
- Highly customizable sessions
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You sit down to work. 40 seconds later, your hand is already reaching for your phone. Familiar? You’re not lazy. Modern life is engineered for distraction, and trying to force yourself to focus through sheer willpower simply doesn't work. Emphasis doesn’t force you to fight your own brain. One tap, a gentle ambient sound, a steady rhythm—and you’re already in a session. Ended a focus block after 12 minutes instead of 25? That’s 12 minutes of deep work you didn't have before. In Emphasis, every minute counts. 4.7 · 20,000+ reviews · Lightweight at just 75 MB Whether you’re navigating an ADHD brain, tackling a heavy study load, or trying to find clarity in a chaotic work week, Emphasis is a sanctuary from the digital noise. We took the science of the Pomodoro technique and turned it into a gentle, intentional rhythm that respects your natural energy levels. DESIGNED FOR YOUR FLOW STATE: * Immersive Sonic Spaces: Silence background distractions with curated ambient soundscapes. From subtle rhythmic pulses to meditative nature tones, create an environment where getting started feels effortless. * The Focus-O-Meter: Awareness is the first step to change. Select the apps that pull you away from your work and watch your Focus-O-Meter rise as you choose presence over the scroll. It’s not about restriction—it’s about reclaiming the time that belongs to you. * Tailored Focus Blueprints: No two brains work the same. Our onboarding learns your workflow needs from the start, letting you fully customize your session lengths and restorative breaks to prevent burnout before it begins. * Progress, Not Perfection: Focus is a practice, not a destination. Use beautiful, minimalist progress charts and calendar stats to recognize your personal patterns of success and celebrate your consistency. * Apple Ecosystem Sync: Your focus journey shouldn't be tied to one desk. Emphasis syncs seamlessly across your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch to keep your rhythm steady wherever you go. At just 75 MB, Emphasis won’t bloat your device, but it will help clear your mind. Join thousands of us who are choosing a kinder, more intentional way to live and work. Download Emphasis today and let’s find your rhythm together. https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
FocusTimer 2
This app helps you stay focused on tasks using the Pomodoro Technique. It breaks down work into timed intervals with short and long breaks, offering statistics on your performance. Improve productivity for learning, work, and training by minimizing distractions.
- Pomodoro Technique timer
- Customizable focus and break lengths
- Long break mode
- Work and study focus
- Performance statistics
- Distraction minimization
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FocusTimer+ is work focus timer. It also contains statistics and performance analysis of your working log. Stay focused and use FocusTimer+ for learning, work, and training sessions. Stop wasting your time on distractions instead of focusing on what really matters. How to use this app? - Base on Pomodoro Technique, for work and stury - 25-minutes fully concentrated periods, separated by 5-minutes short breaks - Long Break mode. Trigger a long break every four concentrated periods - Allows customizing the length of focuses and breaks Pomodoro Technique is an easy-to-use time management method, which uses a timer to break down works into intervals, traditionally 25 min in length, separated by 5 min breaks. Pomodoro in Italian means tomato.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Emphasis at 4.7 against FocusTimer 2's 3.3. Emphasis also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 9 months) and review sentiment (84% vs 57%). FocusTimer 2's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.0). On price and ads 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
Both are free to download. Emphasis sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month. FocusTimer 2 asks for nothing beyond the download.
Emphasis holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Emphasis has 1.1K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Emphasis's written reviews are positive against 57% of FocusTimer 2's.
Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, FocusTimer 2 every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Emphasis | FocusTimer 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (1.1K ratings) — better | 3.3 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 83.9% of reviews — better | 57.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 9 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 10.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 73 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Aleksandr Fiodorov | AppNextDoor Labs |
Customer experience
Emphasis
FocusTimer 2
Bugs and requests
Emphasis
Reported bugs
4 issues- Timer not working correctly after breaks
- Task lists not saving properly
- App crashing on launch for some users
- Sync issues causing data loss
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to track individual tasks and time spent
- Landscape mode support
- Apple Watch app integration
- More color theme options
- Improved statistics and progress tracking
FocusTimer 2
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Emphasis
- Emphasis Premium Subscription$3.491 Month
- Emphasis Premium Subscription$4.991 Month
- Premium Feature (Yearly Promo)$12.991 Year
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- Emphasis Premium Subscription7 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Lifetime premium$29.99
- Lifetime premium$59.99
FocusTimer 2
No in-app purchases









