# Emphasis vs FocusTimer 2

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.

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 21, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Emphasis | FocusTimer 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emphasis-flow-and-focus-timer/id733300214/reviews)** | [3.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focustimer-2/id1308275296/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **83.9% of reviews** | 57.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 73 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aleksandr Fiodorov](https://appshunter.io/developer/571378481) | [AppNextDoor Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1041729267) |

## What reviewers say

### Emphasis

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emphasis-flow-and-focus-timer/id733300214)

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.

**Highlights:** Customizable focus intervals, Ambient background sounds, Focus-O-Meter for distraction tracking, Personalized progress statistics, Cloud sync across devices, Highly customizable sessions

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Emphasis Premium Subscription | $3.49 | per month |
| Emphasis Premium Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Feature (Yearly Promo) | $12.99 | per year |
| Emphasis Premium Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime premium | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime premium | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Minimalistic and simple design
- 👍 Customizable timer settings
- 💡 Helpful for productivity and focus
- 🚀 Sleek and intuitive interface
- 👍 Visually appealing countdown timer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Subscription model required for full features
- 🐛 Sync and login issues
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes after updates
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications and alerts

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focustimer-2/id1308275296)

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.

**Highlights:** Pomodoro Technique timer, Customizable focus and break lengths, Long break mode, Work and study focus, Performance statistics, Distraction minimization

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Emphasis free?

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

### Is FocusTimer 2 free?

FocusTimer 2 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Emphasis or FocusTimer 2?

Emphasis is rated higher. Emphasis averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while FocusTimer 2 averages 3.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do Emphasis or FocusTimer 2 have ads?

Neither Emphasis nor FocusTimer 2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Emphasis or FocusTimer 2?

Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, and FocusTimer 2 every 9 months. Most recently, Emphasis was updated on October 21, 2026 and FocusTimer 2 on October 12, 2026.

---

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