# Emphasis vs Bakery

Emphasis and Bakery both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 84% of Emphasis's written reviews are positive against 65% of Bakery's. Emphasis also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks) and device support (4 vs 2). Bakery's advantage is iOS requirement (12.4 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Emphasis sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month and Bakery sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Emphasis against 4.6 for Bakery. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 837 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of Emphasis's written reviews are positive against 65% of Bakery's.

Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, Bakery every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Emphasis | Bakery |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emphasis-flow-and-focus-timer/id733300214/reviews)** | [4.6 (837 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bakery-study-timer/id1441084360/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 837 |
| Positive reviews | **83.9% of reviews** | 64.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 91 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Aleksandr Fiodorov](https://appshunter.io/developer/571378481) | [Mighty Fine Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/973529494) |

## What reviewers say

### Emphasis

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

This app helps you achieve deep focus using the Pomodoro Technique. It blocks distracting apps, provides ambient sounds, and tracks your focused time to help you understand your work patterns and reach your goals.

**Highlights:** Customizable focus timers, Distracting app blocking, Ambient soundscapes, Focus time statistics, Focus hours scheduling, Home screen widgets, Cross-device synchronization

**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


### Bakery

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bakery-study-timer/id1441084360)

This app encourages users to stay off their phones and focus on real-life tasks like studying or work. It uses a gamified timer where users select a virtual pastry to bake, with the bake progressing while the screen is off. Successful bakes earn coins to unlock new recipes and baked goods.

**Highlights:** Gamified focus timer, Virtual pastry baking, Screen-off timer functionality, Earn coins for successful bakes, Unlock new recipes and baked goods, Progress tracking in display case

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Clean Slate | $0.99 | one-time |
| Classics Recipe Book | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💫 Cute and motivating design
- 🔒 Keeps user off distracting apps
- 🚀 Helps with productivity and focus

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App glitches and bugs
- ⏱️ Lack of pause/break feature
- 💰 Expensive to unlock new recipes

**Reported bugs**

- App resets and loses progress
- Baked goods burn even without using phone
- Unable to exit tutorial or shop screens

**Requested features**

- Add more dessert options
- Implement a total study time tracker
- Allow music playback during sessions
- Include a to-do list or calendar integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Emphasis free?

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

### Is Bakery free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Emphasis or Bakery?

Emphasis is rated higher. Emphasis averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Bakery averages 4.6 from 837 ratings.

### Do Emphasis or Bakery have ads?

Neither Emphasis nor Bakery shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Emphasis or Bakery?

Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, and Bakery every 6 weeks. Most recently, Emphasis was updated on November 13, 2026 and Bakery on November 11, 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.*