Emphasis vs TimeLog
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/
TimeLog
Effortlessly track study, work, or habit durations with a simple tap. Visualize your progress with beautiful charts and analyze your time across daily, weekly, and monthly views to stay focused and motivated.
- Record daily activities and durations
- Easy tracking with stopwatch
- Categorize activities
- Daily, weekly, and monthly charts
- Analyze category and action time
- Calendar view for reflection
- Supports Dark Mode
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Stay motivated by making your progress visible. TimeLog helps you record and analyze your study, work, or habit time effortlessly. Just tap to start the timer, and your daily efforts are automatically organized and visualized with beautiful charts. 【App Features】 • Record daily activities and durations • Easy tracking with stopwatch • Categorize your activities • View daily, weekly, and monthly charts • Analyze each category and action • Calendar view for time reflection • Supports Dark Mode Whether you’re preparing for exams, studying for a certification, managing work hours, or tracking daily habits — TimeLog helps you stay consistent, focused, and motivated. Start recording today, visualize your effort, and make your time work smarter for you. -Term of Use https://equatorial-promise-d20.notion.site/17104c92cfe246f0a2f1b28ce440c7c5?pvs=4 -Privacy Policy https://equatorial-promise-d20.notion.site/c4a7b90aab28457db2a8a3403722d43a?pvs=4
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Emphasis at none against TimeLog's shown. Emphasis also leads on device support (4 vs 1). TimeLog's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 and TimeLog sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, TimeLog every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Emphasis | TimeLog |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (1.1K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 83.9% of reviews | 88.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 73 MB | 54 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Aleksandr Fiodorov | masashi adachi |
Customer experience
Emphasis
TimeLog
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
TimeLog
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
TimeLog
- Monthly plan1 Month trial$1.991 Month
- Annual plan$19.991 Year
- Lifetime plan$29.99









