# Emphasis vs Flowtimer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Flowtimer at none against Emphasis's 6. Flowtimer also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Emphasis's advantage is ratings volume (1.1K vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Emphasis sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month. Flowtimer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Flowtimer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Emphasis has 1.1K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, Flowtimer weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and June 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Emphasis | Flowtimer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emphasis-flow-and-focus-timer/id733300214/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flowtimer-flowtime-technique/id6479623588/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 83.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 73 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aleksandr Fiodorov](https://appshunter.io/developer/571378481) | [Corporacion Vcoud C.A](https://appshunter.io/developer/1469996120) |

## 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


### Flowtimer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flowtimer-flowtime-technique/id6479623588)

Enhance focus and productivity with a customizable timer based on the Flow Time technique. Organize your day with an integrated to-do list and eliminate distractions to achieve optimal concentration.

**Highlights:** Customizable work and break periods, Flow Time technique implementation, Integrated to-do list, Distraction elimination, Personalized time management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Emphasis free?

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

### Is Flowtimer free?

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

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

Flowtimer is rated higher. Emphasis averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Flowtimer averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Emphasis or Flowtimer have ads?

Neither Emphasis nor Flowtimer shows ads.

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

Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, and Flowtimer weekly. Most recently, Emphasis was updated on September 19, 2026 and Flowtimer on June 12, 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.*