# Emphasis vs Boost Focus Timer

The clearest difference is ads: Emphasis at none against Boost Focus Timer's shown. Emphasis also leads on ratings volume (1.1K vs 2). Boost Focus Timer's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 84%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Emphasis sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month and Boost Focus Timer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Boost Focus Timer 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 2, 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 100% of Boost Focus Timer's.

Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, Boost Focus Timer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Emphasis | Boost Focus Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emphasis-flow-and-focus-timer/id733300214/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boost-focus-timer/id6727013499/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 83.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 73 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aleksandr Fiodorov](https://appshunter.io/developer/571378481) | [Jacob Beauchamp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1578762010) |

## 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


### Boost Focus Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boost-focus-timer/id6727013499)

Enhance your productivity with a customizable focus timer and habit tracker. Utilize a proactive AI agent to assist with goals and tasks. This app offers a comprehensive suite of tools to help you stay organized and achieve your objectives.

**Highlights:** Customizable focus sessions, Habit tracking, Goal setting, Proactive AI agent assistance, Fully customizable productivity tools

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Boost Focus Timer Subscription | $1.49 | per month |
| Boost Focus Timer Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Rocket Timer Animation | $2.99 | one-time |
| Battery Timer Animation | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Emphasis free?

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

### Is Boost Focus Timer free?

Boost Focus Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Emphasis or Boost Focus Timer?

Boost Focus Timer is rated higher. Emphasis averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Boost Focus Timer averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Emphasis or Boost Focus Timer have ads?

Boost Focus Timer shows ads; Emphasis does not.

### Which is updated more often, Emphasis or Boost Focus Timer?

Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, and Boost Focus Timer every 2 weeks. Most recently, Emphasis was updated on September 19, 2026 and Boost Focus Timer on September 14, 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.*