Comparison

Emphasis vs Dopamine Resque

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Customizable focus intervals
  • Ambient background sounds
  • Focus-O-Meter for distraction tracking
  • Personalized progress statistics
  • Cloud sync across devices
  • Highly customizable sessions
Features
Read full description

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/

About

Dopamine Resque

Features
Read full description

Dopamine Resque breaks short-form addiction with structure, not willpower. Set a time, press one button, and the apps you chose are locked. That's it. No points, no characters, no confetti — this app refuses to become another dopamine hit. How it works 1. Pick a session length (15 min–8 hours) 2. Choose the apps to block 3. Press start. They stay locked until time is up. Unlocking is not easy - Breathing gate: to unlock early, you must sit through a breathing screen. Each attempt doubles the wait. - Hard mode: no unlocking until the session ends. Force-quitting the app won't help — the block survives. Plain, honest stats Today's focus time, day streak, 7-day chart, session success rate. Records, not rewards. Privacy first No account. No server. Everything stays on your device. App blocking uses Apple's Screen Time technology — we can't even see which apps you picked. Stop scrolling. Start living. ※ Screen Time permission is required for app blocking.

Screenshots

Emphasis4 screens
Dopamine Resque4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Dopamine Resque at none against Emphasis's 6. Dopamine Resque also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). Emphasis's advantage is device support (4 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, Dopamine Resque every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Emphasis versus Dopamine Resque: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmphasisDopamine Resque
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1.1K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews83.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.1K — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size73 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAleksandr Fiodorovtae hyeong um

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

Dopamine Resque

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Emphasis

Subscriptions4
  • Emphasis Premium Subscription$3.491 Month
  • Emphasis Premium Subscription$4.991 Month
  • Premium Feature (Yearly Promo)$12.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Emphasis Premium Subscription7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time2
  • Lifetime premium$29.99
  • Lifetime premium$59.99
None

Dopamine Resque

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Emphasis free?
Emphasis is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dopamine Resque free?
Dopamine Resque is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Emphasis or Dopamine Resque have ads?
Neither Emphasis nor Dopamine Resque shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Emphasis or Dopamine Resque?
Emphasis ships an update fortnightly, and Dopamine Resque every 2 days. Most recently, Emphasis was updated on October 11, 2026 and Dopamine Resque on October 2, 2026.

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