# Pensieve vs Focus Timer & Tracker

The clearest difference is update cadence: Focus Timer & Tracker at every 5 days against Pensieve's every 6 weeks. Pensieve's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pensieve sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Focus Timer & Tracker sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. 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 Pensieve against 4.8 for Focus Timer & Tracker. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 82 and 29 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Pensieve's written reviews are positive against 83% of Focus Timer & Tracker's.

Pensieve ships an update every 6 weeks, Focus Timer & Tracker every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pensieve | Focus Timer & Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (82 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pensieve-email-me-notes/id797364106/reviews) | **[4.8 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-timer-and-tracker-stakd/id6755129702/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **82** | 29 |
| Positive reviews | **91.2% of reviews** | 83.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 33 MB | 363 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Window Seat Labs, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/797364109) | [Monroy Industries, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1795123506) |

## What reviewers say

### Pensieve

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pensieve-email-me-notes/id797364106)

Easily capture fleeting thoughts, ideas, and to-dos by emailing them to yourself. This app provides quick capture tools like audio recording, photo attachments, and text pasting, ensuring your ideas are saved without interrupting your flow. It prioritizes user privacy with no data mining or ads.

**Highlights:** Audio recording with speech-to-text, Built-in camera for photo attachments, Attachment picker for photos and files, Quick paste for text, links, and images, Email from Apple Watch, Share extension for in-app capture, Customizable email formatting, Offline capture

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Boost Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| All Access Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Boost Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| All Access Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


### Focus Timer & Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-timer-and-tracker-stakd/id6755129702)

This app uses a unique brick-building system to motivate focus sessions. Earn bricks by completing 15-minute work or study blocks to visualize progress and build habits. Designed for deep work, ADHD management, and consistent productivity.

**Highlights:** Visual brick-building progress, Distraction-free focus timer, Pomodoro-style sessions, Habit building, ADHD focus support, Goal tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium | $7.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $14.99 | per year |
| Early Supporter Access | Free | one-time |
| Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pensieve free?

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

### Is Focus Timer & Tracker free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pensieve or Focus Timer & Tracker?

Focus Timer & Tracker is rated higher. Pensieve averages 4.7 out of 5 from 82 ratings, while Focus Timer & Tracker averages 4.8 from 29 ratings.

### Do Pensieve or Focus Timer & Tracker have ads?

Neither Pensieve nor Focus Timer & Tracker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pensieve or Focus Timer & Tracker?

Pensieve ships an update every 6 weeks, and Focus Timer & Tracker every 5 days. Most recently, Pensieve was updated on October 15, 2026 and Focus Timer & Tracker on October 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.*