# Pond vs Focus+

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Focus+ at none against Pond's 3. Focus+ also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Pond's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (844 vs 11). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pond sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Focus+ asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Pond against 4.5 for Focus+. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pond has 844 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of Pond's written reviews are positive against 67% of Focus+'s.

Pond ships an update every 3 weeks, Focus+ every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pond | Focus+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (844 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pond-screen-time-and-pomodoro/id830466924/reviews)** | [4.5 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-plus-interval-timer/id6443711772/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **844** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **71.1% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 350 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PIXO Incorporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/541568418) | [Todd Brady](https://appshunter.io/developer/1648609981) |

## What reviewers say

### Pond

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pond-screen-time-and-pomodoro/id830466924)

This app helps you regain control of your screen time and digital wellbeing. It offers mindful app blocking, tracks your digital balance, and provides a visual representation of your focused time. It's designed to foster healthier phone habits without guilt or gamification.

**Highlights:** Mindful app blocking, Screen time tracking, Daily balance score, Scheduled focus sessions, Lotus garden visualizer, Breathing prompts

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pond Plus 1 Month | $7.99 | per month |
| Pond Plus 1 Year | $49.99 | per year |
| Pond Plus Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and effective
- 👍 Customizable
- 🚀 No in-app purchases
- 👍 Minimalist design
- 👍 Helpful for focus and productivity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Timer stops when app is in background
- 🐛 Bugs with color selection and settings
- 🔋 Battery drain
- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🔒 Developer stored unrelated app data in user's iCloud

**Reported bugs**

- Timer inaccuracies
- Interface issues on Mac
- Inability to share audio with other apps
- Unreliable auto-reset functionality
- Subscription issues

**Requested features**

- Auto-reset option
- Ability to assign tasks to Pomodoros
- Project/focus area tracking
- Cross-device sync
- Apple Watch support


### Focus+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-plus-interval-timer/id6443711772)

This app provides customizable interval reminders to help you stay focused and on track. It can be used as a standalone timer or integrated with Apple Focus for enhanced productivity.

**Highlights:** Interval reminders, Customizable periods, Notification alerts, Apple Focus integration, Minimalist design

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pond free?

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

### Is Focus+ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pond or Focus+?

Pond is rated higher. Pond averages 4.6 out of 5 from 844 ratings, while Focus+ averages 4.5 from 11 ratings.

### Do Pond or Focus+ have ads?

Neither Pond nor Focus+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pond or Focus+?

Pond ships an update every 3 weeks, and Focus+ every 4 months. Most recently, Pond was updated on October 17, 2026 and Focus+ on October 1, 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.*