# Pond vs Focus Timer & Keeper

The clearest difference is ads: Pond at none against Focus Timer & Keeper's shown. Pond also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 32 months) and ratings volume (848 vs 12). Focus Timer & Keeper's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pond sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Focus Timer & Keeper sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Focus Timer & Keeper holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pond has 848 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Pond ships an update every 3 weeks, Focus Timer & Keeper every 32 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pond | Focus Timer & Keeper |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (848 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pond-screen-time-and-pomodoro/id830466924/reviews) | **[4.8 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-timer-and-keeper-study/id6443913117/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **848** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 71.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 32 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 350 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PIXO Incorporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/541568418) | [KoruApps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536744669) |

## 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 Timer & Keeper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-timer-and-keeper-study/id6443913117)

Enhance concentration and productivity by gamifying focus sessions. Grow virtual plants by staying away from your phone, motivating you to achieve study or work objectives. Track progress with history and statistics.

**Highlights:** Virtual plant growth for focus sessions, Variety of plant seeds, Customizable focus objectives, Study and work focus modes, Progress tracking and statistics, Phone distraction avoidance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pond free?

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

### Is Focus Timer & Keeper free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pond or Focus Timer & Keeper?

Focus Timer & Keeper is rated higher. Pond averages 4.6 out of 5 from 848 ratings, while Focus Timer & Keeper averages 4.8 from 12 ratings.

### Do Pond or Focus Timer & Keeper have ads?

Focus Timer & Keeper shows ads; Pond does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pond or Focus Timer & Keeper?

Pond ships an update every 3 weeks, and Focus Timer & Keeper every 32 months. Most recently, Pond was updated on November 1, 2026 and Focus Timer & Keeper on October 24, 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.*