# Pond vs Focus Timer

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Pond at 848 against Focus Timer's 5. Focus Timer's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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 sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Pond against 4.6 for Focus Timer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pond has 848 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Pond ships an update every 3 weeks, Focus Timer every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pond | Focus Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (848 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pond-screen-time-and-pomodoro/id830466924/reviews)** | [4.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-timer-pomodoro-study/id6554001622/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **848** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 71.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 350 MB | 107 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PIXO Incorporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/541568418) | [Mykola Mylashko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1073344258) |

## 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-timer-pomodoro-study/id6554001622)

Enhance productivity and well-being with focused work sessions and guided meditations. Customize your workflow with adjustable focus and break periods, and track your progress to optimize your daily routine.

**Highlights:** Customizable Pomodoro sessions, Guided pre-work meditations, Timely notifications and reminders, Progress tracking for habits, Personalized focus and break periods

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (1 Month) | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium (1 Year) | $14.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pond free?

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

### Is Focus Timer free?

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

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

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

### Do Pond or Focus Timer have ads?

Neither Pond nor Focus Timer shows ads.

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

Pond ships an update every 3 weeks, and Focus Timer every 9 days. Most recently, Pond was updated on October 23, 2026 and Focus Timer 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.*