# Exam Countdown vs Focus Tree

The clearest difference is update cadence: Focus Tree at every 2 weeks against Exam Countdown's every 5 weeks. Focus Tree also leads on ratings volume (5.7K vs 1.6K). Exam Countdown's advantage is review sentiment (82% vs 68%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Exam Countdown sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 3 months and Focus Tree sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 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 — 4.7 for Exam Countdown against 4.7 for Focus Tree. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 5.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of Exam Countdown's written reviews are positive against 68% of Focus Tree's.

Exam Countdown ships an update every 5 weeks, Focus Tree every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Exam Countdown | Focus Tree |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exam-countdown-school-and-uni/id873279955/reviews)** | [4.7 (5.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-tree-timer-and-flashcards/id1631305261/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | **5.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **82.2% of reviews** | 67.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 102 MB | 265 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [ROOT38 LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1206411222) | [Focus Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1631305263) |

## What reviewers say

### Exam Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exam-countdown-school-and-uni/id873279955)

This app helps students, teachers, and schools keep track of important dates. It provides countdown timers for exams, tests, and coursework deadlines, with options for reminders and sharing progress with others. Users can organize their academic schedule and stay on top of their responsibilities.

**Highlights:** Countdown timers for exams and tests, Unlimited exam countdowns, Color-coded exams, Icon customization, Share countdowns with others, Add notes to exams, Basic and detailed notifications

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium 3 Months | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium Yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Premium Access | $4.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly Subscription | $5.49 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for organizing exams
- 🎨 Customizable with colors and icons
- ⏱️ Countdown timer for exams
- 🎯 Tracks completed exams
- 🆓 Free with optional premium features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Some features locked behind paywall
- 🔍 Limited customization options in free version
- 🔋 High battery consumption reported
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues after device change
- Subscription not working as expected
- Loading screen freezes
- Incompatibility with newer devices

**Requested features**

- Calendar view
- Sync with device calendar
- Customizable exam reminders
- Widget support
- More icons and color options


### Focus Tree

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-tree-timer-and-flashcards/id1631305261)

This app helps students stay focused during study sessions by blocking distractions and offering study timers. It also includes flashcards with spaced repetition for effective learning and allows users to study with friends by growing shared virtual gardens.

**Highlights:** Focus sessions with distraction blocking, Study timers and Pomodoro sessions, Flashcard creation and spaced repetition, Shared virtual gardens for group study, Progress tracking and accountability with friends

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

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Focus Tree Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $49.99 | per year |
| Focus Tree Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $89.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Coin Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack ($9.99) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack ($19.99) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack ($49.99) | $49.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack ($99.99) | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helps with focus and productivity
- 👍 Cute and motivating design
- 🔒 Blocks distracting apps
- 💡 Competitive aspect with friends
- 🌱 Fun to build a garden

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes or gets stuck
- 🔒 Overly restrictive app blocking
- 💰 Lack of customization options
- 🎁 Limited rewards for study sessions

**Reported bugs**

- App gets stuck on loading screen
- Notifications not working as expected
- Account recovery issues when changing devices
- Screen time feature not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Allow pausing of study sessions
- Provide more tiles/rewards for longer study sessions
- Add option to choose different tile designs
- Improve compatibility with larger devices like iPads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Exam Countdown free?

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

### Is Focus Tree free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Exam Countdown or Focus Tree?

Exam Countdown is rated higher. Exam Countdown averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Focus Tree averages 4.7 from 5.7K ratings.

### Do Exam Countdown or Focus Tree have ads?

Both Exam Countdown and Focus Tree show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Exam Countdown or Focus Tree?

Exam Countdown ships an update every 5 weeks, and Focus Tree every 2 weeks. Most recently, Exam Countdown was updated on October 18, 2026 and Focus Tree on October 20, 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.*