Comparison

Be Focused vs Session

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Be Focused

This app helps you stay focused by breaking down tasks into timed work intervals with short breaks. It offers task management, customizable timers, progress tracking, and cross-device synchronization. Enhance your productivity and concentration with this effective tool.

Highlights
  • Task creation and management
  • Customizable work/break intervals
  • Progress tracking and reports
  • Cross-device synchronization
  • Widgets and Lock Screen controls
  • Sound and notification options
Features
Read full description

Staying on task seems is a real challenge for our screen-bound generation. The Be Focused lets you get things done by breaking up individual tasks among discrete intervals, separated by short breaks. It’s a surprisingly effective way to retain motivation and focus. Create tasks, configure breaks and track your progress throughout the day, week or custom period. Use Be Focused on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac — everything stays perfectly in sync. Task Management • Create and manage tasks • Add notes and due dates to tasks • Organize tasks with tags and filters • Paste task lists from other apps Timer Control • Start, pause, or skip intervals • Auto-start the next interval (optionally) • Plan intervals needed for task completion and track accuracy • Manage completed intervals Timer Customization • Set durations for work sessions, short and long breaks • Define number of intervals before a long break • Set a daily goal for completed intervals • Assign different timer settings to individual tasks Reports • View detailed reports to monitor your progress • Export your data in CSV format Sounds and Notifications • Chronometer ticking sound with adjustable frequency • Variety of alarm sounds • Interactive notifications • Adjustable volume for alarms and chronometer Integration • Sync across all your devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac) • Integration with Focus Matrix to manage tasks using urgent/important principle * • Integration with Shortcuts app to automate workflow Quick Access • Widgets for Lock Screen and Home Screen • Live activities for Lock Screen and Dynamic Island • Control to start or stop the timer from the Lock Screen, Controls Center, or Action Button Automation • Integration with Shortcuts app (control tasks and timers via Shortcuts app) • Automate Shortcuts execution on events in Be Focused app Device Support • Apple Watch support • Also available for Mac • Dark and Light mode support Pro Version Features • Single purchase unlocks Pro on iPhone, iPad, and Mac • Sync across all your devices • Tags and filters to organize tasks and maintain focus • Integration with Focus Matrix to manage tasks using urgent/important principle * • Shortcuts execution on events in Be Focused app • Export data in CSV format • No banners, no ads Be Focused is free to download and use forever. However, if you want to access the Pro features on all your iPhones, iPads, and Macs, you can upgrade to the Pro version. The Pro subscription comes in three different options: Monthly, Yearly with a 7-day trial, and Lifetime (one-time payment). Payment will be charged to your App Store account and will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Subscription may be managed and auto-renewal may be turned off in your App Store account settings. Privacy Policy: https://xwavesoft.com/privacy-policy.html Terms of Use: https://xwavesoft.com/terms-of-use.html * Integration with Focus Matrix requires the Pro version of Focus Matrix, sold separately.

About

Session

Track your progress towards mastering skills by logging dedicated practice time. Manually log sessions or use the automatic timer to record your efforts. Start making measurable progress on your goals today.

Highlights
  • Create custom activities
  • Manual session logging
  • Automatic timer
  • Track progress towards goals
  • Skill mastery tracking
Features
Read full description

ty for 5+ years of Session! but it's time to start a new arc. search timespent on the app store to see what's next. —cal --- "The secret to getting ahead is getting started." ―Mark Twain They say it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to master a skill, but who's counting? Now, you can with Session. Create an activity, and log sessions manually or with the automatic timer. Whether it's for 10 hours, 100, 10,000 or more – start making progress towards your goals today.

Screenshots

Be Focused4 screens
Session4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Session at none against Be Focused's 3. Session also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.2 vs 16.0). Be Focused's advantage is review sentiment (89% vs 76%) and ratings volume (4.3K vs 933). On price, rating, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Be Focused sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Session asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Be Focused against 4.7 for Session. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.3K and 933 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 89% of Be Focused's written reviews are positive against 76% of Session's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Be Focused ships an update every 5 months, Session every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Be Focused versus Session: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBe FocusedSession
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (4.3K ratings)4.7 (933 ratings) — better
Positive reviews88.9% of reviews — better76.1% of reviews
Number of ratings4.3K — better933
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.013.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDenys IevenkoGlasshouse Studio, LLC

Customer experience

Be Focused

All ratings4,318 ratings
Positive94.5%
Neutral2.7%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews506 reviews
Positive88.9%
Neutral5.5%
Negative5.5%

Session

All ratings933 ratings
Positive93.2%
Neutral3.8%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews67 reviews
Positive76.1%
Neutral10.4%
Negative13.4%

User reviews

Be Focused

From 4.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Straightforward and easy to use
  • 🚀 Helps with focus and productivity
  • 💡 Customizable work and break times
  • 📊 Tracks time spent on tasks
  • 🔔 Good notification system

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Syncing issues between devices
  • 🔔 Inconsistent notification sounds
  • 💻 Lack of dark mode
  • 🔍 Difficulty rearranging tasks

Session

From 933 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Aesthetically pleasing
  • ⏱️ Helpful for time management
  • 💻 Simple and easy to use
  • 🧠 Motivating for productivity

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes when trying to edit activities
  • 🔍 Lack of customization options (e.g. color, icon, order)
  • 🗑️ No ability to delete activities
  • ⏱️ Timer issues (stops unexpectedly, doesn't continue in background)

Bugs and requests

Be Focused

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Timer resets unexpectedly
  • Timers not syncing correctly across devices
  • Notifications not always working as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Option to override Do Not Disturb mode
  • Ability to log partial intervals
  • Time tracking with notes per interval
  • Customizable notification sounds
  • Ability to set task-specific time limits

Session

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Timer inconsistencies when exiting the app
  • Inability to add time manually (only minutes, not hours)
  • App crashes when trying to add a session manually

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add delete and rename session functions
  • Implement activity editing (color, icon, name, description)
  • Provide activity reordering capability
  • Include activity time tracking by day/week/month/year
  • Add Pomodoro timer functionality
Show 1 more
  • Integrate music playback or nature sounds

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Be Focused

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Pro$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Pro7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro$39.99
None

Session

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Be Focused free?
Be Focused is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Session free?
Session is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Be Focused or Session?
Session is rated higher. Be Focused averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Session averages 4.7 from 933 ratings.
Do Be Focused or Session have ads?
Be Focused shows ads; Session does not.
Which is updated more often, Be Focused or Session?
Be Focused ships an update every 5 months, and Session every 4 months. Most recently, Be Focused was updated on September 24, 2026 and Session on September 15, 2026.

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