Comparison

Focus vs Watchsmith

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

Head to head
About

Focus

This app helps users improve concentration and productivity by breaking work into structured intervals with scheduled breaks. It offers task management, detailed statistics, and syncs across all Apple devices, including Apple Watch and widgets.

Highlights
  • Customizable Pomodoro timer
  • Unlimited to-do lists
  • In-depth productivity statistics
  • iCloud sync across Apple devices
  • Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets
  • Apple Watch app
Features
Read full description

Do your best work. Focus helps you concentrate with timed focus sessions built on the Pomodoro technique, track your tasks and projects, and see real progress — across all your Apple devices. A calm, proven rhythm: plan, work, break, review. “[…] a tool that can genuinely make people more productive” – MacStories.net “[…] a must-have for anyone who finds themselves easily getting distracted or forgetting to take occasional breaks.” – iDownloadBlog.com I always use Focus when… … I need to start a deep-work session … I want to stop procrastinating and finally begin … I want to break a big project into focused sprints … I’m studying and need to concentrate … I want to protect my time from distractions … I want to build a daily focus habit … I want to see what I actually got done today … I want structure without a heavy, complicated system Benefits * Start focusing in seconds: pick a task, start a session, get to work * The proven Pomodoro rhythm — plan → work → break → review — that gives your attention somewhere to go * Sessions and tasks together: a focus timer plus real task, project, and time tracking (most apps split these into two) * See your progress: daily and weekly activity and goals make focus feel earned, never nagged * Restful breaks that are part of the rhythm, not slacking * Calm and encouraging — momentum, never hustle, grind, or guilt Features * Timed focus sessions with flexible session and break lengths * Tasks, projects, and time tracking * Daily and weekly activity and goals * In-app Learning: short, friendly guides you can apply as you read * Widgets, Live Activities, and Dynamic Island * Siri, Shortcuts, and Spotlight via App Intents * Seamless iCloud sync * Built-in accessibility * Privacy first: your data stays on your devices and in your own iCloud * Available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro * Handcrafted by real humans :-) Focus is free to start. Focus Pro unlocks everything with a 7-day free trial. Thanks for doing your best work with us! We’re always improving Focus. If you have feedback or an idea, we’d love to hear it. About us Focus is made by Jan & Kerstin, two independent app developers based in Germany. We built Focus for our own workdays — to concentrate, make real progress, and still keep things calm. Our goal: a productivity app that’s a joy to use every day. We built this tool for ourselves — and now we’d love to share it with you! Questions? We offer friendly support. Just drop us a note at support@meaningful-things.com and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can. Privacy & Terms https://meaningful-things.com/privacy https://meaningful-things.com/terms

About

Watchsmith

Personalize your Apple Watch with customizable complications that can dynamically change throughout the day. Access a variety of tools like weather, workouts, and a timezone converter directly from your watch.

Highlights
  • Customizable complications
  • Dynamic complication scheduling
  • Weather app
  • Workout app
  • Timezone converter
  • Games
  • Calendar
Features
Read full description

Watchsmith lets you personalize your Apple Watch like never before. It starts with a wide collection of highly customizable complications, which range in function from date, to weather, to astronomy. Each can be adjusted precisely to best fit your desired function and appearance. This set of complications can then be dynamically scheduled to appear on your watch face following rules you define. For example, a particular complication slot could show the weather first thing in the morning, then your calendar during your work day, then switch to your Activity ring progress as you wrap up your day. This lets you take full advantage of each slot on your watch face without the need to constantly switch back and forth between faces. The Apple Watch app itself also includes a wide collection of tools and functions, such as a weather app, a workout app, a timezone converter, games and a calendar. Watchsmith provides one tap access to what you need, right when you need it. Notes: • Watchsmith is intended for use with a paired Apple Watch, which is where your configured complications will be displayed. It requires watchOS 7. • Watchsmith optionally integrates with Apple Health. This data is used during workouts to display your workout metrics, to show a summary of your daily heart rate date, and your activity. Permission for Watchsmith to access this data is controlled through the Apple Health app. • Watchsmith includes an optional premium subscription. This is offered on a monthly or annual basis. If you choose to purchase a subscription your payment will be charged to your iTunes account. Subscriptions will automatically renew unless canceled within 24-hours before the end of the current period. You can turn off auto-renewal at any time by going to your Account Settings on the App Store after purchase. • Access to Tide and Weather hosted data is only available to Watchsmith Premium subscribers. Privacy Policy & Terms: https://david-smith.org/watchsmith_privacy.html

Screenshots

Focus4 screens
Watchsmith4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Watchsmith at freemium against Focus's subscription. Watchsmith also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 10 days) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). Focus's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 3.9) and review sentiment (57% vs 38%). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Focus sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Watchsmith sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Focus holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.8K and 563 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Focus's written reviews are positive against 38% of Watchsmith's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focus ships an update every 10 days, Watchsmith every 4 days. Both last shipped on September 27, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Focus versus Watchsmith: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocusWatchsmith
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (1.8K ratings) — better3.9 (563 ratings)
Positive reviews56.9% of reviews — better38.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1.8K — better563
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS18.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size301 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMeaningful Things GmbH & Co. KGCross Forward Consulting, LLC

Customer experience

Focus

All ratings1,835 ratings
Positive86.4%
Neutral2.9%
Negative10.7%
Written reviews304 reviews
Positive56.9%
Neutral12.8%
Negative30.3%

Watchsmith

All ratings563 ratings
Positive67.9%
Neutral11.0%
Negative21.1%
Written reviews192 reviews
Positive38.0%
Neutral13.5%
Negative48.4%

User reviews

Focus

From 1.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Time tracking
  • 👍 Minimalist design
  • 🚀 Seamless cross-device sync
  • 👍 Helpful for productivity
  • 👍 Great for Pomodoro technique

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🐛 Sync issues between devices
  • 🐛 Unreliable notifications
  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🐛 Forced to pay for basic functionality

Watchsmith

From 563 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Customizable complications
  • 👍 Simplifies date complication
  • 🌟 Indispensable app
  • 🎨 Fun to customize
  • 💡 Innovative features

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Complications don't update frequently
  • 🔌 Battery life issues
  • 🤔 Confusing UI and instructions
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🕰️ Time complications not accurate

Bugs and requests

Focus

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Infinite intro screen
  • Prompts to set up app on every open
  • Timer resets unexpectedly
  • Sync issues between iPhone, iPad, and Watch
  • Notifications not working as expected

Requested features

6 requests
  • Ability to duplicate tasks
  • Calendar integration
  • Background sounds
  • Customizable timer lengths
  • Automatic focus mode switching
Show 1 more
  • More detailed analytics and reporting

Watchsmith

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Complications not syncing properly
  • App freezes on Apple Watch
  • Weather location stuck on LA
  • Shared calendar issues

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for Series 7 and Apple Watch Ultra
  • Hourly weather complication
  • Year complication
  • Celsius temperature option
  • Third-party app complications support

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Focus

Subscriptions9
  • Focus - Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Focus - 3 Months$14.993 Months
  • Focus Yearly$19.991 Year
Show 6 more
  • Focus Yearly$27.991 Year
  • Focus Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Focus Early Bird7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Focus Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Focus Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Patron Subscription7 Days trial$59.991 Year
2 purchases

Watchsmith

Subscriptions2
  • Watchsmith Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Watchsmith Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Focus free?
Focus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Watchsmith free?
Watchsmith is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Focus or Watchsmith?
Focus is rated higher. Focus averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Watchsmith averages 3.9 from 563 ratings.
Do Focus or Watchsmith have ads?
Neither Focus nor Watchsmith shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Focus or Watchsmith?
Focus ships an update every 10 days, and Watchsmith every 4 days. Most recently, Focus was updated on September 27, 2026 and Watchsmith on September 27, 2026.

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