# Focus vs Smart Sloth

The clearest difference is monetization model: Smart Sloth at free with in-app purchases against Focus's subscription. Smart Sloth also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 57%) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Focus's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.1) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Focus sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Smart Sloth sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Focus holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Focus has 1.8K ratings behind it against 33, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of Focus's written reviews are positive against 73% of Smart Sloth's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Focus ships an update every 10 days, Smart Sloth every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Focus | Smart Sloth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-deep-work-timer/id975017240/reviews)** | [4.1 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-sloth-focus-study-timer/id1509929941/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 33 |
| Positive reviews | 56.9% of reviews | **73.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 301 MB | 96 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meaningful Things GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/896347016) | [Jafar Najafov](https://appshunter.io/developer/946531378) |

## What reviewers say

### Focus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-deep-work-timer/id975017240)

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:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Focus - Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Focus - 3 Months | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| Focus Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Focus Yearly | $27.99 | per year |
| Focus Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Focus Early Bird | $29.99 | per year |
| Focus Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Focus Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Patron Subscription | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- Ability to duplicate tasks
- Calendar integration
- Background sounds
- Customizable timer lengths
- Automatic focus mode switching


### Smart Sloth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-sloth-focus-study-timer/id1509929941)

This app combines a Pomodoro timer with task management to boost efficiency and focus. It helps users overcome procrastination and conquer tasks with science-based techniques and customizable settings. Achieve your goals and become more time-conscious with this productivity tool.

**Highlights:** Pomodoro timer integration, Task management, Customizable task lengths, Time-based notifications, Gesture-based controls, Notification center task management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.49 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $4.49 | per year |
| Lifetime | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Focus free?

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

### Is Smart Sloth free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Focus or Smart Sloth?

Focus is rated higher. Focus averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Smart Sloth averages 4.1 from 33 ratings.

### Do Focus or Smart Sloth have ads?

Neither Focus nor Smart Sloth shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Focus or Smart Sloth?

Focus ships an update every 10 days, and Smart Sloth every 2 months. Most recently, Focus was updated on September 23, 2026 and Smart Sloth on June 10, 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.*