Best of · Focus

The best focus apps in 2026

Eight focus apps that do four different jobs: block distractions, time your work, play music made for concentration or show where the hours went. Each pick says who it suits, what it costs and where it stops.

Updated Oct 4, 2026 · 8 tools · How we pick

Focus apps do four different jobs. Blockers such as Freedom, Opal and Cold Turkey Blocker cut off the sites and apps that pull you away. Timers such as Forest and Session break work into sessions and keep a record of them. Brain.fm plays music written for concentration. Rize and Toggl measure where your time goes. Decide which job you need done before you compare anything else.

Two more questions settle most of the rest. First, where does the distraction live? Opal and Forest are built around the phone, Cold Turkey Blocker and Rize are desktop apps for Mac and Windows, and Freedom covers a computer and a phone in one session. Second, how firm does the lock need to be? Freedom, Opal and Cold Turkey Blocker each have a mode that cannot be switched off early, and in all three it is part of the paid version.

Six of the eight have a free version; Brain.fm and Rize offer a free trial instead. The order below runs from the apps that suit the most people to the ones that suit a narrower group very well. Prices were read on the date shown on each tool's page, which also names the page each figure came from.

The shortlist

1FreedomBest blocker across computer and phoneFree plan · from $3.33/mo
2ForestBest for staying off your phoneFree plan · from $5.99/mo
3OpalBest for automatic limits on phone appsFree plan · from $8.29/mo
4SessionBest Pomodoro timer for Mac and iPhoneFree plan · from $3.33/mo
5Cold Turkey BlockerBest strict blocker for a computerFree plan · from $45 one-time
6Brain.fmBest for music to work toFree trial · from $99.99/yr
7RizeBest for seeing where your time goesFree trial · from $9.99/mo
8TogglBest for tracking billable hoursFree plan · from $9/mo

01
Freedom
Best blocker across computer and phoneWebsite and app blocker that runs across computers and phones
Freedom blocks websites, apps or the whole internet for a set period, and one session can cover a laptop and a phone at the same time. It has apps for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android plus a browser extension, and the free plan already works on unlimited devices with custom blocklists. Premium is $39.99 a year, or $8.99 billed monthly, and adds scheduled and recurring sessions and a Locked Mode that stops a session from being ended early.
Worth knowing: Free accounts can only start a session immediately and for up to 2 hours, and Linux and Chromebook are supported through the browser extension only.
Price
Free plan; paid plans from $3.33 / month, billed yearly ($39.99)
Runs on
macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension
Freedom pricing and details freedom.to
02
Forest
Best for staying off your phoneFocus timer that grows a virtual tree while you stay off apps
Forest makes a focus session something you can see: a virtual tree grows while the timer runs and dies if you leave to use other apps, and finished sessions build a forest that doubles as a record of your focused time. The free plan on iOS and Android includes the timer, Deep Focus app blocking and Plant Together rooms, where friends plant the same tree and it dies for everyone if one person gives up.
Worth knowing: No Mac or Windows app is listed, so on a computer Forest runs only as a Chrome or Firefox extension, and Forest Plus prices are shown only in the app stores: $5.99 a month on the US App Store.
Price
Free plan; paid plans from $5.99 / month, or from $32.49 / year (US App Store)
Runs on
iOS, Android, Browser extension
Forest pricing and details forestapp.cc
03
Opal
Best for automatic limits on phone appsScreen time app that blocks distracting apps on phone and Mac
Opal blocks the apps you choose automatically, by rule: a rule can follow a schedule, a daily time limit or a cap on how many times you open an app. It runs on iPhone, Android and Mac, and the free plan includes 1 rule with basic timers. Opal Pro, at $99.99 a year, removes the rule limit and adds Hard Mode, under which Opal cannot be turned off while a block is active.
Worth knowing: Paying monthly costs $19.99 a month, no Windows or web version is listed, and Opal's Mac page lists app limits and sync with the iPhone app as still to come.
Price
Free plan; paid plans from $8.29 / month, billed annually ($99.99)
Runs on
macOS, iOS, Android
Opal pricing and details opalapp.com
04
Session
Best Pomodoro timer for Mac and iPhonePomodoro focus timer with analytics for Mac, iPhone and iPad
Session is a Pomodoro timer that also keeps a record: each 25-minute session can be filed under a category such as writing, coding or a client, and the app asks what you learned when the timer ends. The free plan allows unlimited sessions and breaks and shows your calendar events. Pro, at $39.99 a year or $4.99 billed monthly, opens the full session log and custom session lengths, syncs between devices in real time and blocks apps and websites on the Mac.
Worth knowing: It is for Apple devices only, the free plan shows analytics for the past 2 days, and blocking needs Pro and is listed as Mac only.
Price
Free plan; paid plans from $3.33 / month, billed yearly ($39.99)
Runs on
macOS, iOS
Session pricing and details stayinsession.com
05
Cold Turkey Blocker
Best strict blocker for a computerWebsite and app blocker for Windows and Mac with strict locks
Cold Turkey Blocker is built for people who switch softer blockers off mid-session. On Windows and Mac it blocks websites, applications or the whole internet, and a locked block cannot be changed or switched off until a condition is met, such as a timer, a restart or typing out a string of random text; it also prevents the app from being uninstalled. The Pro version is a one-time purchase, listed at $45, that covers every computer you personally use.
Worth knowing: The free version blocks websites only, so application blocking, schedules and locks need Pro, and there is nothing for phones: the vendor says Android and iOS are not supported.
Price
Free plan; paid plans from $45 one-time purchase (Blocker Pro)
Runs on
macOS, Windows, Browser extension
Cold Turkey Blocker pricing and details getcoldturkey.com
06
Brain.fm
Best for music to work toFunctional music for focus, relaxation, sleep and meditation
Brain.fm streams instrumental music made to stay in the background: its focus mode covers activities such as Deep Work, Learning and Creativity, tracks have no lyrics, and they run long so a session is not broken up by song changes. It also has a countdown timer and an interval timer for Pomodoro-style sprints, and the same subscription covers relaxation, sleep and meditation audio. It works on the web, Mac, Windows, iOS and Android.
Worth knowing: There is no free plan: after the free trial it is $99.99 a year or $14.99 a month, and the pricing page does not say how long the trial lasts (the App Store listing says 14 days).
Price
$99.99 / year, billed annually
Runs on
Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Brain.fm pricing and details brain.fm
07
Rize
Best for seeing where your time goesAutomatic time tracker with focus tools and AI reports
Rize tracks time without timers: it records the apps and websites you use in the background on Mac or Windows and uses AI to sort that time by category, client and project. Focus tools sit alongside the tracker, including focus detection, distraction blocking, focus music and break reminders. Basic is $9.99 a month billed annually.
Worth knowing: There is no free plan after the 7-day trial, a mobile app is listed only under Enterprise, and API, Zapier and MCP access start on Pro at $23.99 a month billed annually.
Price
$9.99 / month, billed annually
Runs on
macOS, Windows, Browser extension
Rize pricing and details rize.io
08
Toggl
Best for tracking billable hoursTeam time tracker with billing reports and capacity planning
Toggl is a time tracker first: you start a timer, log hours afterwards or let it record the apps and sites you used on a private timeline, then report the time by project, client and team member for billing. It includes a focus mode with a Pomodoro timer and runs on the web, Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. The free plan covers up to 3 users, and Starter is $9 per user a month billed annually.
Worth knowing: Billable rates and team-level reports start on Starter, which costs $12 per user when billed monthly, and no Linux desktop app is listed.
Price
Free plan; paid plans from $9 per user / month, billed annually
Runs on
Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension
Toggl pricing and details toggl.com

How to choose

Decide which job you need done

If you keep opening the same sites and apps, start with a blocker: Freedom, Opal or Cold Turkey Blocker. If you want work to have a start and an end, a timer such as Forest or Session does that and keeps a record. Brain.fm is for people who work better with sound, and it has timers of its own. Rize and Toggl answer a different question, which is where the hours went, though both include focus tools as well.

Phone, computer or both?

Opal and Forest are built around the phone; Opal also has a Mac app, and Forest reaches a computer only through a Chrome or Firefox extension. Cold Turkey Blocker and Rize are for Windows and Mac: Cold Turkey Blocker does not support phones, and Rize lists a mobile app only under its Enterprise plan. Session is for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Freedom, Brain.fm and Toggl each have apps for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. None of the eight lists a Linux desktop app; Freedom supports Linux through its browser extension only.

Decide how firm the lock should be

If you tend to switch a blocker off, look for a lock. Freedom's Locked Mode stops a session from being ended before its timer runs out, Opal's Hard Mode means Opal cannot be turned off while a block is active, and Cold Turkey Blocker can lock a block behind a timer, a restart or a string of random text. All three are paid features. Forest's Deep Focus Mode, which sends you back to Forest when you open another app, is free.

Subscribe, or pay once?

Three of these can be bought outright. Cold Turkey Blocker Pro is a one-time purchase, listed at $45. Freedom sells a Forever plan with a list price of $199, and Opal lists lifetime Pro at $399. On subscription, Freedom Premium and Session Pro are each $39.99 a year, and Opal Pro and Brain.fm are each $99.99 a year. Students can ask for discounts at Opal (50% off yearly Pro), Session (30% for one year), Brain.fm (20%) and Cold Turkey Blocker (20%).

Common questions

Which focus apps are free?

Freedom, Forest, Opal, Session, Cold Turkey Blocker and Toggl all have free versions. Each holds something back: Freedom's free sessions run for up to 2 hours, Opal's free plan allows 1 rule, Cold Turkey Blocker's free version blocks websites only, and Session's shows analytics for the past 2 days. Brain.fm and Rize have free trials but no free plan.

Which focus apps work on Windows?

Freedom, Cold Turkey Blocker, Brain.fm, Rize and Toggl have Windows apps. Forest has no Windows app and runs on a computer only as a Chrome or Firefox extension, and Opal and Session list no Windows version.

What is the best app for blocking distracting apps on a phone?

Opal and Freedom both block apps on iPhone and Android. Opal works by rules, such as a schedule, a daily time limit or a limit on opens, with 1 rule on the free plan. Freedom blocks apps for a set session and can include your computer in the same session. Forest also blocks other apps while its timer runs.

Which focus apps can I buy once instead of subscribing?

Cold Turkey Blocker Pro is a one-time purchase, listed at $45. Freedom has a Forever plan with a list price of $199, which its pricing page showed at $99.50 on the date checked, and Opal lists lifetime Pro at $399.

Which focus apps have a Pomodoro timer?

Session and Forest are built around timed sessions, and Session works in 25-minute sessions separated by breaks. Brain.fm has an interval timer that alternates work and breaks, Toggl's focus mode includes a Pomodoro timer, and Cold Turkey Blocker Pro adds Pomodoro cycles that switch blocking on and off.