How does ToolGPA rank focus apps?

From what each tool's own pages show (price, free plan, platforms, features and limits) and from what people say about it in public reviews and discussions. Not from our own testing. First place goes to the tool that suits the most people, and second and third to the best choices for the readers it leaves out.

Focus Apps

Q: What are the best focus apps?

ToolGPA ranks ScreenZen first (for: most people), Forest second (for: people who want a timer that keeps them off their phone), Endel third (for: people who work better with background sound than silence). These three do different jobs more than they compete. ScreenZen comes first: it is a free blocker with no subscription, on iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows. Forest is second for people who want a focus timer, and Endel is third for people who work better with sound. myNoise narrowly missed third: its website is free and a one-time donation from $10 opens every generator, but its phone apps are unlocked separately. StayFree, the nearest rival to ScreenZen, is free too and adds Linux and a browser extension, but its owner's privacy policy says it sells anonymized, aggregated usage data.

Blockers, timers and focus music that protect your attention.

Our top three focus apps

These three do different jobs more than they compete. ScreenZen comes first: it is a free blocker with no subscription, on iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows. Forest is second for people who want a focus timer, and Endel is third for people who work better with sound. myNoise narrowly missed third: its website is free and a one-time donation from $10 opens every generator, but its phone apps are unlocked separately. StayFree, the nearest rival to ScreenZen, is free too and adds Linux and a browser extension, but its owner's privacy policy says it sells anonymized, aggregated usage data.

First: ScreenZen
Free
For: Most people
ScreenZen slows down or blocks distracting apps and websites: it can add a wait before an app opens, cut sessions short, set daily limits, block by schedule and lock its own settings so the limits are hard to undo. The whole app is free with no subscription, and it runs on iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows. Its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.9 from about 51,000 ratings. Know the limits: it is funded by donations, with optional tips listed from $5 to $40 on the US App Store, the Windows version is a direct download from ScreenZen's site, website blocking on Android relies on the Accessibility permission, and no Linux version or browser extension is listed.
iPhone and iPad app: 4.9 out of 5 on the App Store
ScreenZen pricing and details
Second: Forest
Free plan · from $5.99/mo
For: People who want a timer that keeps them off their phone
Forest is a focus timer: a virtual tree grows while a session runs and dies if you leave to use other apps, and finished sessions fill a forest that records your focused time. The free plan on iPhone and Android includes the timer, Deep Focus app blocking, focus tracking and Plant Together rooms for shared sessions with friends. Its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 from about 49,500 ratings. It is second because it is built around the phone: no Mac or Windows app is listed, and on a computer it runs only as a Chrome or Firefox extension. Custom app allowlists, focus analytics and custom tags need Forest Plus, listed at $5.99 a month on the US App Store.
iPhone and iPad app: 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store
Forest pricing and details
Third: Endel
Free plan · from $6.99/mo
For: People who work better with background sound than silence
Endel generates soundscapes for focus, relaxation, sleep and movement in real time, adapting to inputs such as time of day, weather and heart rate, and its store listings say all soundscapes can be played offline. It runs on the web, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android. Premium is $39.99 a year or $6.99 a month at Endel's web checkout, and its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 from about 33,900 ratings. It is third because it does a narrower job than the two above and its pricing is harder to pin down: the App Store listing confirms a Free Edition without saying what it includes, the Focus Timer needs Premium, and the US App Store lists 12 months at $119.99.
iPhone and iPad app: 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store
Endel pricing and details

Ranked on Oct 6, 2026 from what each listing shows and what people say about the tool, not from our own testing. How we rank

Price

Runs on

Must be

66 tools

A Soft Murmur
Focus
Ambient sound mixer for the browser, iPhone and Android
Free plan · from $14.99/yrWeb · iOS · Android
AppBlock
Focus
App and website blocker with schedules and a strict mode
Free plan · from $2.50/moiOS · Android
Be Focused
Focus
Pomodoro timer with tasks for iPhone, iPad and Mac
Free plan · from $2.99/moiOS · macOS
BePresent
Focus
Gamified screen time app with app blocking, streaks and rewards
Free plan · from $3.99/moiOS · Android
Blanket
Focus
Free open-source ambient sound mixer for the Linux desktop
FreeLinux
BlockSite
Focus
Website and app blocker for browsers and phones
Free plan · from $3.99/moiOS · Android
Bloom
Focus
Metal NFC keycard you tap to lock distracting phone apps
From $39 one-timeiOS · Android
Brain.fm
Focus
Functional music for focus, relaxation, sleep and meditation
Free trial · from $99.99/yrWeb · macOS · Windows +2
Brick
Focus
Physical device you tap to block distracting phone apps
From $59 one-timeiOS · Android
Caveday
Focus
Guided group focus sessions on Zoom, running all day
Free trial · from $35/moWeb
Clearspace
Focus
Screen time app that adds a pause and a time limit to distracting apps
Free plan · from $6.99/moiOS · Android
Cold Turkey Blocker
Focus
Website and app blocker for Windows and Mac with strict locks
Free plan · from $45 one-timemacOS · Windows
Dark Noise
Focus
Ambient noise app for iPhone, iPad and Mac with custom mixes
Free plan · from $2.99/moiOS · macOS
Deepwrk
Focus
Hosted body doubling sessions online for adults with ADHD
Free trial · from $12/moWeb
Endel
Focus
Adaptive soundscapes for focus, relaxation and sleep
Free plan · from $6.99/moWeb · macOS · Windows +2
Engross
Focus
Pomodoro timer with to-do list and planner for phones
Free plan · from $5.99iOS · Android
Flocus
Focus
Browser focus dashboard with timer, to-dos, music and ambient sounds
Free plan · from $5/moWeb
Flora
Focus
Free focus timer that grows trees, alone or with friends
Free plan · from $0.99iOS · Android
Flow
Focus
Minimal Pomodoro timer for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch
Free plan · from $17.99/yrmacOS · iOS
Flow Club
Focus
Hosted virtual coworking sessions for focused work and body doubling
Free trial · from $33.33/moWeb
FLOWN
Focus
Virtual coworking with facilitated focus sessions and body doubling
Free plan · from $19/moWeb
Focus
Focus
Mac app that blocks distracting websites and apps on a schedule
Free trial · from $49 one-timemacOS
Focus - Deep Work Timer
Focus
Pomodoro timer with tasks and time tracking for Apple devices
Free plan · from $6.99/moiOS · macOS
Focus Bear
Focus
Distraction blocker and guided routines built for ADHD brains
Free plan · from $9.99/momacOS · Windows · iOS +1
Focus Friend
Focus
Gamified focus timer with a bean character and a house to decorate
Free plan · from $3.99/moiOS · Android
Focus Keeper
Focus
Pomodoro timer with progress charts for iPhone, Android and web
Free plan · from $3.99/moWeb · iOS · Android
Focus Timer
Focus
Free Pomodoro timer for Linux, formerly GNOME Pomodoro
FreeLinux
Focus To-Do
Focus
Pomodoro timer combined with a task list and time reports
Free plan · from $1.99iOS · Android · macOS +1
focus.music
Focus
Human-made instrumental music for timed focus sessions
Free trial · from $3.33/moWeb · macOS · Windows +2
Focused Work
Focus
Focus timer with custom sessions for iPhone, iPad and Mac
Free plan · from $4.99/moiOS · macOS
Focusmate
Focus
Virtual coworking that pairs you with a partner on video
Free plan · from $8/moWeb
FocusMe
Focus
Website and app blocker with hard-to-bypass enforced plans
Free plan · from $9.95/moWindows · macOS · Linux +2
Foqos
Focus
Free open-source iPhone app blocker using NFC tags or QR codes
FreeiOS · macOS
Forest
Focus
Focus timer that grows a virtual tree while you stay off apps
Free plan · from $5.99/moiOS · Android
Freedom
Focus
Website and app blocker that runs across computers and phones
Free plan · from $3.33/momacOS · Windows · iOS +1
Goodtime
Focus
Minimalist open-source Pomodoro timer for Android
Free plan · from $6.99 one-timeAndroid · iOS
HazeOver
Focus
Mac utility that dims every window except the active one
Free trial · from $4.99 one-timemacOS
Jomo
Focus
Screen time blocker for iPhone, iPad and Mac with flexible rules
Free plan · from $2.49/moiOS · macOS
LeechBlock NG
Focus
Free browser extension that blocks time-wasting sites on a schedule
Free
LifeAt
Focus
Virtual workspace with ambient scenes, timers and a task planner
Free plan · from $8/moWeb · macOS · Windows
minimalist phone
Focus
Text-only home screen and app blocker for Android and iPhone
Free trial · from $2.99/moAndroid · iOS
myNoise
Focus
Adjustable background noise and soundscape generators
Free plan · from $10 one-timeWeb · iOS · Android
Noisli
Focus
Ambient sound mixer with a session timer and text editor
Free plan · from $10/moWeb · iOS
Noizio
Focus
Ambient sound mixer for Mac, phones and the browser
Free plan · from $2.99 one-timemacOS · iOS · Android +1
one sec
Focus
Screen time app that adds a pause before distracting apps open
Free plan · from $3.99/moiOS · Android · macOS
Opal
Focus
Screen time app that blocks distracting apps on phone and Mac
Free plan · from $8.29/momacOS · iOS · Android
Otto
Focus
Pomodoro timer and website blocker extension for Chrome
Free plan · from $29/yrWeb
Pomello
Focus
Desktop Pomodoro timer that runs on your Trello cards
Free plan · from $20/yrmacOS · Windows · Linux

Guides

Shortlists and alternatives for focus apps.

+4
Best of
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.
8 tools · Updated October 2026

Our top three focus apps

First: ScreenZen

Second: Forest

Third: Endel

Tools

Guides