4.Do vs Focus Matrix

4.Do

• People who plan with the Eisenhower or Covey four quadrants
• Android users who add tasks from the notification shade
• One priority matrix on Android, iPhone, iPad and Mac

Focus Matrix

• People who prioritize with the Eisenhower matrix
• iPhone, iPad and Mac users who want one priority board
• Be Focused users who want tasks tied to their timer

4.Do

• The vendor says Premium is needed for full access to all features but does not list what the free version leaves out.
• On the App Store, Premium is a subscription at $4.99 monthly or $29.99 yearly; no one-time purchase is listed there.
• Google Play shows in-app purchases of $1.99 to $29.99 per item without naming them or their billing period.
• No Windows or web version is listed, and some features exist on one platform only, such as the Quick Settings tile on Android and Siri on iOS.

Focus Matrix

• Apple platforms only: it is offered on the App Store for iPhone and iPad and on the Mac App Store, with no Android, Windows or web version listed.
• Cross-device sync, Calendar sync and the Be Focused integration all need the Pro upgrade.
• The Be Focused integration also needs the Pro version of Be Focused, which is sold separately.
• Editing several tasks at once and sharing task lists by email or messages are listed for the Mac version only.

4.Do

Four-quadrant matrix

Tasks are grouped by urgency and importance, with an overview of all four quadrants or a focused view of one. Quadrants can be renamed and given custom colors.

Auto-advance and drag and drop

Auto-Advance adjusts a task's quadrant based on its due date, and drag and drop moves a task by hand when its priority changes.

Subtasks, repeats and attachments

Large tasks break into subtasks, tasks repeat at custom intervals with reminders, and images or files can be attached for reference.

Sorting, filters and tags

Tasks sort by due date, creation date or manual order, and filters and tags separate work, home and personal tasks. The view can switch between all tasks and a filter by status.

Quick capture

On Android, tasks are added from a persistent notification or a Quick Settings tile. On Apple devices, Siri, Spotlight, voice input and a photo scan add tasks.

AI suggestions, Calendar view and sync

The App Store version suggests a quadrant for a typed task using on-device AI, groups tasks by due date in a Calendar view, and syncs through 4.Do Cloud.

Focus Matrix

Matrix and list views

Tasks sit in sections by urgency and importance, shown as a matrix or as a list of sections, with an Unsorted section for incoming tasks. Drag and drop moves a task between sections.

Due dates, reminders and repeats

A task can have a due date, an all-day setting, a reminder and a repeat with customizable options. Creation and completion dates are tracked.

Automatic move to Urgent

A task moves to the Urgent side on its own as its deadline approaches, with a notification, or when a task it is linked to is completed.

Tags, sorting and filter presets

Tasks are sorted by title, by due date or manually, organized with tags, and filtered by tag and completion status. Filter presets can be saved and reapplied.

Reports and export

Configurable statistics and reports cover completed tasks, and task lists can be exported to PDF or printed.

Sync and integrations in Pro

Pro syncs data across iPhone, iPad and Mac, syncs tasks with Calendar, and connects to the Be Focused app so a timer can be started from a task.

4.Do

• Free$0

  The four-quadrant task manager as a free download; the vendor does not list which features are reserved for Premium.

• Premium Monthly$4.99

  per month

  Full access to all features on iPhone, iPad and Mac, billed monthly through the App Store.

• Premium Yearly$29.99

  per year

  The same Premium access billed once a year through the App Store.

• Google Play in-app purchases$1.99 - $29.99

  per item; billing basis not shown on the listing

  The Android listing shows only this range for in-app purchases and does not name the items.

Focus Matrix

• Free$0

  Matrix and list views, due dates, reminders, recurring tasks, tags, filters, reports, PDF export and password protection, without sync between devices.

• Monthly Pro$2.99

  per month

  Adds cross-device sync, task sync with Calendar and the Be Focused integration on iPhone, iPad and Mac.

• Yearly Pro$17.99

  per year

  The same Pro features billed once a year, with a 7-day trial.

• Lifetime Pro$34.99

  one-time payment

  The same Pro features unlocked with a single in-app purchase and no renewal.

4.Do

• Annual discount

  Yearly Premium costs about half of monthly

  The US App Store lists Premium at $4.99 per month or $29.99 per year, so a year on the yearly plan costs about 50% less than twelve monthly payments.

Focus Matrix

• Annual discount

  Yearly Pro costs about half of monthly

  The US App Store lists Monthly Pro at $2.99 and Yearly Pro at $17.99, so a year on the yearly plan costs about 50% less than twelve monthly payments.

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime Pro for a one-time $34.99

  A Lifetime Pro in-app purchase unlocks the Pro features with a single payment in place of the monthly or yearly subscription.