Be Focused vs Focused Work
We give Be Focused a 3.6 GPA and Focused Work a 3.4, out of 4.0. Be Focused grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Be Focused
Pomodoro timer with tasks for iPhone, iPad and Mac
Focused Work
Focus timer with custom sessions for iPhone, iPad and Mac
How we grade them
| 3.6GPABe FocusedExcellent | 3.4GPAFocused WorkVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APro is $19.99 a year or $2.99 a month, well under what most paid focus apps charge. Lifetime is $39.99 once for iPhone, iPad and Mac together. There's also a separate Pro app at $19.99 per platform, so check which one you're buying. | APro is $29.99 a year on the US App Store, or $4.99 a month. Paid yearly, that's about half what a typical focus app costs, and it includes the blocker. Lifetime is $89.99, so the yearly plan is the one to look at. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe timer, tasks, custom intervals and reports are all free, so the whole job is covered without paying. You put up with banners and ads instead. Sync, tags and CSV export are the Pro bits. | BIt's free to download and the free version doesn't run out. But the vendor's terms only call it limited and never list what's in it. What we do know is that blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link are Pro. |
| Features | ASet the length of work rounds and breaks, plan how many rounds each task needs, and see reports by day, week or any period you pick. Shortcuts can run it for you, and the Pro app for Mac blocks distracting apps and sites. | ASessions built from Focus, Break and Prepare stages, with Pomodoro and Flowmodoro templates or your own. Add reminders, daily goals, charts for the week, month and year, CSV export and, in Pro, app and website blocking. That's the whole job. |
| Ease of use | A4.7 from about 4,300 App Store ratings. Add a task, press start, take the break when it tells you to. | A4.7 from about 600 App Store ratings. There's no account to register, and your stats and sessions sync through iCloud without you doing anything. |
| Platforms and integrations | CiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac, and it works with Apple's Shortcuts. That's the lot. No Windows, Android or web version is listed. | CiPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro, with hooks into Shortcuts, Siri, Alfred and Toggl Track. All Apple, though. No Windows, Android or web version is listed. |
| Best for | a Pomodoro timer with a task list on Apple devices | building your own focus sessions on Apple devices |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Be Focused and Focused Work. How we grade
Where they differ
- Be Focused starts at $2.99 / month, or $19.99 / year (US App Store). Focused Work starts at $4.99 / month, or $29.99 / year (US App Store).
- Be Focused also covers tasks.
- Focused Work also covers time tracking.
At a glance
| Be Focused | Focused Work | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $2.99 / month, or $19.99 / year (US App Store) | $4.99 / month, or $29.99 / year (US App Store) |
| Free plan | Free to download and use: tasks, the interval timer, timer customization and reports, with banners and ads. Sync, tags and filters, and CSV export are Pro features. | Free version with limited features, which the terms do not list. The vendor's FAQ marks content filtering, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link as Pro. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial on the Yearly Pro subscription | The terms refer to a free trial of Pro; no length is stated |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Xwavesoft | Michael Tigas |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Be Focused
- Apple users who want a Pomodoro timer tied to a task list
- People who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription
- Automating focus sessions with the Shortcuts app
Focused Work
- Apple users who want structured focus sessions, not only a countdown
- People who find a fixed Pomodoro rhythm too rigid
- Toggl Track users who want focus sessions logged as time entries
- Students and professionals who want reminders to stay on task
Worth knowing
Be Focused
- Apple platforms only: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac. No Windows, Android or web version is listed.
- The free apps show banners and ads, and sync, tags and filters, and CSV export need Pro.
- There are two ways to pay: Pro inside the free app, or the separate Be Focused Pro app at $19.99 per platform.
- The Focus Matrix integration needs the Pro version of Focus Matrix, which is sold separately.
Focused Work
- Apple platforms only: iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro. No Windows, Android or web version is listed.
- App and website blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link all need Focused Work Pro.
- Lifetime pricing differs between vendor pages: $89.99 and $119.99 on the US App Store, and $59.99 in the press kit.
- The Toggl link logs completed stages afterwards; the FAQ says it does not start a live running timer in Toggl.
Key features
Be Focused
- Interval timer
- Set the length of work intervals, short breaks and long breaks, the number of intervals before a long break and a daily target. Intervals can be paused or skipped.
- Task list
- Tasks take notes and due dates and can be pasted in from other apps. You plan the intervals a task needs, and a task can have its own timer settings.
- Reports
- Progress is tracked by day, week or a custom period. Exporting the data as a CSV file is listed among the Pro features.
- Sync between devices
- Pro syncs tasks and progress across iPhone, iPad and Mac, and the iOS app includes an Apple Watch app.
- Shortcuts automation
- Tasks and timers can be controlled from Apple's Shortcuts app, and Pro can run a shortcut when an event happens in Be Focused.
- App and website blocking on Mac
- The Be Focused Pro listing for Mac includes blocking distracting apps and websites during work sessions, in Safari, Chrome, Edge, Opera and Brave.
Focused Work
- Focus Sessions
- Sessions divide time into Focus, Break and Prepare stages. Templates cover a plain timer, Pomodoro and Flowmodoro, and the Session Editor builds repeatable sessions with your own stages and durations.
- App and website blocking
- Content filters block or allow chosen websites and iOS and Mac apps while a session runs, and can leave Break and planning stages unfiltered. This is a Pro feature.
- Reminders, reflection and Scratch Pad
- The app sends reminders to stay on task and to take breaks, asks you to rate and reflect on a finished session, and keeps a Scratch Pad for stray thoughts.
- Daily goals and statistics
- Meeting the daily focus goals builds a streak. Charts review the past week, month and year, and completed sessions can be exported as a CSV file.
- Shortcuts and Toggl Track
- With Pro, shortcuts run when a session or stage starts or ends, for example to turn on a Focus mode, and finished stages are logged to Toggl Track with projects and tags.
- Widgets, Live Activities and iCloud
- The timer shows in interactive widgets, Live Activities, StandBy and Picture-in-Picture. Statistics and created sessions sync through iCloud, with no account to register.
Plans
Be Focused
Free$0
Tasks, the interval timer, custom durations and reports on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac, with banners and ads.
Monthly Pro$2.99
per month, US App Store in-app purchase
Sync across devices, tags and filters, CSV export, Shortcuts triggers and no ads. One purchase covers iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Yearly Pro$19.99
per year, after a 7-day free trial
The same Pro features billed yearly through the App Store.
Be Focused Pro app$19.99
one-time purchase per platform (iOS or Mac)
A separate paid app, listed at $19.99 for iPhone and iPad and $19.99 for Mac. The vendor's site says each is sold separately.
Lifetime Pro$39.99
one-time purchase
Pro unlocked for good inside the free app, on iPhone, iPad and Mac, for a single payment.
Focused Work
Free$0
Free to download with a limited set of features. Blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link are marked as Pro in the vendor's FAQ.
Focused Work Pro - Monthly$4.99
per month, US App Store in-app purchase
Every feature, including app and website blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link. Renews automatically.
Focused Work Pro - Yearly$29.99
per year, US App Store in-app purchase
The same Pro features billed yearly. The listing also shows 1-year items at $19.99 and $39.99 and 1-month items at $2.99 and $6.99.
Focused Work Pro Lifetime$89.99
one-time purchase, US App Store
Pro for a single payment. The listing shows a second Lifetime item at $119.99, and the vendor's press kit quotes $59.99.
Ways to pay less
Be Focused
- Annual discount
Yearly Pro costs about 44% less than monthly
The US App Store lists Yearly Pro at $19.99 against Monthly Pro at $2.99, which comes to $35.88 over twelve months.
- Lifetime license
Lifetime Pro for a one-time payment
A Lifetime Pro in-app purchase is listed at $39.99, and the listing says a single purchase unlocks Pro on iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Focused Work
- Annual discount
Yearly Pro costs about 50% less than monthly
The US App Store lists Focused Work Pro - Yearly at $29.99 against Monthly at $4.99, which comes to $59.88 over twelve months.
- Lifetime license
Lifetime Pro for a one-time payment
The US App Store lists Focused Work Pro Lifetime at $89.99, paid once instead of a subscription. The vendor's press kit quotes $59.99 for lifetime access.
- Other savings
Also available through Setapp
The vendor's site links to Focused Work on Setapp, where the Mac and iOS apps are part of the Setapp app subscription.
