Be Focused vs Pomofocus
We give Be Focused and Pomofocus the same GPA: 3.6 out of 4.0. Be Focused grades higher on ease of use. Pomofocus grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and features.
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
Pomofocus
Browser-based Pomodoro timer with a task list and reports
How we grade them
| 3.6GPABe FocusedExcellent | 3.6GPAPomofocusExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | APremium is $3 a month or $18 a year, and $54 buys it for good. Paid yearly, that's about a third of a typical focus app. It takes the ads away and adds projects, yearly reports, Todoist import and webhooks. |
| 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. | AThe timer, a task list with estimates and a finish time, daily, weekly and monthly reports and custom settings are all free. You get up to 3 templates, and you get ads. Most people could stay here. |
| 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. | ASet your own pomodoro and break lengths, estimate each task in pomodoros, save repeated tasks as templates, and see focused time by day, week and month. Premium loads tasks from Todoist, with ticks synced both ways, and calls webhooks for Zapier and IFTTT. |
| 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. | BWe have no App Store rating on record for it, so a B is as far as we'll go. It opens in a tab with the timer right there. One wrinkle: the Windows download isn't signed with a developer certificate, so Windows shows a safety warning. |
| 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. | BDesktop and mobile browsers, plus downloads for Mac, Windows and Linux. Todoist, Zapier and IFTTT hook in on Premium. No native phone app is listed, and the Mobile Alarm sound isn't supported on iOS. |
| Best for | a Pomodoro timer with a task list on Apple devices | a Pomodoro timer with a task list, in a browser tab |
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 Pomofocus. How we grade
Where they differ
- Be Focused starts at $2.99 / month, or $19.99 / year (US App Store). Pomofocus starts at $3 / month, or $18 / year.
- Only Be Focused lists an iOS app.
- Only Pomofocus lists a web app.
- Only Pomofocus lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Be Focused also covers site & app blocker.
- Pomofocus also covers templates and time tracking.
At a glance
| Be Focused | Pomofocus | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $2.99 / month, or $19.99 / year (US App Store) | $3 / month, or $18 / year |
| 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. | The timer, a task list with estimates and finish time, up to 3 templates, daily, weekly and monthly reports, and custom settings. It shows ads. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial on the Yearly Pro subscription | 7-day free trial of Premium |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Xwavesoft | FocusLab LLC |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | pomofocus.io |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 5, 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
Pomofocus
- People who want a Pomodoro timer that opens in a browser tab
- Planning a day's tasks in pomodoros with an estimated finish time
- Todoist users who want to run their tasks through a timer
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.
Pomofocus
- The free version shows ads and stops at 3 templates; projects, yearly reports and report downloads need Premium.
- Todoist import and webhook connections are Premium features.
- No native phone app is listed: on a phone it runs in the browser, and the Mobile Alarm sound is not supported on iOS.
- The site warns that the Windows download is not signed with a developer certificate, so Windows shows a safety warning.
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.
Pomofocus
- Adjustable Pomodoro timer
- Set the length of the pomodoro, short break and long break, choose how many rounds come before a long break, and have breaks or pomodoros start automatically.
- Tasks with estimates
- Add the day's tasks, estimate the pomodoros each will take and pick one to work on. The app shows an estimated finish time for the list.
- Templates
- Save a set of repeated tasks as a template and add it in one click. The free version keeps up to 3 templates.
- Reports
- Charts show focused time by day, week and month. Premium adds yearly reports, a CSV download of focus history and time tracked per project.
- Todoist import and webhooks
- Premium can load tasks from a Todoist account, with checked and unchecked states synced both ways, and call webhooks for services such as Zapier and IFTTT.
- Mobile Alarm
- A registered phone can receive the alarm with its screen off, including when the timer is running on a computer. It needs an account and a home screen shortcut.
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.
Pomofocus
Free$0
Timer, tasks with pomodoro estimates, up to 3 templates, daily, weekly and monthly reports, and custom settings, with ads.
Premium (monthly)$3
per month
Projects, yearly reports, report download, unlimited templates, Todoist import, webhooks and no ads.
Premium (yearly)$18
per year
The same Premium features billed once a year; the subscription renews until cancelled.
Premium (lifetime)$54
one-time purchase
Premium features for a single payment, listed in the app as including future updates.
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.
Pomofocus
- Annual discount
Yearly Premium costs half of paying monthly
The app lists Premium at $18 a year against $3 a month, which comes to $36 over twelve months.
- Lifetime license
Lifetime Premium for a one-time payment
The app's plan list includes a Lifetime option at $54, paid once, alongside the monthly and yearly subscriptions.
