Be Focused vs TomatoBar
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
Where they differ
- Be Focused starts at $2.99 / month, or $19.99 / year (US App Store). TomatoBar is free.
- Only Be Focused lists an iOS app.
- Be Focused can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- TomatoBar is open source, according to its own site.
- Be Focused also covers tasks and site & app blocker.
- TomatoBar also covers menu bar app.
At a glance
| Be Focused | TomatoBar | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $2.99 / month, or $19.99 / year (US App Store) | Free |
| 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 and open-source software under the MIT license, downloaded from the project's GitHub releases. The repository lists no paid version. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial on the Yearly Pro subscription | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Xwavesoft | Ilya Voronin |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | github.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
TomatoBar
- Mac users who want a plain Pomodoro timer at no cost
- People who prefer open-source software they can inspect or modify
- Scripting a timer from the command line or reading its log
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.
TomatoBar
- macOS only. Version 3.0 and later need macOS Big Sur or newer; older macOS versions and the Touch Bar are supported only by releases before 3.0.
- The README describes no task list, reports or sync between devices; session history is kept only as a JSON log file.
- Homebrew marks its tomatobar cask as disabled since September 1, 2026 for failing the Gatekeeper check, though the README still gives the Homebrew command.
- The latest stable version, 3.6.1, is dated February 19, 2026. Before the 3.6 releases that month, the previous one, 3.5.0, came out in September 2023.
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.
TomatoBar
- Adjustable intervals
- Set the length of the work interval, the short rest and the long rest, and how many work intervals make up a set before the long rest is taken.
- Menu bar timer
- Start and stop the timer from a menu bar popover. Showing the countdown in the menu bar, stopping after a break and launching at login are each a setting.
- Optional sounds
- Three sound effects, named Windup, Ding and Ticking, can each be switched on or off. Version 3.6.0 added volume controls for them.
- Break notifications
- A notification says when it is time for a short or long break and when the break is over. The break notification carries a Skip button.
- Global shortcut and URL control
- A global keyboard shortcut starts or stops the timer, and so does opening the tomatobar://startStop URL, for example from the command line.
- JSON event log
- Each change of timer state is written in JSON to a log file inside the app's container, which other tools can read to analyze how time was spent.
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.
TomatoBar
TomatoBar$0
The complete Mac app: adjustable intervals, three sound effects, break notifications, a global shortcut and a JSON event log.
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.
TomatoBar
No public discounts listed.
