Engross vs Pomatez (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Pomatez grades higher than Engross: 3.0 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Pomatez grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Engross
Pomodoro timer with to-do list and planner for phones
Free plan · from $5.99
Pomatez
Free open-source Pomodoro desktop app with a built-in task list
Free
Which one is for you
Pick Engross if
- Fits if you're a student planning study blocks and counting the hours
- Works for people who drift mid-session and want to count how often
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you work at a computer and want your timer there, as it's phones and tablets only
- Not for you if you like to know what you're buying, since nothing says what Premium adds
- Tight if you're on iPhone and want apps blocked, as only the Android listing mentions that
- Watch out: the vendor's site is one page, with no pricing, help or documentation
- Watch out: the $5.99 Premium price has no billing basis shown, so you can't tell if it's once or monthly
Pick Pomatez if
- Fits if you want a free desktop timer that locks you out during breaks
- Works for people who want a small task list beside the timer
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a phone or web version; it is desktop only
- Not for you if you want productivity reports, which are a roadmap item
- Tight if you set your own shortcuts, as keyboard shortcuts cannot be customized yet
- Watch out: full-screen breaks do not cover multiple monitors
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAEngrossFair | 3.0GPAPomatezVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CEngross publishes no prices. The US App Store shows one purchase, Engross Premium at $5.99, without saying whether that's once or every month, and Google Play gives only a $0.99 to $7.99 range. Paid once it would sit low for this category; monthly it would be above the $3.99 middle. | AFree to download from GitHub and the Snap Store, with no paid version listed. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree to download on iPhone, iPad and Android, and the vendor's one-page site calls the app free. Neither store listing says which features need Premium, though, so where free stops is anyone's guess, and there's no trial on record. | AFree outright, with no account and no cap; the project's pages list no paid plan. |
| Features | CA fair amount in one app: timer and stopwatch, the distraction button, tasks with sub-tasks and odd repeats, a calendar planner, labels and charts, white noise. The listing's gaps keep it here: app blocking appears only on the Android listing, and there are no help pages to check any of it against. | CCustomizable rules, a task list, full-screen breaks, strict mode and special breaks. Productivity reports and saved task history are roadmap items, and full-screen breaks skip extra monitors. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but nothing to set up: install it and start a timer straight from a task, with one app doing the work of three. There's no help section anywhere if you get stuck. | BNo store rating on record. Install it and start a round, with nothing to configure first. |
| Platforms and integrations | CPhones and tablets only: iPhone, iPad and Android. No desktop or web version is listed and it connects to nothing else, so a timer at your computer isn't on offer. | CWindows, Mac and Linux only. No web, iOS or Android version, though the site lists mobile as coming. |
| Best for | a timer, to-do list and planner in one phone app | a free desktop Pomodoro timer with a task list |
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: Engross and Pomatez. How we grade
Where they differ
- Pomatez is open source, according to its own site.
- Engross also covers calendar, site & app blocker, time tracking and focus music.
In commonFree planTasksPomodoro timer
At a glance
| Engross | Pomatez | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $5.99 for Engross Premium (US App Store; billing basis not shown) | Free |
| Free plan | Free to download on iPhone, iPad and Android. Neither store listing says which features need Engross Premium. | Free to download from GitHub and the Snap Store; the project's pages list no paid version. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Engross Applications | Roldan Montilla Jr |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | zidoro.github.io |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Engross
- Phone and tablet only: iPhone, iPad and Android. No desktop or web version is listed.
- The vendor does not say what Engross Premium unlocks; the stores show $5.99 on the US App Store and $0.99 to $7.99 per item on Google Play.
- App blocking appears on the website and the Google Play listing but is not mentioned on the App Store listing.
- The vendor's website is a single page with no pricing, help or documentation pages.
Pomatez
- Desktop only: no web, iOS or Android version, though the site lists a mobile version as coming.
- Keyboard shortcuts cannot be customized yet, per the site's roadmap.
- Productivity reports and a saved task history are roadmap items, not current features.
- Full-screen breaks do not cover multiple monitors.
Key features
Engross
- Pomodoro timer and stopwatch
- Focus and break lengths are adjustable, with sessions of up to 180 minutes on Android, and a stopwatch covers open-ended work. A session can be started straight from a task or event.
- Distraction button
- During a session you tap 'Hit me when you are distracted' each time your attention slips, which the vendor describes as a distraction tracker for building focus.
- To-do list
- Tasks support sub-tasks, a progress tracker for long jobs, flexible repeats such as twice a week or alternate days, and reminders up to 24 hours ahead.
- Planner and calendar
- Events and routines sit in a calendar view next to tasks, with recurring events for regular routines and reminders for each entry.
- Statistics and labels
- Sessions can be tagged with labels. Charts show focus trends, peak performance times and session history, with daily, weekly and monthly study or work totals.
- App whitelist and white noise
- The Android listing describes an App Whitelist that blocks distracting apps once the timer starts. Both listings include white noise sounds to play while working.
Pomatez
- Customizable rules
- Change the default Pomodoro configuration, including work and break lengths.
- Built-in task list
- Keep a simple list of to-dos and mark items done.
- Full-screen breaks
- Break time can take over the whole screen. The site says multiple monitors are not supported yet.
- Strict mode
- Stops you pausing, skipping or resetting a timer once it has started.
- Special breaks
- Set fixed times for breaks such as lunch without changing the Pomodoro configuration.
- Desktop controls
- Always on top, minimize or close to tray, progress in the tray, compact mode, dark theme and keyboard shortcuts.
Plans
Engross
Free$0
The app is free to download, and the vendor's site describes it as free. The listings do not say where the free version stops.
Engross Premium$5.99
US App Store in-app purchase; billing basis not shown
The only in-app purchase on the iPhone and iPad listing. The listing does not describe what it unlocks.
Android in-app purchases$0.99 to $7.99
per item on Google Play (US); the basis is not shown
Google Play gives only a price range for the Android app's in-app items, without naming them.
Pomatez
Pomatez$0
The full desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Engross or Pomatez?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Engross starts at $5.99 for Engross Premium (US App Store; billing basis not shown), and Pomatez is free.
Which has a free plan, Engross or Pomatez?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Engross and Pomatez have a free plan.
Which platforms do Engross and Pomatez run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Engross lists iOS and Android apps and only Pomatez lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.