Focus Bear vs Opal

Focus Bear

• People with ADHD or autism who want guided routines, not only a blocker
• Blocking the same distractions on a computer and a phone at once
• Desk workers who want break reminders that stay quiet during calls

Opal

• Phone users who want distracting apps blocked automatically by rule
• People who want a block that cannot be switched off once it starts
• Students, who can apply for half-price yearly Pro

Focus Bear

• The free Essentials plan caps focus sessions at 25 minutes, blocking at 5 websites and apps, routines at 3 habits and breaks at 3 activities.
• AI-powered blocking, focus modes, focus music, meeting detection and accountability partner features need Pro.
• Billing is monthly; yearly billing has to be arranged by emailing support, and no yearly price is published.
• The US App Store lists a Monthly Plan purchase at $2.99, well below the $9.99 on the pricing page, and the vendor's pages do not explain the difference.

Opal

• The free plan allows 1 rule and shows the Opal Score for the current day only.
• Hard Mode, Allow Only, unlimited rules and score history all require Pro.
• No Windows, Linux or web version is listed, and the App Store lists the iOS app for iPhone only.
• Opal's Mac page lists app limits and sync with the iPhone app as still to come on Mac.

Focus Bear

Cross-device distraction blocking

Block lists and allow lists apply across Mac, Windows, iOS and Android together. By default the app asks whether you really need a site; Grizzly Bear mode blocks anything not explicitly allowed.

Morning and evening routines

Set up a routine once and the app guides you through its habits one at a time each day, blocking distractions while the routine runs.

Break reminders that detect meetings

Prompts short breaks with stretch and movement demos, recommended every 20 minutes. Reminders are held back while the app detects you are on a call.

AI distraction detection

Tell the app what you are working on and it nudges you back when you drift to something unrelated. The vendor says it does not log keystrokes or capture the screen.

Zen mode for your phone

Starting a deep work block on the computer puts the phone into Zen mode, where only the apps you need stay reachable until the session ends.

Pomodoro timer and to-do list

Timed focus sessions sit alongside a to-do list and a browser tab limiter. Free sessions stop at 25 minutes; Pro can chain consecutive sessions for bigger tasks.

Opal

Focus Rules

Rules block chosen apps automatically on a schedule, after a time limit or after a set number of opens. The free plan allows 1 rule and Pro removes the cap.

Focus Timer

Pick what to work on, set a duration and stay locked in until the timer runs out. Advanced timers and soundscapes are part of Pro.

Hard Mode

A Pro setting under which Opal cannot be turned off while a block is active.

Opal Score

A single daily score built from sleep, focus and rest signals. Free accounts see today's score; the history needs Pro.

Mac app

Sessions block distracting websites and apps on macOS 13 or later, with the same Normal, Timeout and Deep Focus levels as the iOS app.

Opal for Schools

A separate school program in which administrators block set apps during school hours and follow usage on a dashboard.

Focus Bear

• Essentials$0

  Pomodoro sessions up to 25 minutes, up to 5 blocked websites and apps, 3 habits per routine, 3 activities per break, tab limiter and to-do list.

• Pro$9.99

  per month, billed monthly

  Unlimited website and app blocking, AI-powered blocking, consecutive Pomodoro sessions, focus modes, focus music, meeting detection and strictness levels.

Opal

• Free$0

  App blocking with 1 rule, basic timers and soundscapes, and the Opal Score for the current day.

• Opal Pro (yearly)$8.29

  per month, billed annually ($99.99)

  Unlimited rules, Hard Mode, Allow Only, advanced timers and soundscapes, and Opal Score history.

• Opal Pro (monthly)$19.99

  per month, billed monthly

  The same Pro features paid month to month; the pricing page puts the cost at $239 over a year.

• Opal Pro (lifetime)$399

  one-time purchase

  Pro features for a single payment with no subscription.

• Opal Teams ProCustom

  Everything in Opal Pro with a single invoice, advanced support and training, and an account manager.

Focus Bear

• Education

  50% discount for students

  The pricing page offers students 50% off Pro: enter an official school email address and Focus Bear sends a discount code to use at checkout.

• Other savings

  Discounts for financial hardship

  Focus Bear says people experiencing financial hardship, including hardship due to disability, can request a discount by emailing its support team. It notes that not every request is granted.

Opal

• Annual discount

  Yearly billing costs about 58% less than monthly

  Opal Pro is $99.99 billed annually ($8.29 a month) against $19.99 billed monthly, which the pricing page totals at $239 a year.

• Education

  Student discount: 50% off Opal Pro

  Students can apply for 50% off the yearly Opal Pro plan, shown as $49.99 billed annually ($4.19 a month).

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime Opal Pro for a one-time payment

  The pricing page lists a lifetime Opal Pro option at $399, paid once.