Focusbuddy vs Pomofocus (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Pomofocus grades higher than Focusbuddy: 3.0 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Pomofocus grades higher on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Focusbuddy
Chrome extension combining categorized tasks with a countdown timer
Pomofocus
Browser-based Pomodoro timer with a task list and reports
Which one is for you
Pick Focusbuddy if
- Fits if you live in Chrome and want one timer per task
- Works for people comfortable loading an unpacked extension
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you won't use developer mode, since install is a ZIP loaded unpacked in Chrome
- Not for you if you want break cycles, as the timer has fixed lengths only
- Not for you if you use another browser or a phone; Chrome is the only one listed
- Watch out: the site says free 'for now' and calls the extension new, with room to improve
Pick Pomofocus if
- Fits if you want a Pomodoro timer that opens in a browser tab
- Works for people who plan the day in pomodoros and want an estimated finish time
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a proper phone app, as on a phone it runs in the browser, and Mobile Alarm doesn't work on iOS
- Not for you if ads would bug you and you're never paying, since only Premium removes them
- Tight if you lean on templates or projects, because the free version stops at 3 templates and has no projects
- Watch out: Todoist import, webhooks, yearly reports and report downloads are all Premium
- Watch out: the Windows download isn't signed, so Windows shows a safety warning when you install it
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAFocusbuddyFair | 3.0GPAPomofocusVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BFree, though the site says only 'for now', so the price may change. | APremium is $18 a year, about $1.50 a month, which is under the lowest-priced quarter of this category, or $54 once for good. It takes the ads away and adds projects, yearly reports, Todoist import and webhooks. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe site calls it completely free, with the words 'for now', and no paid plan is listed. | BThe timer, a task list with estimates and a finish time, daily, weekly and monthly reports and your own settings, all free and all usable for good. Two things to live with: ads, and a stop at 3 templates. |
| Features | DTask categories, a task list and a timer per task. The timer offers fixed lengths with no break cycle, and the site calls it new and simple. | CYour own pomodoro and break lengths, tasks estimated in pomodoros with a finish time, repeated lists saved as templates, reports by day, week and month, and Todoist import with webhooks on Premium. It's a timer and a task list, not a blocker, so nothing here shuts a site for you. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. Installing means downloading a ZIP from Google Drive and loading it unpacked in Chrome's developer mode. | BNo store rating on record for it, but it opens in a tab with the timer already on screen. One wrinkle: the site warns the Windows download isn't signed, so Windows shows a safety warning. |
| Platforms and integrations | CChrome only; no other browser or device is listed. | BDesktop and mobile browsers, plus downloads for Mac, Windows and Linux, with Todoist, Zapier and IFTTT on Premium. No native phone app is listed, and the Mobile Alarm sound isn't supported on iOS. |
| Best for | a task list with timers in a Chrome extension | 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: Focusbuddy and Pomofocus. How we grade
Price against what you get
Focusbuddy has no paid plan and scores 1.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Pomofocus starts at $1.50 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7.
Pomofocus scores higher, and starts $1.50 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other focus apps on the chart, none scores higher than Focusbuddy for less, and 2 score higher than Pomofocus for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Pomofocus can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Pomofocus also covers templates and time tracking.
At a glance
| Focusbuddy | Pomofocus | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $3 / month, or $18 / year |
| Free plan | The site calls it completely free, with the words 'for now'. | 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 | None listed | 7-day free trial of Premium |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | GroupFunnels LLC | FocusLab LLC |
| Price read from | focusbuddy.app | pomofocus.io |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Focusbuddy
- Installation means downloading a ZIP from Google Drive and loading it unpacked in Chrome's developer mode.
- The site calls it new and simple, with room to improve, and free only 'for now'.
- Chrome only; no other browser or device is listed.
- The timer offers fixed lengths only, with no break cycle.
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
Focusbuddy
- Task categories
- Group tasks under titles such as health or wealth.
- Task list
- List the tasks inside each category.
- Timer per task
- Pick a task, then choose a 5, 15, 30, 60 or 90 minute timer.
- Toolbar extension
- Pin the extension to the Chrome toolbar and open it from the icon.
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
Focusbuddy
Free$0
The whole extension, installed from a ZIP file. The site says it is free for now.
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
Focusbuddy
No public discounts listed.
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.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Focusbuddy or Pomofocus?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Focusbuddy is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $1.50 a month when paid by the year for Pomofocus. Focusbuddy is free, and Pomofocus starts at $3 / month, or $18 / year.
Which has a free plan, Focusbuddy or Pomofocus?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Focusbuddy and Pomofocus have a free plan.
Which platforms do Focusbuddy and Pomofocus run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Focusbuddy lists a browser extension and only Pomofocus lists a web app and 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.