Focus Timer vs Pomello
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Focus Timer
Free Pomodoro timer for Linux, formerly GNOME Pomodoro
Free
Pomello
Desktop Pomodoro timer that runs on your Trello cards
Free plan · from $20/yr
Where they differ
- Focus Timer is free. Pomello starts at $20 / year, or $2 / month (Premium).
- Only Pomello lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Focus Timer is open source, according to its own site.
In commonFree planLinuxPomodoro timerTime tracking
At a glance
| Focus Timer | Pomello | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $20 / year, or $2 / month (Premium) |
| Free plan | Free and open-source software under the GPL 3 or later, installed from Flathub. The project lists no paid version and takes donations through GitHub Sponsors, Ko-fi, Liberapay and PayPal. | Basic plan, described as always free: unlimited boards and lists, productivity tracking and time tracking. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Kamil Prusko | Tiny Nudge LLC |
| Price read from | flathub.org | pomelloapp.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Focus Timer
- Linux users who want a Pomodoro timer built for their desktop
- People who skip breaks and want a full-screen reminder
- Scripting actions around the timer with shell commands or D-Bus
Pomello
- Trello users who want to run Pomodoro sessions against their cards
- Desktop work on Mac, Windows or Linux
- People who want a small timer window that stays out of the way
Worth knowing
Focus Timer
- Linux only: it ships as a Flatpak on Flathub, with community packages for Fedora and Arch. No Windows, macOS or phone app is listed.
- On GNOME, the top bar indicator needs the separate Focus Timer extension, which supports GNOME Shell 48 and later and is only picked up after logging out.
- Renamed from GNOME Pomodoro: people moving to the Flatpak version copy their old database file across by hand to keep their statistics.
- The D-Bus interface has no reference manual yet; the FAQ points to the interface XML files in the repository instead.
Pomello
- Tasks are organized in Trello; the vendor's site describes no task list of Pomello's own.
- Desktop only: the download page offers Mac, Windows and Linux apps and tells other devices they are not supported.
- Checklist items as tasks, custom timer sounds and productivity data export need Premium.
- The current download is version 0.10.17, and release notes are kept on a public Trello board, not on the site.
Key features
Focus Timer
- Custom sessions with full control
- Set your own focus, short-break and long-break lengths. A running session can be paused, rewound, extended or skipped, and work resumes automatically after a break by default.
- Screen overlay on breaks
- A full-screen overlay appears when a break starts as a prompt to step away. Notifications and sounds mark the start and end of sessions, and an announcement warns before a break.
- Statistics
- Daily, weekly and monthly statistics show how much focused work was logged. History sits in a local SQLite database that is backed up automatically every day.
- Tray icon and global shortcuts
- A system tray icon shows timer status with quick actions, global shortcuts control the timer from any app, and a compact mode shows a small countdown window.
- GNOME Shell extension
- An optional extension for GNOME Shell 48 and later adds a top bar indicator, a live countdown in notifications, automatic Do Not Disturb and a lock screen widget.
- Automation, D-Bus and CLI
- Custom actions run shell commands on timer events, media playback can pause for breaks, and a D-Bus interface and command-line options link the timer to your own scripts.
Pomello
- Trello cards as tasks
- Tasks come from Trello: the cards on your boards and lists become the tasks a Pomodoro session runs against, with no limit on boards or lists on either plan.
- Pomodoro timer
- Work is split into timed intervals called pomodoros, traditionally 25 minutes long and separated by 5-minute breaks.
- Productivity and time tracking
- Productivity tracking and time tracking are included on both the Basic and the Premium plan.
- Compact timer window
- The interface is built to take up minimal screen space, which the vendor describes as a distraction-free design.
- Checklist items as tasks
- With Premium, the items on a checklist can be worked through as tasks of their own, not only whole cards.
- Custom sounds and data export
- Premium also adds custom timer sounds and the option to export your productivity data.
Plans
Focus Timer
Focus Timer$0
The complete Linux app and its optional GNOME Shell extension: timer, break overlay, statistics, tray icon, shortcuts and automation.
Pomello
Basic$0
Unlimited boards and lists, productivity tracking and time tracking. The vendor says this plan is always free.
Premium$20
per year; the page's toggle shows $2 per month
Everything in Basic, plus checklist items as tasks, custom timer sounds and export of productivity data.
Ways to pay less
Focus Timer
No public discounts listed.
Pomello
- Annual discount
Yearly Premium costs about 17% less than monthly
The pricing page shows Premium at $20 a year, and its toggle switches the price to $2 a month, which comes to $24 over twelve months.
