Otto vs Pomofocus

Otto

• People who do most of their work inside Chrome
• A Pomodoro timer and a site blocker in a single extension
• Buyers who prefer a lifetime license to a subscription
• People who want a gentle, game-like nudge instead of a hard lockout

Pomofocus

• People who want a Pomodoro timer that opens in a browser tab
• Planning a day's tasks in pomodoros with an estimated finish time
• Todoist users who want to run their tasks through a timer

Otto

• It is a Chrome extension: there is no desktop or mobile app, and the vendor gives no date for the mobile app on its roadmap.
• The free version caps scheduled blocking at 2 rules, autoblock at 1 rule, the task timer at 3 tasks of 15 minutes and analytics at 7 days.
• The one-year license does not carry on: when it expires, Pro features stop and the extension drops back to the free version.
• There is no free trial of Pro, though refunds are given within 14 days. The web version is a plain timer without blocking.

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.

Otto

Pomodoro focus timer

Work and break intervals with lengths you can change and no cap on sessions. Pro adds a reverse work and break timer and a strict lock on the timer.

Blocking during focus sessions

Sites on the blocklist are blocked whenever a work session is running. Sites can be added in one click and unblocked temporarily when you need them.

Scheduled blocking

Chosen sites can be blocked at set hours and on set weekdays without a focus session running, and rules can target specific URLs instead of a whole site.

Autoblock time limits

Instead of blocking a site at once, Autoblock starts a countdown and blocks it when the time runs out. Each rule has its own duration and the count syncs between tabs.

Task timer

Naming a session turns it into a task timer with an in-browser to-do list, single-task and sequence modes, and a record of the time spent on each task.

Analytics and the Otto character

Focus and distraction analytics cover 7 days on the free version and all time on Pro. A game mechanic builds a bond with the Otto character as you focus.

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.

Otto

• Free$0

  Unlimited focus sessions, 4 focus block rules, 2 scheduled blocking rules, 1 autoblock rule, a 3-task timer and 7 days of analytics.

• The Friend$29

  for one year, paid once (not a subscription)

  Otto Pro for a year: unlimited blocked sites, schedules and autoblock rules, tasks of up to 90 minutes, strict lock and all-time analytics.

• The Guardian$66

  one-time purchase, lifetime license

  The same Pro features with a license that never expires, free lifetime updates and the planned mobile app at no extra cost.

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.

Otto

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime license for a one-time $66

  The Guardian plan unlocks every Pro feature for good for a single $66 payment, against $29 for one year, and includes the mobile app once it is released.

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.