Session vs Vitamin-R

Session

• Mac and iPhone users who work in Pomodoro intervals
• People who want a record of focused time by category or client
• Students, who can ask for 30% off for one year

Vitamin-R

• People who keep postponing vague or intimidating tasks
• Mac users who want more structure than a bare countdown timer
• Light time tracking by project or client with CSV export
• Buyers who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription

Session

• Apple platforms only: macOS, iOS and iPadOS. No Windows, Android or web version is listed.
• The free plan shows analytics for the past 2 days only, and custom session and break lengths need Pro.
• Blocking needs Pro, and the pricing page lists website and app blocking as Mac only.
• Real-time device sync, Slack muting and Apple Calendar event creation are Pro features.

Vitamin-R

• Mac only: the current version needs macOS 13 Ventura or later. No iPhone, Windows or web version is offered.
• There is no free plan: the trial stops working after 14 days until an unlock code is bought.
• The standard license stops before version 5.0; covering all future upgrades costs a further $29.95 for the Forever Upgrade.
• It is not a task manager. The vendor positions it alongside to-do apps such as OmniFocus and Things.

Session

Pomodoro sessions

Work in 25-minute sessions separated by breaks. Setting your own session and break lengths needs Pro.

Focus analytics by category

Tracks how long you focus on each category, such as writing, coding or a client. Free shows the past 2 days and Pro opens the full session log.

App and website blocking on Mac

Pro blocks the apps and websites you choose while a session runs. Website blocking works in Safari, Chrome, Brave and Microsoft Edge.

Calendar events

Every plan shows your calendar events inside Session. Pro can also create an Apple Calendar event automatically when a session finishes.

Slack status

Pro updates your Slack status when the timer starts and restores it when the timer ends.

Device sync and automation

Pro syncs in real time, so a session started on a Mac can be ended on iOS, and adds automation through AppleScript on macOS and Apple Shortcuts on iOS.

Vitamin-R

Objectives and time slices

Each session starts with one specific, reachable objective and a time slice of 15 to 25 minutes. Visual, audio and spoken prompts keep it in view, and the app can shrink to a menu-bar countdown.

Now & Later Board

A stray thought, such as an email to send or an errand, is written down as one line on the board so you can return to the task and pick it up afterwards.

Log book and analytics

Every completed time slice is recorded. Charts show a week of focused time and the hours when you focus best, and slices can be tagged by project or client and exported to CSV.

Breaks and Pomodoro timing

Time slices alternate with timed breaks, which can lock the screen. The timing and rhythm of the classic Pomodoro Technique are built in as an option.

Keyboard command window

A global shortcut opens a command window from any app, where a time slice can be set up and controlled by typing instead of using the mouse.

Focus soundscapes

White noise and ambient soundscapes, from busy coffee shops to quiet beaches, can play while you work to mask distractions.

Session

• Free$0

  Unlimited sessions and breaks, analytics for the past 2 days, and calendar events shown in the app.

• Pro Yearly$3.33

  per month, billed yearly ($39.99)

  Custom session and break lengths, full session log, Mac app and website blocking, Slack muting, device sync and automation.

• Pro Monthly$4.99

  per month, billed monthly

  The same Pro features paid month to month. The vendor notes that prices differ slightly by region.

Vitamin-R

• Single User$29.95

  one-time purchase

  Any number of installations for one person, minor updates up to but not including version 5.0, and a free Noise Machine license.

• Family$59.95

  one-time purchase, up to 5 people

  Any number of installations for up to 5 people in the same family. The order page lists it as $30.00 on top of the Single User price.

• Small Business$149.95

  one-time purchase, up to 20 people

  Up to 20 people in the same family or organization, listed as $120.00 on top of the Single User price.

• Business$299.95

  one-time purchase, up to 50 people

  Up to 50 people in the same organization, listed as $270.00 on top of the Single User price.

• Enterprise$749.95

  one-time purchase, unlimited people

  An unlimited number of people in the same organization, listed as $720.00 on top of the Single User price.

Session

• Annual discount

  Yearly billing costs about a third less

  Pro is $39.99 billed yearly ($3.33 a month) against $4.99 billed monthly, which works out about 33% cheaper over a year.

• Education

  Student discount: 30% off for one year

  Students are eligible for a 30% discount for one year, non-renewing, by contacting support with a .edu email address or other proof of student status.

Vitamin-R

• Lifetime license

  Forever Upgrade for a further $29.95

  Adding the Forever Upgrade option on the order page costs $29.95 on top of the license and includes all future product upgrades.

• Other savings

  Upgrade pricing for existing owners

  Owners of any earlier version can buy the Single User upgrade to version 4 for $19.95, and anyone who bought after 1 January 2021 gets version 4 free.