The Focused Work Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Focused Work in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Focused Work
The Insider’s Guide
Focus timer with custom sessions for iPhone, iPad and Mac
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among focus apps, read from Focused Work’s own pages.
Made by Michael Tigas · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Focused Work’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Focused Work’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 18 of the 65 other focus apps we grade
Focused Work is a focus timer for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro from developer Michael Tigas. Sessions are split into Focus, Break and Prepare stages and can follow Pomodoro, Flowmodoro or a structure you build yourself, with reminders, daily goals and statistics alongside. The app is free to download, and Focused Work Pro adds app and website blocking, Shortcuts automation and a Toggl Track link.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Focused Work, taken from its own pages and our grades.
There's no account to register, and your stats and sessions sync through iCloud without you doing anything.
- 1
Best for building your own focus sessions on Apple devices
Focused Work is a focus timer for Apple devices where you build sessions out of Focus, Break and Prepare stages.
- 2
Paid plans start at $2.50 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $4.99 / month, or $29.99 / year (US App Store).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free version with limited features, which the terms do not list. The vendor's FAQ marks content filtering, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link as Pro.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
iOS and macOS.
- 5
Focus Sessions
Sessions divide time into Focus, Break and Prepare stages. Templates cover a plain timer, Pomodoro and Flowmodoro, and the Session Editor builds repeatable sessions with your own stages and durations.
- 6
App and website blocking
Content filters block or allow chosen websites and iOS and Mac apps while a session runs, and can leave Break and planning stages unfiltered. This is a Pro feature.
- 7
Reminders, reflection and Scratch Pad
The app sends reminders to stay on task and to take breaks, asks you to rate and reflect on a finished session, and keeps a Scratch Pad for stray thoughts.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 18 of 65
That is against the other focus apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Focused Work you could make: Pomodoro timer and time tracking. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Focused Work at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $4.99 / month, or $29.99 / year (US App Store)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- The terms refer to a free trial of Pro; no length is stated
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- Michael Tigas, since 2020
- Category
- Focus Apps
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 604 ratings
The report card
Best for building your own focus sessions on Apple devices
Focused Work is a focus timer for Apple devices where you build sessions out of Focus, Break and Prepare stages. Blocking apps and sites needs Pro at $29.99 a year. It's Apple only, its terms never say what the free version holds, no trial length is given, and the vendor's own pages quote Lifetime at three prices.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is $4.99 a month, above the $2.99 that a quarter of focus apps come in under, or $29.99 a year. Ordinary, in other words. Paying once would be the way out of that, except the vendor's own pages put Lifetime at $89.99, $119.99 and $59.99, and the store also lists yearly items at $19.99 and $39.99. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free to download and it doesn't run out, but the vendor's terms only call the free version limited and never say what's in it. We do know blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link are Pro, and no trial length is stated. |
| Features | B | Sessions built from Focus, Break and Prepare stages, Pomodoro and Flowmodoro templates or your own, blocking for apps and sites in Pro, reminders, daily goals, charts by week, month and year, and CSV export. The listing shows no gap in the timer job. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.7 from about 600 App Store ratings, too few of them for an A. There's no account to register, and your stats and sessions sync through iCloud without you doing anything. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro, with hooks into Shortcuts, Siri, Alfred and Toggl Track. One family of devices, though: no Windows, Android or web version is listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Focused Work is for
- Fits if a fixed Pomodoro rhythm feels too rigid and you'd rather build your own sessions
- Works for Toggl Track users who want finished focus stages logged there afterwards
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you use Windows or Android, as it's Apple devices only
- Tight if you're staying free, because blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl link are all Pro
- Pricey if you want to pay once, at $89.99 for Lifetime against $29.99 a year
- Watch out: Lifetime shows at $89.99 and $119.99 in the store and $59.99 in the press kit
- Not for you if you want a live Toggl timer, as it logs stages afterwards and doesn't start one
Good to know
Good for
- Apple users who want structured focus sessions, not only a countdown
- People who find a fixed Pomodoro rhythm too rigid
- Toggl Track users who want focus sessions logged as time entries
- Students and professionals who want reminders to stay on task
Worth knowing
- Apple platforms only: iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro. No Windows, Android or web version is listed.
- App and website blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link all need Focused Work Pro.
- Lifetime pricing differs between vendor pages: $89.99 and $119.99 on the US App Store, and $59.99 in the press kit.
- The Toggl link logs completed stages afterwards; the FAQ says it does not start a live running timer in Toggl.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$2.50
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Focused Work has a free plan. Paid plans start at $4.99 / month, or $29.99 / year (US App Store).
Free to download and it doesn't run out, but the vendor's terms only call the free version limited and never say what's in it.
Free
$0
Free to download with a limited set of features. Blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link are marked as Pro in the vendor's FAQ.
Focused Work Pro - Monthly
$4.99
per month, US App Store in-app purchase
Every feature, including app and website blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link. Renews automatically.
Focused Work Pro - Yearly
$29.99
per year, US App Store in-app purchase
The same Pro features billed yearly. The listing also shows 1-year items at $19.99 and $39.99 and 1-month items at $2.99 and $6.99.
Focused Work Pro Lifetime
$89.99
one-time purchase, US App Store
Pro for a single payment. The listing shows a second Lifetime item at $119.99, and the vendor's press kit quotes $59.99.
The free plan
Free version with limited features, which the terms do not list. The vendor's FAQ marks content filtering, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link as Pro.
Trying it first
The terms refer to a free trial of Pro; no length is stated
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Yearly Pro costs about 50% less than monthly
The US App Store lists Focused Work Pro - Yearly at $29.99 against Monthly at $4.99, which comes to $59.88 over twelve months.
Stated on apps.apple.comLifetime license
Lifetime Pro for a one-time payment
The US App Store lists Focused Work Pro Lifetime at $89.99, paid once instead of a subscription. The vendor's press kit quotes $59.99 for lifetime access.
Stated on apps.apple.comOther savings
Also available through Setapp
The vendor's site links to Focused Work on Setapp, where the Mac and iOS apps are part of the Setapp app subscription.
Stated on focusedwork.app
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Focused Work Pro - Yearly”, against $29.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺699,99 | $14.24 | 53% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 1,690.00 | $26.90 | 10% less |
| Canada | $38.99 | $27.41 | 9% less |
| Indonesia | Rp 499ribu | $27.91 | 7% less |
| South Africa | R579.99 | $35.08 | 17% more |
| Mexico | $709.00 | $38.96 | 30% more |
| Germany | 34,99 € | $39.21 | 31% more |
| United Kingdom | £29.99 | $39.65 | 32% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and iOS
Focus timer with custom sessions for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, site & app blocker, Pomodoro timer, time tracking.
The listing shows no gap in the timer job.
- Focus Sessions
- Sessions divide time into Focus, Break and Prepare stages. Templates cover a plain timer, Pomodoro and Flowmodoro, and the Session Editor builds repeatable sessions with your own stages and durations.
- App and website blocking
- Content filters block or allow chosen websites and iOS and Mac apps while a session runs, and can leave Break and planning stages unfiltered. This is a Pro feature.
- Reminders, reflection and Scratch Pad
- The app sends reminders to stay on task and to take breaks, asks you to rate and reflect on a finished session, and keeps a Scratch Pad for stray thoughts.
- Daily goals and statistics
- Meeting the daily focus goals builds a streak. Charts review the past week, month and year, and completed sessions can be exported as a CSV file.
- Shortcuts and Toggl Track
- With Pro, shortcuts run when a session or stage starts or ends, for example to turn on a Focus mode, and finished stages are logged to Toggl Track with projects and tags.
- Widgets, Live Activities and iCloud
- The timer shows in interactive widgets, Live Activities, StandBy and Picture-in-Picture. Statistics and created sessions sync through iCloud, with no account to register.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- Toggl Track
- Apple Shortcuts
- Siri
- Alfred
Focused Work is made by Michael Tigas, and has been around since 2020.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
18/65
Other focus apps it is graded above
Focused Work's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 11.
It stands best on features (B, above 48 of 65) and worst on free plan and trial (C, above 5).
Its paid plans start at $2.50 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.82 for the category: 18 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 66 focus apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Focused Work’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 8 of 65
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 65
- BFeaturesAbove 48 of 65
- BEase of useAbove 17 of 65
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 8 of 65
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 56 focus apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Focused Work is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Focused Work you could make: Pomodoro timer and time tracking. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 36 of the 65 other focus apps grade higher. It costs $29.99 a year.
What you could make
- Pomodoro timer and time tracking: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Blocking that reaches every browser and app and is hard to switch off.
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- Hooks into the device itself: widgets and Live Activities.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Focused Work’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Session, Flow, Be Focused, Focus Keeper and Focus To-Do
The 5 tools Focused Work is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Session
Free plan · from $3.33/mo
Pomodoro focus timer with analytics for Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- Focused Work can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 3.2GPA
Flow
Free plan · from $17.99/yr
Minimal Pomodoro timer for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
- Focused Work also covers time tracking.
- Flow also covers menu bar app.
- 3.0GPA
Be Focused
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Pomodoro timer with tasks for iPhone, iPad and Mac.
- Focused Work also covers time tracking.
- Be Focused also covers tasks.
- 2.6GPA
Focus Keeper
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
Pomodoro timer with progress charts for iPhone, Android and web.
- Only Focused Work lists a macOS app.
- Only Focus Keeper lists a web app.
- Only Focus Keeper lists an Android app.
- 2.6GPA
Focus To-Do
Free plan · from $1.99
Pomodoro timer combined with a task list and time reports.
- Only Focus To-Do lists Android and Windows apps.
- Only Focus To-Do lists a browser extension.
- Focused Work also covers site & app blocker.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Focused Work free?
Focused Work has a free plan. Free version with limited features, which the terms do not list.
How much does Focused Work cost?
Focused Work lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Focused Work work on?
Focused Work is available on iOS and macOS.
Does Focused Work offer any discounts?
Focused Work publicly lists the following: Yearly Pro costs about 50% less than monthly; Lifetime Pro for a one-time payment; Also available through Setapp.
How is Focused Work rated?
Focused Work's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 604 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does Focused Work have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Focused Work is listed for iOS and macOS.
Does Focused Work have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Focused Work is listed for iOS and macOS.
Is Focused Work open source?
Focused Work is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does Focused Work integrate with?
Focused Work's listing names Toggl Track, Apple Shortcuts, Siri and Alfred.
Does Focused Work have a free trial?
Yes. The terms refer to a free trial of Pro; no length is stated.
Who makes Focused Work?
Focused Work is made by Michael Tigas. It dates from 2020.
What are the alternatives to Focused Work?
The closest alternatives to Focused Work in our directory are Session, Flow, Be Focused, Focus Keeper and Focus To-Do.
How does Focused Work compare with other focus apps?
Focused Work's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 11.
Is Focused Work good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Focused Work C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $2.50 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.82 for the category: 18 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Focused Work?
The plain part of Focused Work you could make: Pomodoro timer and time tracking.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Focused Work’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Focused Work's own pages on 9 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-24.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Michael Tigas. Prices change, so check focusedwork.app before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Focused Work, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/focused-work
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Focused Work: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/focused-work
Know someone choosing between focus apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/focused-work/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded focus apps after Focused Work, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Focus Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 66 focus apps we grade, compared
- ScreenZen Insider's GuideFree app that delays and blocks distracting apps and sites3.6 GPA
- Flora Insider's GuideFree focus timer that grows trees, alone or with friends3.2 GPA
- Flow Insider's GuideMinimal Pomodoro timer for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Focused Work’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Focused Work is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Michael Tigas. Prices and plans change: check focusedwork.app before you buy.