The Otto Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Otto 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.
Otto
The Insider’s Guide
Pomodoro timer and website blocker extension for Chrome
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among focus apps, read from Otto’s own pages.
Made by Layover Studio LLC · 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 Otto’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Otto’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
Otto is a Chrome extension that pairs a Pomodoro-style focus timer with a website blocker. Sites on your blocklist are blocked while a work session runs, and the blocker can also run on a schedule or apply time limits instead of blocking outright. The timer and blocker are free with limits on the number of rules, and Otto Pro, sold as a one-year or lifetime license, removes them.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Otto, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record for a Chrome extension, but there's nothing to install beyond the extension itself.
- 1
Best for a Pomodoro timer and site blocker in one Chrome extension
Otto is a Chrome extension that puts a Pomodoro timer and a website blocker in one place, with a little character you bond with as you focus.
- 2
Paid plans start at $2.42 a month when paid by the year for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $29 for a one-year license, or $66 once for a lifetime license.
- 3
There is a free plan
Unlimited focus sessions, 4 focus block rules, 2 scheduled blocking rules, 2 specific-URL rules, 1 autoblock rule, 3 tasks of 15 minutes and 7 days of analytics.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web, with a browser extension too.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 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
Your call
A focus timer at its plainest counts down 25 minutes and keeps a log.
Otto at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $29 for a one-year license, or $66 once for a lifetime license
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, Browser extension
- Made by
- Layover Studio LLC
- Category
- Focus Apps
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a Pomodoro timer and site blocker in one Chrome extension
Otto is a Chrome extension that puts a Pomodoro timer and a website blocker in one place, with a little character you bond with as you focus. Sessions are free with no cap, and Pro is $29 for a year or $66 for life. Free stops at 2 scheduled rules and 7 days of analytics, there's no Pro trial, the year license lapses back to free, and there's no desktop or phone app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | $29 buys one year, paid once rather than subscribed, which is under the $35.88 a year that this category's lowest-priced quarter works out to. $66 makes it a lifetime licence and covers the promised mobile app. Refunds inside 14 days, and no trial. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Focus sessions are unlimited. Then the counting starts: 4 focus block rules, 2 scheduled rules, 1 autoblock rule, 3 tasks of 15 minutes, 7 days of analytics. And there's no trial of Pro to see past them. |
| Features | C | A Pomodoro timer with your own lengths, sites blocked while a session runs, blocking on a schedule, Autoblock counting down before it shuts a site, and a task timer with analytics. All of it inside Chrome, though: desktop apps and your other browsers carry on untouched. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record for a Chrome extension, but there's nothing to install beyond the extension itself. Sites join the blocklist in one click and you can let one through for a moment when you need it. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | A Chrome extension, plus a web version that's a bare timer with no blocking. No desktop or mobile app, and the vendor gives no date for the mobile one on its roadmap. No integrations 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 Otto is for
- Fits if most of your work happens inside Chrome
- Works for people who want a Pomodoro timer and a site blocker in a single extension
Who it is not for
- Skip it if your phone is the distraction, as there's no mobile app and no date for one
- Tight if you're staying free, with 2 scheduled blocking rules, 1 autoblock rule, 15-minute tasks and 7 days of analytics
- Not for you if you expect the one-year license to carry on, because Pro stops when it expires and you drop back to free
- Watch out: there's no free trial of Pro, only refunds within 14 days
- Skip it if you use other browsers or desktop apps, which it doesn't touch, and the web version doesn't block
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$2.42
A month to start, paid by the year, for each person. There is a free plan too
Otto has a free plan. Paid plans start at $29 for a one-year license, or $66 once for a lifetime license.
And there's no trial of Pro to see past them.
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.
The free plan
Unlimited focus sessions, 4 focus block rules, 2 scheduled blocking rules, 2 specific-URL rules, 1 autoblock rule, 3 tasks of 15 minutes and 7 days of analytics.
Read from ottoapp.me on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on ottoapp.me
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: Web and Browser extension
Pomodoro timer and website blocker extension for Chrome. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: local-first, one-time purchase, tasks, site & app blocker, Pomodoro timer, time tracking.
All of it inside Chrome, though: desktop apps and your other browsers carry on untouched.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- Browser extension
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Otto is made by Layover Studio LLC.
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
Otto'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 value for money (B, above 30 of 65) and worst on features (C, above 3).
Its paid plans start at $2.42 a month when paid by the year for each person, against a middle price of $2.82 for the category: 16 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 15 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. Otto’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 30 of 65
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 65
- CFeaturesAbove 3 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. Otto 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.
Your call
A focus timer at its plainest counts down 25 minutes and keeps a log.
You could make the core of Otto for yourself: Pomodoro timer, tasks and time tracking. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. At $29 a year it costs less than the weekend it would take to replace, which is the argument for keeping it.
What you could make
- Pomodoro timer, tasks and time tracking: an app builder makes these well.
- It runs in a browser, which is where something home-made would run too.
What you could not
- Blocking that reaches every browser and app and is hard to switch off.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
What this rests on. Otto’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
Forest, StayFocusd, LeechBlock NG, BlockSite and Pomofocus
The 5 tools Otto is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Forest
Free plan · from $5.99/mo
Focus timer that grows a virtual tree while you stay off apps.
- Only Otto lists a web app.
- Only Forest lists iOS and Android apps.
- Otto can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 3.0GPA
StayFocusd
Free
Free Chrome and Edge extension that limits time on distracting sites.
- Only Otto lists a web app.
- Otto can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Otto also covers tasks and Pomodoro timer.
- 2.8GPA
LeechBlock NG
Free
Free browser extension that blocks time-wasting sites on a schedule.
- Only Otto lists a web app.
- Otto can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- LeechBlock NG is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
BlockSite
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
Website and app blocker for browsers and phones.
- Only Otto lists a web app.
- Only BlockSite lists iOS and Android apps.
- Otto also covers tasks, Pomodoro timer and time tracking.
- 3.0GPA
Pomofocus
Free plan · from $3/mo
Browser-based Pomodoro timer with a task list and reports.
- Only Otto lists a browser extension.
- Only Pomofocus lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Otto also covers site & app blocker.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
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 Otto free?
Otto has a free plan. Unlimited focus sessions, 4 focus block rules, 2 scheduled blocking rules, 2 specific-URL rules, 1 autoblock rule, 3 tasks of 15 minutes and 7 days of analytics.
How much does Otto cost?
Otto lists 3 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Otto work on?
Otto is available on Web. It also has a browser extension.
Does Otto offer any discounts?
Otto publicly lists the following: Lifetime license for a one-time $66.
Does Otto have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Otto is listed for Web.
Does Otto have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Otto is listed for Web.
Is Otto open source?
Otto is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Who makes Otto?
Otto is made by Layover Studio LLC.
What are the alternatives to Otto?
The closest alternatives to Otto in our directory are Forest, StayFocusd, LeechBlock NG, BlockSite and Pomofocus.
How does Otto compare with other focus apps?
Otto's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 11.
Is Otto good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Otto B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $2.42 a month when paid by the year for each person, against a middle price of $2.82 for the category: 16 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Otto?
A focus timer at its plainest counts down 25 minutes and keeps a log. You could make the core of Otto for yourself: Pomodoro timer, tasks and time tracking.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Otto’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 Otto's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-17.
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 Layover Studio LLC. Prices change, so check ottoapp.me 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
- Otto, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/otto
- 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, "Otto: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/otto
Know someone choosing between focus apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/otto/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded focus apps after Otto, 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 Otto’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. Otto is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Layover Studio LLC. Prices and plans change: check ottoapp.me before you buy.