The Session Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Session 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.
Session
The Insider’s Guide
Pomodoro focus timer with analytics for Mac, iPhone and iPad
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among focus apps, read from Session’s own pages.
Made by Translucent LLC · checked Oct 4, 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
- 05After you payGetting your money back, getting out, and getting help
- 06The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 07Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Session’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Session’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 4, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 5 of the 65 other focus apps we grade
Session is a Pomodoro timer for Apple devices that records what you worked on and for how long. Each session can be filed under a category, and the app asks what you learned when the timer ends. The Pro plan adds custom session lengths, the full session log, blocking of distracting apps and websites on Mac, and real-time sync between devices.
To get you started, here are 10 things to know about Session, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Start a session, pick a category, and it asks what you learned when the timer ends.
- 1
Best for a Pomodoro timer that logs where your focus went
Session is a Pomodoro timer that files each session under a category, like writing or a client, and shows where your focused hours went.
- 2
Paid plans start at $3.33 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $3.33 / month, billed yearly ($39.99).
- 3
There is a free plan
Unlimited sessions and breaks, analytics for the past 2 days, and your calendar events shown inside Session.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
macOS and iOS.
- 5
Pomodoro sessions
Work in 25-minute sessions separated by breaks. Setting your own session and break lengths needs Pro.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
Refunds: none stated
Session's terms page is a list of what Free and Pro include and nothing else: no refunds, no billing, no cancelling. Nowhere on the site is a refund mentioned, so assume there isn't one, and if you bought through the App Store it is Apple's decision anyway.
- 9
A 2.2 GPA, above 5 of 65
That is against the other focus apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 10
Keep it
The plain part of Session you could make: Pomodoro timer and time tracking. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Session at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $3.33 / month, billed yearly ($39.99)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 7 days of Pro free on creating an account, with no subscription started
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- Translucent LLC
- Category
- Focus Apps
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.8 on the App Store, 364 ratings
The report card
Best for a Pomodoro timer that logs where your focus went
Session is a Pomodoro timer that files each session under a category, like writing or a client, and shows where your focused hours went. It's Apple only. Free remembers just the past 2 days and won't let you change session lengths, and blocking, sync and Slack muting are Pro, with the blocker on the Mac only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is $39.99 a year, $3.33 a month, which lands mid-table for this category, or $4.99 billed monthly. Students can ask for 30% off for one year, non-renewing. Nothing here undercuts the field. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Unlimited sessions and breaks, and your calendar events in the app. The caps are where it hurts, though: analytics go back 2 days, and you can't change the session length without Pro. You do get 7 days of Pro free on signing up, with no subscription started. |
| Features | C | Sessions filed by category, a full log on Pro, a Slack status that flips when the timer starts, finished sessions written to Apple Calendar, Shortcuts and AppleScript. The gap the pricing page admits: app and website blocking is Mac only, so your phone isn't blocked at all. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.8 from about 360 App Store ratings, too few of them for an A. Start a session, pick a category, and it asks what you learned when the timer ends. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Mac, iPhone and iPad, with Slack, Apple Calendar, Shortcuts and AppleScript wired in. One family of devices: 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 Session is for
- Fits if you want to see how many focused hours went on each client or subject
- Works for Slack users who want their status to show busy when the timer starts, on Pro
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 you only see the past 2 days and can't change the session length
- Not for you if you need apps blocked on your phone, since the blocker is Mac only and Pro only
- Watch out: device sync, Slack muting and creating Apple Calendar events all need Pro
- Watch out: the vendor says prices differ slightly by region, so $39.99 a year may not be what you see
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$3.33
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Session has a free plan. Paid plans start at $3.33 / month, billed yearly ($39.99).
Unlimited sessions and breaks, and your calendar events in the app.
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.
The free plan
Unlimited sessions and breaks, analytics for the past 2 days, and your calendar events shown inside Session.
Trying it first
7 days of Pro free on creating an account, with no subscription started
Read from stayinsession.com on Oct 4, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on stayinsession.comEducation
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.
Stated on stayinsession.com
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Session monthly subscription”, against $4.99 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 | ₺119,99 | $2.44 | 51% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 299.00 | $4.76 | about the same |
| Canada | $6.99 | $4.91 | about the same |
| Brazil | R$ 24,90 | $4.98 | about the same |
| Australia | $7.99 | $5.58 | 12% more |
| South Africa | R99.99 | $6.05 | 21% more |
| United Kingdom | £4.99 | $6.60 | 32% more |
| Germany | 5,99 € | $6.71 | 35% 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
Pomodoro focus timer with analytics for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: site & app blocker, Pomodoro timer, time tracking.
The gap the pricing page admits: app and website blocking is Mac only, so your phone isn't blocked at all.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- Slack
- Apple Calendar
- Apple Shortcuts
- AppleScript
Session is made by Translucent LLC.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
5/65
Other focus apps it is graded above
Session's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 5 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 12.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 17 of 65) and worst on features (C, above 3).
Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month, against a middle price of $2.82 for the category: 24 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 21 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. Session’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 8 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. Session 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 Session you could make: Pomodoro timer and time tracking. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 48 of the 65 other focus apps grade higher. It costs $39.96 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: Shortcuts.
What this rests on. Session’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 · Refunds
After you pay
Getting your money back, getting out, and getting help
What happens once you have paid: whether you can get your money back, how to leave, and how to reach a person when something goes wrong. Each is graded from Session’s own terms and help pages.
Refunds and cancelling
Ordinary · checked Oct 18, 2026
Session's terms page is a list of what Free and Pro include and nothing else: no refunds, no billing, no cancelling. Nowhere on the site is a refund mentioned, so assume there isn't one, and if you bought through the App Store it is Apple's decision anyway. Getting out is at least simple, a Manage Billing link in the app or the usual Subscriptions screen on your Apple device. Silence on refunds with an easy exit is the ordinary deal, so a C.
- Refund window
- None stated
- How you cancel
- Yourself, in settings
- Getting your money back
Its pages do not say.
- How to cancel Session
The support page says a subscription bought in the direct-download version is cancelled inside the app, under Settings, then Account, then Manage Billing. One bought through the App Store is cancelled in Apple's Subscriptions screen instead, on iOS or on a Mac. Session notes that the direct and App Store versions use different billing systems.
- Open the Session app you bought from, the direct-download version rather than the App Store one
- Open Settings, then Account
- Click Manage Billing
- If the subscription is not there, check you are signed in with the email you subscribed with
- What you keep afterwards
No page read says what happens to a Pro account after a cancellation, whether the paid features run to the end of the period or what becomes of the session history. The support page covers only deleting the account outright, which is done in the app under Settings, then Account, then Delete Account, and it does not say what is kept or for how long.
Stated on stayinsession.com- Renewals
The pricing page says subscriptions renew automatically unless they are cancelled, and that prices differ slightly by region. It mentions no reminder before a renewal and no refund after one. It also says the 7-day Pro trial given when you create an account starts no subscription, so nothing is charged when it runs out.
Stated on stayinsession.com
In your favour
- Pro can be tried for 7 days without starting a subscription, so nothing is charged at the end of it.
- Cancelling a direct purchase is a Manage Billing link inside the app, with nobody to write to.
- The support page spells out the cancelling steps for the App Store and the direct version separately.
- Deleting the account outright is a button in the app rather than a request by email.
Watch out for
- No page on the site mentions refunds at all, so assume there are none.
- Subscriptions renew by themselves, and nothing promises a reminder beforehand.
- Bought it in the App Store? Apple handles the billing, the cancelling and any refund.
- No page says whether Pro runs to the end of the period you paid for after you cancel.
Customer support
Ordinary · checked Oct 18, 2026
This is a one-developer app and the support shows it, in both directions. There is an address to write to and a Discord to ask in, and the FAQ is honest enough to list known problems it says it cannot fix. What there isn't is any promise: no hours, no reply time, no ticket to track, and nothing that changes if you pay. That is where most small apps sit, and it's a C.
Ways to get help
Email
The support page gives an address to write to for any question, and the student discount is arranged the same way by writing in from a .edu address. No hours or reply time are given with it.
Stated on stayinsession.comHelp centre
The support page itself is the help centre: an FAQ grouped by subject, covering accounts and subscriptions, syncing, notifications, calendars, the website and app blockers, AppleScript and Shortcuts, and known issues on older versions of macOS.
Stated on stayinsession.comCommunity or forum
A Discord community channel, offered on the support page alongside the address as the other way to ask a question. A separate feature-request page collects and votes on ideas from the community.
Stated on stayinsession.com
Not listed on Session’s pages: live chat, phone.
- When people answer
Its pages do not say.
- How fast it says it replies
Its pages do not say.
- What depends on your plan
Its pages do not say.
In your favour
- Free users get the same address, the same Discord and the same FAQ as anyone paying.
- The FAQ is unusually frank, listing known problems it marks as impossible to fix.
- Feature requests have their own page where the community can vote on them.
Watch out for
- No page states support hours or a target reply time.
- There is no ticket system, so a message you send has nothing to track it by.
- There is no phone line and no live chat.
- Nothing on the pages we read gives paying users a faster route than free ones.
What these two grades rest on. Read on 18 October 2026: Session's terms and conditions page, its pricing page and its support page, whose FAQ answers on cancelling a subscription, deleting an account and finding invoices were opened in a browser because they do not load without one. No refund policy was found on any of them. Nobody here cancelled a plan or contacted its support. They are graded apart from the five that make the GPA. How we grade refunds and support.
Part 06 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Forest, Rize, Toggl and Freedom
The 4 tools Session 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 Session lists a macOS app.
- Only Forest lists an Android app.
- Only Forest lists a browser extension.
- 2.2GPA
Rize
Free trial · from $9.99/mo
Automatic time tracker with focus tools and AI reports.
- Session has a free plan. Rize does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Session lists an iOS app.
- Only Rize lists a Windows app.
- 3.0GPA
Toggl
Free plan · from $9/mo
Team time tracker with billing reports and capacity planning.
- Only Toggl lists a web app.
- Only Toggl lists Windows and Android apps.
- Only Toggl lists a browser extension.
- 2.2GPA
Freedom
Free plan · from $3.33/mo
Website and app blocker that runs across computers and phones.
- Only Freedom lists Windows and Android apps.
- Only Freedom lists a browser extension.
- Freedom can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 07 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
20
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 Session free?
Session has a free plan. Unlimited sessions and breaks, analytics for the past 2 days, and your calendar events shown inside Session.
How much does Session cost?
Session lists 3 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Session work on?
Session is available on macOS and iOS.
Does Session offer any discounts?
Session publicly lists the following: Yearly billing costs about a third less; Student discount: 30% off for one year.
How is Session rated?
Session's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 364 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Session have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 4, 2026. Session is listed for macOS and iOS.
Does Session have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 4, 2026. Session is listed for macOS and iOS.
Is Session open source?
Session is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 4, 2026.
What does Session integrate with?
Session's listing names Slack, Apple Calendar, Apple Shortcuts and AppleScript.
Does Session have a student discount?
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.
Does Session have a free trial?
Yes. 7 days of Pro free on creating an account, with no subscription started.
Who makes Session?
Session is made by Translucent LLC.
What are the alternatives to Session?
The closest alternatives to Session in our directory are Forest, Rize, Toggl and Freedom.
Does Session give refunds?
Session's own pages state no refund policy, as read on Oct 18, 2026. Ask before you pay for a year.
How do I cancel Session?
The support page says a subscription bought in the direct-download version is cancelled inside the app, under Settings, then Account, then Manage Billing.
What happens to my data if I cancel Session?
No page read says what happens to a Pro account after a cancellation, whether the paid features run to the end of the period or what becomes of the session history.
How do I contact Session support?
Session's pages list these ways to get help: email, help centre and community or forum.
How does Session compare with other focus apps?
Session's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 5 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 12.
Is Session good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Session C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month, against a middle price of $2.82 for the category: 24 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Session?
The plain part of Session you could make: Pomodoro timer and time tracking.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Session’s own pages on Oct 4, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Session's own pages on 4 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-14.
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 Translucent LLC. Prices change, so check stayinsession.com before you buy.
Part 08 · 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
- Session, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/session
- 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, "Session: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 4, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/session
Know someone choosing between focus apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/session/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded focus apps after Session, 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 Session’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. Session is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Translucent LLC. Prices and plans change: check stayinsession.com before you buy.