The best Pomodoro and focus timer apps for studying in 2026

Forest is the best focus app for studying in 2026: a timer grows a virtual tree while you stay off your phone, an Allow List blocks distracting apps during the session, and detailed statistics show where your study time went. The best free option is Flora, which uses the same tree idea, blocks apps, lets friends focus together and lists no subscription at all. If you want a plain Pomodoro timer without the game, Focus Keeper follows the classic 25-minute method with adjustable sessions and breaks.

Quick answer

• Best overall: Forest. A gamified focus timer with app blocking, scheduled phone-free windows and detailed stats, though the free version shows ads.
• Best free option: Flora. Focus trees, app blocking, group sessions and a to-do list, with only two optional "tour" purchases in the price list.
• Best classic Pomodoro timer: Focus Keeper. The original 25/5 method with long breaks, a clean timer and Apple Watch support.
• Best free app blocker: Cat On Chair. The developer lists app and website blocking, an allow list and no ads in the free version.
• Best with a task list: Focus To-Do. Pomodoro timer plus projects, recurring tasks and reports, with a $11.99 lifetime unlock and no tracking declared.
• Best for focus statistics: FocusPomo. Trends by task, a calendar timeline, a Mac menu bar timer and a standalone Apple Watch app, with no tracking declared.
• Best for gentle motivation: Focus Friend. A bean companion that decorates its room as you finish sessions, from Hank Green, with Apple Editors' Choice.
• Best for group focus sessions: Focus Traveller. Focus in real time with up to 10 friends, and the privacy label says no data is collected.
• Best timer with flashcards: Study Bunny. A study timer, to-do list and flashcards in one app, but it has not been updated since December 2024.

Comparison table

How to choose a focus timer

• If your phone is what breaks your focus, pick an app that blocks other apps, not just a timer: Forest, Flora, Cat On Chair, Focus Friend and FocusPomo all describe app blocking. Most use Apple's Screen Time permission, which you can turn off in Settings, so treat them as a commitment, not a lock.
• If games and rewards keep you going, Forest (trees), Focus Friend (room decorations) and Cat On Chair (gifts for your cat) turn finished sessions into progress you can see.
• If rewards feel like a distraction, Focus Keeper and FocusPomo are calmer. FocusPomo's developer says it avoids addictive game-like rewards on purpose.
• If you plan your study sessions as tasks, Focus To-Do combines the timer with a full to-do list, so each Pomodoro is attached to a subject or assignment.
• If you study better with others, Focus Traveller and Flora let friends start sessions together, and Forest lets you co-plant trees.
• If you want to pay once, Focus To-Do ($11.99), Focus Traveller ($14.99), FocusPomo ($24.99 to $29.99) and Cat On Chair ($29.99) list lifetime items.

A timer is one part of a study routine. Our guide to study apps covers planners and revision tools, and our flashcard apps page is the place to start for memorization.

Forest: Best overall

Forest describes itself as the original "grow a tree while you focus" app. Start a session and a tree grows; leave the app early and it withers. You can create Allow Lists that block distracting apps during focus sessions (iOS 16 or later), and "Time Guard" blocks apps on a schedule for phone-free windows. Finished sessions unlock new tree species and soundscapes, friends can co-plant together, and the statistics show focus time by custom tag, with weekly, monthly and yearly history and Apple Health sync. Forest says it has planted over 2 million real trees through its partner Trees for the Future. The screenshots show a growing tree and a small isometric forest.

Forest Plus adds triple coin rewards, Plus-only trees and real tree planting. On the US App Store in November 2026, Plus is listed at $5.99 monthly or $35.99 annually (both marked "Early Bird"), with coin and crystal packs from $0.99 to $21.99. The developer also mentions browser extensions.

Limits: the age label notes advertising, and the privacy label declares tracking through contact info and usage data. The app is listed for iPhone and iPad only.

Flora: Best free option

Flora works like Forest: plant a seed, focus, and the tree grows, but it dies if you leave the app to use something else. The description says Flora blocks distracting apps, lets you plant with friends (if everyone succeeds, each person wins an extra tree) and chat to keep each other on track. It also has a to-do list with reminders, a widget, a habit tracker that grows a garden over time, and daily, weekly and monthly statistics. An opt-in service lets you fund real trees planted with partner organizations. The screenshots show a shared 25-minute tree timer and a home screen widget with focus time and upcoming tasks.

The in-app purchase list contains only two "tour" items, priced from $0.99 to $1.99 on the US App Store in November 2026, and no subscription.

Limits: the privacy label declares tracking through usage data and links 5 data types to you, including contact info. The age rating is 13+, and the app is available in 3 languages. Its compatibility list names iPhone, Mac and Apple Vision, not iPad.

Focus Keeper: Best classic Pomodoro timer

Focus Keeper follows the original Pomodoro routine: 25 minutes of focus, a 5-minute break, and a longer break of 20 to 30 minutes after four sessions, with the next session starting automatically. You can change the length of every interval, attach sessions to tasks, and track your focus over time with charts. The latest release notes mention a more customizable task timer and improved app blocking. The screenshots show a large red countdown with a scrolling dial, a daily task list with time totals, and an Apple Watch timer. It also runs on Mac.

On the US App Store in November 2026, Focus Keeper Pro is listed at $3.99 and $12.99 for one month, $34.99 to $69.99 for one year, and $99.99 and $199.99 for items without a stated period.

Limits: the listing does not say which features need Pro, and the top price points are high for a timer. The privacy label declares tracking through purchases, user content and identifiers.

Cat On Chair: Best free app blocker

Cat On Chair adds a hand-drawn cat to your study desk: when you start a session, a cat sits on the chair to keep you company. Finish and it brings a gift; give up and you may get trash instead. Gifts trade for fish, which buy furniture and decorations. What sets it apart is a clearly listed free version: no ads, Pomodoro and count-up modes, app and website blocking, a whitelist of allowed apps, a to-do list with due dates, a focus timeline, stats, a Lock Screen widget, Shortcuts automation and iCloud sync between iPhone and iPad. The screenshots show the timer above an empty armchair, then a white cat on a pink sofa during a session.

Pro adds mixable ambient sounds (cat purring, rain, café chatter), custom alert sounds and whitelist presets. On the US App Store in November 2026, Pro is listed at $2.99 monthly, $9.99 quarterly, $19.99 annually or $29.99 lifetime.

Limits: it launched in August 2025 and has about 500 ratings, so there is little long-term feedback. Requires iOS 17. The privacy label declares no tracking.

Focus To-Do: Best with a task list

Focus To-Do combines a Pomodoro timer with a full task manager. You organize tasks into projects with subtasks, priorities, reminders and recurring due dates, and estimate how many Pomodoros each one needs. The timer offers custom session and break lengths, continuous mode and white noise. Reports include focus time by project, completed tasks, trend charts and a Gantt chart of your focus time. The description says it syncs between iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch "and other major platforms." The screenshots show a timer with Strict Mode, Timer Mode, Fullscreen and White Noise buttons, and a page of report charts.

On the US App Store in November 2026, the price list shows Premium at $1.99, a 3-month item at $3.99 and a lifetime item at $11.99.

Limits: the screenshots look dated, with an older iPhone design. The listing does not say what Premium unlocks. The latest release note says only "Bug Fix." The privacy label declares no tracking and no data linked to you.

FocusPomo: Best for focus statistics

FocusPomo is a minimal Pomodoro timer with deep statistics. Each finished session adds a small tomato to your weekly pile, and the developer says it avoids addictive game-like rewards on purpose. You get focus trends by task and time range, a calendar timeline by day, two days or week, custom focus tags with their own durations, white noise, Apple Health sync and an app blocklist. It syncs through iCloud across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch; the Mac version shows the timer in the menu bar and the Watch app works without an iPhone. The screenshots show a 25:00 timer above a pile of cartoon tomatoes.

On the US App Store in November 2026, FocusPomo Plus is listed at $3.99 monthly, $5.99 half-yearly, $12.99 and $17.99 yearly, and $24.99 or $29.99 lifetime, with family plans up to $59.99.

Limits: the listing does not say what Plus unlocks. The app is in 6 languages. The privacy label declares no tracking and no data linked to you.

Focus Friend: Best for gentle motivation

Focus Friend, from Hank Green, gives you a bean companion. Start a session and the bean works alongside you; turn the timer off early and the bean is "really really sad." Completed sessions earn rewards to decorate the bean's room, and break timers let you decorate on your Pomodoro breaks. "Deep Focus Mode" locks distracting apps, and a Live Activity shows the timer on the Lock Screen. The screenshots show the bean above a flip-clock timer and a fully furnished room. It holds Apple Editors' Choice.

On the US App Store in November 2026, Focus Friend Pro is listed at $3.99 monthly or $19.99 yearly, lifetime items at $29.99 and $39.99, a "Welcome Offer" at $34.99, and bean packs cost $2.99 to $5.99.

Limits: the listing does not say what Pro adds. The app launched in July 2025, the interface is English only, and the age rating is 9+. The privacy label declares no tracking and no data linked to you.

Focus Traveller: Best for group focus sessions

Focus Traveller turns a study session into a hike: the longer you focus, the higher your traveller climbs through seasonal scenes. Its main feature is the group: you can invite up to 10 friends to a "Focused Travel Group" and focus together in real time. You can choose a countdown or an open-ended stopwatch, play your own focus tracks through Apple Music, and review daily logs. A "General Focus Mode" lets you keep studying while you switch to other apps. The screenshots show a hiker and a fox walking through a snowy forest.

On the US App Store in November 2026, Focus Traveller Pro is listed at $0.99 monthly, $7.99 yearly or $14.99 for lifetime access, with optional characters from $0.99 to $1.99.

Limits: the description does not mention app blocking, so it relies on willpower and your friends. Requires iOS 17. The privacy label says no data is collected.

Study Bunny: Best timer with flashcards

Study Bunny pairs a study timer with a virtual bunny. You time your studying, and if you pause because you lost focus, the app offers motivational advice. Study time earns coins to buy food, items and music for your bunny. Beyond the timer, it includes a to-do list, flashcards and a customizable study tracker, which makes it a small all-in-one study companion. The screenshots show the bunny in a jungle scene with menu icons for stats, the store, music, tasks and cards, and a store selling iced coffee and bubble tea for coins.

On the US App Store in November 2026, coin and carrot packs are listed from $0.99 to $69.99. Some item names include "No Ads," which suggests the free version shows ads.

Limits: the last update was in December 2024, the oldest on this page. The privacy label declares tracking through identifiers and usage data, and the interface is English only. Its compatibility list names iPhone, Mac and Apple Vision, not iPad.

What we left out

• FocusFlight: an Apple Editors' Choice timer that turns sessions into flights with app blocking, but its $18.99 yearly or $3.99 monthly plan overlaps with cheaper picks.
• Flow: a well-made Pomodoro timer with app and web blocking, but it requires iOS 26.
• Productive and Do Habits: habit trackers rather than study timers.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Pomodoro app for studying?

Forest is the best all-round choice because it combines a timer, app blocking and statistics with a reward that keeps students coming back. Focus Keeper is the best pick if you want the classic Pomodoro method with no game. FocusPomo suits students who want detailed statistics across iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch.

Is there a free focus app with no ads?

Cat On Chair's developer lists "no ads" in its free version, along with app blocking and an allow list. Flora's price list has no subscription, only two optional tour purchases. Forest's free version shows ads, according to its age label.

Forest or Flora: which is better?

Both grow a tree while you stay off your phone and both block apps. Forest has more statistics, scheduled blocking (Time Guard) and a larger catalog of trees, but shows ads in the free version and sells a subscription. Flora lists no subscription and adds a to-do list and habit tracker.

How long should a Pomodoro session be?

The classic method, as Focus Keeper describes it, is 25 minutes of focus, a 5-minute break, and a longer 20 to 30-minute break after four sessions. Most apps on this page let you change the lengths, so try longer blocks for deep reading and shorter ones for review.

Do focus apps really block other apps on iPhone?

Several do, using Apple's Screen Time permission: Forest, Flora, Cat On Chair, Focus Friend and FocusPomo all describe app blocking or allow lists. You can switch the permission off in Settings, so the block works as a strong nudge rather than a hard lock.

Can a focus timer replace a study plan?

No. A timer keeps you working once you start, but it does not decide what to study or when. Pair it with a planner from our study apps guide, and keep your class material organized with a note-taking app.