The best focus app is the one that matches what pulls you off task: a blocker if it's websites and apps, a timer if you lose track of time, or a co-working session if you struggle to start. Many have a free version. These ten are listed in no particular order, with advice on screen breaks below.
Nobody loses focus for the same reason. Some of us drift to the news every ten minutes, some of us sit down and can't get started, and some of us work for three hours straight and wonder why the afternoon falls apart. A good focus app fixes your particular leak, not everyone's.
Here are ten focus apps, sorted alphabetically and in no particular order, covering blockers, timers, screen-time tools and virtual co-working. Each description comes from the app maker's own website, re-checked today. If you want the bigger picture, my piece on small daily habits that help you get more done pairs well with any of these.
Focus apps compared
The free plan column follows each maker's own site: Yes for a free plan or free version, Trial only for a time-limited trial, and No where neither is stated.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Turkey | Website and app blocker | Strict blocking with a free version | Yes |
| Flow | Pomodoro timer | Simple timer with a web blocker | Yes |
| Flown | Virtual co-working | Body doubling and co-working sessions | Yes |
| Focusmate | Accountability sessions | Live accountability partners | Yes |
| FocusMe | Website and app blocker | Hard-to-bypass blocking across devices | Trial only |
| Forest | Gamified focus timer | Growing a tree while you work | Yes |
| Freedom | App and website blocker | Blocking distractions across devices | Yes |
| Opal | Screen time and focus app | Focus sessions on phone and Mac | Yes |
| Session | Pomodoro timer | Pomodoro timing with analytics | Trial only |
| Sukha | Deep work app | Deep focus with a website blocker | Trial only |
Ten apps that help you concentrate
Cold Turkey
Best for: People who want to block distracting websites and apps for set periods on a computer, with a free version and a Pro upgrade.
Flow
Best for: Mac users who want a simple Pomodoro timer with a web blocker, free basic features, no ads and no sign-up.
Flown
Best for: People who focus better working quietly alongside others and want scheduled virtual co-working sessions, starting free.
Focusmate
Best for: People who struggle to start tasks and want a live accountability partner, with three free sessions a week and no card needed.
FocusMe
Best for: People who need a stricter blocker for websites and apps on desktop and phone, with a free trial and free mobile blockers.
Forest
Best for: People who like a gentle, gamified timer where each stretch of concentration grows a tree, and giving in to distraction loses it.
Freedom
Best for: People who want to block apps, websites or the whole internet and sync sessions across devices, starting on a free plan.
Opal
Best for: People who want screen-time rules and focus sessions on iPhone, Android and Mac, with a free tier that includes one rule.
Session
Best for: People who want a Pomodoro timer that tracks focus sessions with analytics, with seven days of the Pro version free on a new account.
Sukha
Best for: People who want a flow state app with a website blocker for Mac, Windows and Chromebook, starting with a free trial.
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What the HSE says about screen breaks
Here's the official angle most focus guides miss. Britain's Health and Safety Executive, the HSE, says employers must plan work so people who use display screen equipment get breaks or changes of activity. It adds that there's no legal guidance on how long breaks should be, and that short, frequent breaks are better than longer, less frequent ones: for example, 5 to 10 minutes every hour rather than 20 minutes every 2 hours.
That fits neatly with the Pomodoro idea of short work blocks and short pauses. So when you set up a focus timer, don't switch the breaks off to squeeze in more work. Set the break to suit you, stand up, look away from the screen and come back. If you manage a team, it's a good reason to build breaks into how you plan the day rather than leave them to willpower.
Blocker, timer or body double?
- If the internet is the problem: a blocker that locks chosen sites and apps for a set time.
- If time slips away: a Pomodoro timer that splits work into short blocks with breaks.
- If starting is the problem: a co-working or accountability session with another person.
- If your phone is the problem: a screen-time app with rules and scheduled focus sessions.
Setting up a focus routine that lasts
- Notice what breaks your concentration during one ordinary day, and write it down.
- Choose one type of app that tackles that problem, not three.
- Start with short blocks, such as 25 minutes, and a 5-minute break.
- Block only your two or three worst distractions to begin with.
- Schedule your first focus block at the same time each day.
- Review after a week and adjust the length of blocks and breaks.
When a focus app makes things worse
- Blocking everything. If you can't reach the tools you need, you'll switch the app off for good.
- Skipping breaks. Long stretches without a pause leave you flat by mid-afternoon.
- Treating streaks as the goal. The point is finished work, not an unbroken chart.
- Fixing tools instead of the plan. If you don't know what to work on, no timer will help.
Your surroundings matter too, and my thoughts on designing a home office that helps you work cover the physical side of concentration.
Do you make focus or productivity apps? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain-speaking advice on focus apps
Start by naming your real distraction. If it's websites, try a blocker on its free version for a week. If you can't get going, book a co-working or accountability session for your hardest task of the day. If you work in long stretches, use a timer and take every break it gives you.
Keep it simple: one app, a short list of blocked sites and a routine you can repeat. Don't stack a blocker, a timer and a screen-time app on day one; you'll spend more time managing apps than working.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free focus app?
Several apps on this list have free versions, including blockers, timers and co-working tools. Pick the type that fixes your main distraction.
Does the Pomodoro technique work?
Many people find short work blocks with breaks easier to keep up. The HSE also says short, frequent screen breaks are better than longer, less frequent ones.
How long should breaks from screen work be?
The HSE says there's no legal guidance on break length, and gives the example of 5 to 10 minutes every hour rather than 20 minutes every 2 hours.
What is body doubling?
It's working alongside another person, in the same room or on a video call, to help you start and stay on task. Virtual co-working apps arrange these sessions for you.
Can I block apps on my phone and computer together?
Some blockers sync sessions across devices, while others work on one device. Check the maker's site for the devices you use.
Will a website blocker stop me cheating?
Some blockers are designed to be hard to bypass, with strict modes you can't easily switch off. Others are easier to pause, which suits gentler habits.
