Focus Keeper alternative when Pomodoro is hard to begin
Focus Keeper is the better pick if the original 25-minute Pomodoro rhythm already works for you and you want clean statistics. FocusFlow is the better pick if the hard part is beginning the first block, because it adds a two-minute start and an energy check-in before the timer. Neither is a medical product.
Searching for an ADHD Pomodoro app mostly returns plain timers. The useful question is whether your trouble is staying in a block or entering one.
Facts below come from Focus Keeper's App Store listing and vendor site, plus FocusFlow's own listing, checked 2026-10-16. Prices and features change, so check the listings before you buy. "Not verified" means we did not see a clear statement on an official page, which does not mean the feature is absent.
What Focus Keeper is
Focus Keeper, from PIXO Incorporation, is a focus timer built on the original Pomodoro technique. Its listing describes 25-minute sessions with short breaks and a longer break after four sessions, adjustable session and break lengths, an exam and study timer, a time tracker with charts, and automatic start of the next session. It states that it is friendly to people with ADHD because the structure helps concentration. It supports a dozen languages, runs on iPhone and iPad, requires iOS 16.0, and is free to download; the listing mentions paid features but we did not verify them.
Focus Keeper vs FocusFlow: what actually differs
| Focus Keeper | FocusFlow | |
|---|---|---|
| Core idea | The classic Pomodoro cycle with statistics | Make the first step smaller: energy check-in, two-minute start, then a focus timer |
| Session lengths | Adjustable focus, short break and long break | 15, 25, 45 or 60 minutes plus a 2-minute mode; no forced break phase |
| Automatic break cycle | Yes, next session starts automatically | No |
| Helps you start | Not stated beyond the timer | I'm stuck page with a two-minute first move |
| Energy matching | No | Yes: high, steady or low |
| Reward system | Time tracker and charts | Focus Garden that counts total minutes and never goes down |
| Price model | Free to download, paid features (not verified) | Free; one optional one-time purchase for decorative themes |
| Minimum iOS | 16.0 | 17.0 |
Where Focus Keeper is stronger
- A faithful Pomodoro. If the original technique works for you, Focus Keeper follows it closely, including the long break after four sessions. FocusFlow deliberately has no automatic break phase.
- Study and exam use. The listing positions it for students, with an exam timer and charts of how your time is spent.
- Proven in the wild. About thirty-one thousand ratings averaging near 4.8 on the US store.
When to choose Focus Keeper
- You can start a block without help and want the rhythm managed for you.
- You like seeing weekly charts of your focus time.
- You want a timer that matches the textbook Pomodoro and does little else.
When to choose FocusFlow
- Beginning is the hard part, and a timer does not touch that.
- Your energy moves around, and you want to see only the tasks that suit how you feel now.
- A broken streak makes you want to quit the app. The FocusFlow garden never goes down.
- You want a free tool with no account.
Moving from Focus Keeper to FocusFlow
There is nothing to export. Re-enter the three tasks that matter today in FocusFlow and tag each as high, steady or low energy.
Run one session with the two-minute start. If a strict Pomodoro rhythm helps you after that, keep Focus Keeper for the work block and use FocusFlow only for the entry.
Sources and check date
- Focus Keeper: App Store listing (id867374917), version 4.2.20 listing, checked 2026-10-16; vendor site focuskeeper.co
- FocusFlow: App Store listing (id6782065239), version 1.8.0, checked 2026-10-16; flow.daylumen.com
Frequently asked questions
Does Pomodoro work for ADHD?
For some people. It helps most when the difficulty is staying on task and least when the difficulty is starting.
Is FocusFlow a Pomodoro timer?
It can run fixed sessions of 15, 25, 45 or 60 minutes, but it has no automatic break phase, so it is not a strict Pomodoro implementation.
Is Focus Keeper free?
It is free to download, with paid features whose prices we did not verify. FocusFlow is free with one optional decorative purchase.
Can I keep my Focus Keeper statistics?
FocusFlow has no import, so the charts stay in Focus Keeper. FocusFlow's garden starts at zero and counts only the minutes you focus from the day you begin, which is a deliberate choice rather than a limitation of the switch.
Which app should I try first if I have ADHD?
Try the one that matches your sticking point. If beginning a block is hard, try FocusFlow's two-minute start first; if staying inside a block is hard, a plain Pomodoro timer such as Focus Keeper may be enough. Neither is treatment.
If starting is the hard part, try a focus app built around the first step.
Get FocusFlow on the App StoreFree · iPhone · iOS 17 or later · no account