The short answer
If you just need a 25 minute timer, keep using the Pomofocus timer. It is free and it works. People look for an alternative when they want one of three things: something that blocks distractions, a proper phone app, or a timer that runs on the tasks they actually have to do.
- SayBriefly: best when your tasks come from client calls and email. The focus timer runs on a task from one list fed by calls, Gmail and projects.
- Focus To-Do: best timer plus task list on every device.
- Forest: best for staying off your phone.
- Be Focused: best simple native Mac timer.
- Session: best for blocking sites on Mac.
- Flow: best minimal Apple timer with blocking.
- TickTick: best full to-do app with a pomodoro built in.
We build SayBriefly, so keep that in mind. We checked Pomofocus and every alternative on its own website or Mac App Store listing in September 2026. Pomofocus is one of the best free pomodoro timers on the web, and we say where it beats everything here. If you want to try a working timer right now, our pomodoro timer and 25 minute timer run in your browser too.
Twenty-five minutes on the wrong task is still the wrong task.
Why people look past Pomofocus
1. It cannot stop you opening another tab
Pomofocus counts down. It does not block anything. For many people that is enough. For others, the timer runs happily while they scroll. If that is you, you want an app with blocking.
2. It lives in a browser tab
A browser tab is easy to lose among thirty others. Pomofocus's site lists desktop apps for Mac, Windows and Linux, which helps, but there is no native phone app. People searching "pomofocus app" and "pomofocus download" often want one on their phone.
3. The task list is separate from your real list
Pomofocus has a simple task list with pomodoro estimates. Your real tasks live somewhere else: in a to-do app, in email, in what a client said on a call. So you copy tasks across every morning, or you skip it. Premium can sync from Todoist, which helps if you use Todoist.
4. Ads and paid extras
The free tier has ads. Project tracking, yearly reports, CSV export and integrations sit behind premium. That is fair, and cheap, but it pushes some people to compare.
All 7 Pomofocus alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Platforms | Task list | Blocks apps or sites | Price to start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Pomofocus | Free browser timer (for reference) | Web, desktop apps | Simple, with estimates | No | Free, premium extras |
 SayBriefly | Focus on client work | Mac, Windows, web | One list from calls, Gmail, projects | No | Paid plans |
 Focus To-Do | Timer and tasks everywhere | iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Chrome | Full, with reminders | No | Free to download |
 Forest | Staying off your phone | iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox | No | Deep Focus on phone | Free, Plus extras |
 Be Focused | Simple Mac timer | Mac | Simple | No | Free, Pro $19.99 |
 Session | Blocking on Mac | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Intentions per session | Yes, on Mac | Free to download, subscription |
 Flow | Minimal Apple timer | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch | No | Yes | Free core, paid extras |
 TickTick | Full to-do app with timer | All major platforms | Full | No | Free, Premium $49.99 a year |
Checked on each tool's own website or Mac App Store listing, September 2026. Prices change; check before you buy.
The 7 best Pomofocus alternatives, reviewed
1. SayBriefly: best for focus on real client work
SayBriefly is not a timer app. It is one app for client work, where calls, Gmail, projects, calendar and to-do list share one memory, and the focus timer is part of it. You pick a task from your list and start a round: 25 minutes of focus, a 5 minute break, and a 15 minute break after a few rounds. The timer can fill the window with a focus card, so the task is the only thing in front of you.
The difference from Pomofocus is where the task came from. In SayBriefly it may have come from a client call ("send the revised quote by Thursday") or an email, and it keeps a link to that source. You do not copy tasks into a timer every morning. Plan My Day helps you choose what to focus on first.
Good
- Timer runs on tasks you did not have to type
- Tasks link back to the call or email
- Calendar, to-do list and projects in the same app
Worth knowing
- No app or site blocking
- No phone app
- Not a free standalone timer; it is a full work app
Pick SayBriefly if your focus time goes to client work.
2. Focus To-Do: best timer and tasks everywhere
Focus To-Do is the closest thing to "Pomofocus with a real task list on every device". Its site lists pomodoro sessions, tasks with subtasks and notes, reminders, due dates, recurring tasks and reports on time spent by project, synced across phone and computer. We cover it in more depth on our Focus To-Do alternatives page.
Good
- Apps on every device
- Recurring tasks and reports
Worth knowing
- Tasks are still typed in by you
- Busy interface
Pick Focus To-Do if you want Pomofocus on your phone with a proper list.
3. Forest: best for staying off your phone
Forest turns focus into a tree. Start a session and a tree grows; leave for another app in Deep Focus and it withers. Its site says it has funded over 2 million real trees with Trees for the Future. For students who lose focus to their phone, nothing on this list works better.
Good
- Makes phone use feel costly
- Group focus with friends
Worth knowing
- No task list
- Built around the phone, not desktop work
Pick Forest if your phone is the distraction.
4. Be Focused: best simple Mac timer
Be Focused lives in your Mac menu bar. You create tasks, set intervals and breaks, and it counts down. It is the native-app version of Pomofocus's simplicity. The Pro version on the Mac App Store is a one-time purchase.
Good
- Native, light, menu bar
- Pay once for Pro
Worth knowing
- Apple devices only
- No blocking
Pick Be Focused if you want Pomofocus as a Mac app.
5. Session: best for blocking sites on Mac
Session asks you to state your focus before each round, blocks distracting apps and websites on Mac during it (Safari, Chrome, Brave and Edge, per its site), and asks what you learned after. Pro can set your Slack status. Its site says there are no current plans for Windows or Android.
Good
- Real blocking
- Reflection after each round
Worth knowing
- Apple only
- Subscription for the good parts
Pick Session if you need the internet switched off.
6. Flow: best minimal Apple timer
Flow is clean and quiet, with app and web blocking and a calendar log of your sessions. Its site says core features are free with no sign-up. If Pomofocus feels busy, Flow feels like the opposite.
Good
- Very simple
- Blocking built in
Worth knowing
- Apple only
- No task list
Pick Flow if you want the calmest timer on a Mac.
7. TickTick: best to-do app with a pomodoro
TickTick is a full to-do app that happens to include a pomodoro timer, a habit tracker and calendar views. If you are copying tasks from your to-do app into Pomofocus every day, TickTick removes the copy step, as long as your tasks start in TickTick.
Good
- Tasks and timer in one place
- Every platform
Worth knowing
- Calendar views on Premium
- Much more app than a timer
Pick TickTick if you want your list and your timer in one app.
Which list is the timer reading?
Most timer reviews argue about sounds, themes and break length. The bigger question is where the tasks come from, because that decides whether you focus on the right thing.
Timer only
Pomofocus, Flow, Forest, Be Focused. You decide what to work on, somewhere else.
Timer plus your list
Focus To-Do, TickTick. Great if you type every task in.
Timer plus your work
SayBriefly. Tasks come from calls, Gmail and projects, with a link back.
One afternoon, two timers
Sam is a freelance copywriter. It is 2pm, and there are three hours of real work in the day.
With Pomofocus, Sam opens the tab, types "Write homepage copy" into the task list, sets 4 pomodoros and starts. It works. Halfway through, Sam remembers the client also asked, on this morning's call, for a shorter tagline option. That is not on the list. Neither is the email from another client asking for the invoice. Both get remembered at 7pm, or not at all.
With SayBriefly, Sam opens Today. The call already added "Write two shorter tagline options for Harbor" and the email added "Resend August invoice to Mint Co". Sam picks the tagline task and starts a 25 minute round in the full-window focus card:
Example of the layout. Real tasks only show what was said on calls and in email.
The timer is the same 25 minutes in both. What changed is that the list was complete before the timer started.
Where Pomofocus still wins
Pomofocus is free, opens in a second, needs no account and works on any computer, even one that is not yours, like a library PC. It lets you change every interval. Its reports are good. For studying, or for anyone whose tasks are simple, it is hard to beat, and none of the paid apps here is "better" at being a timer. SayBriefly is not free, has no phone app and does not block sites. If you just need to count to 25, stay.
How to choose a Pomofocus alternative
| Your situation | Our pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Your focus time is client work | SayBriefly | Timer on tasks from calls and Gmail |
| You want a phone app with tasks | Focus To-Do | Every device, synced |
| Your phone is the problem | Forest | A tree dies if you leave |
| You need sites blocked on Mac | Session or Flow | Blocking built in |
| You want a light native Mac timer | Be Focused | Menu bar, pay once |
| You want list and timer in one | TickTick | Full to-do app with pomodoro |
| You are studying and want free | Stay on Pomofocus | It is great at this |
Set up any pomodoro timer in 5 minutes
- Pick three tasks, not ten. A timer cannot save a list with no priorities.
- Make each task one sitting. "Write homepage" is a project. "Draft the hero section" is a task.
- Start with 25 and 5. Change it after a week, not after one round.
- Close what you do not need. Or use an app that blocks it for you.
- Write down interruptions. A thought during a round goes on the list, not into action.
Top task (2-4 rounds): ______________________ Second task (1-2 rounds): ___________________ Small stuff (1 round, batched): emails, invoices, replies Long break after round 4: walk, water, no screens End of day: what did I promise today that is not on the list?
Pomodoro mistakes and fixes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Skipping breaks when on a roll | Take them; the fourth round is where you pay for skipping |
| Timing tasks that are too big | Split until each fits one to three rounds |
| Switching apps every week | Pick one and give it two weeks |
| Focusing on whatever is on top | Choose the task before the timer starts |
More on focus: pomodoro timer, 25 minute timer, study timer, pomodoro to-do list and our to-do list app.
How we made this list
We checked Pomofocus and each alternative on its own website or Mac App Store listing in September 2026. We only state what a vendor says about itself. SayBriefly is our product, and we have said where Pomofocus and the others are the better choice.
Questions people ask about Pomofocus alternatives
What is the best Pomofocus alternative?
If you want a timer tied to your real work tasks, SayBriefly. If you want a phone app that keeps you off your phone, Forest. For a Mac app that blocks distracting sites, Session. For timer plus tasks on every device, Focus To-Do or TickTick.
Is Pomofocus free?
Yes, the Pomofocus timer is free in the browser, with tasks, estimates and reports. A paid premium tier adds project tracking, yearly reports, CSV export, Todoist and webhook integrations and removes ads.
What is the Pomofocus timer?
Pomofocus is a free pomodoro timer at pomofocus.io. It runs 25 minute focus sessions with short and long breaks, lets you list tasks with an estimate of pomodoros, and shows daily, weekly and monthly reports.
Is there a Pomofocus app or download?
Pomofocus runs in the browser and its site also lists desktop apps for Mac, Windows and Linux. If you want a native phone app, look at Forest, Flow, Focus To-Do or TickTick.
Does Pomofocus work with Todoist?
Yes, on its premium tier Pomofocus can sync tasks from Todoist.
Does Pomofocus block websites?
No. Pomofocus is a timer. For blocking, Session blocks apps and websites on Mac, Flow has app and web blocking, and Forest has a Deep Focus mode on phones.
Does SayBriefly block apps or websites?
No. SayBriefly's focus timer runs on a task from your list, with a full-window focus card, but it does not block apps or sites.
Can I change the pomodoro length?
In Pomofocus, yes, in settings. In SayBriefly the focus timer uses 25 minutes of focus with 5 and 15 minute breaks.
Is there a Pomofocus for iPhone?
Pomofocus works in a phone browser. For a native iPhone app, Flow, Forest, Session, Focus To-Do and TickTick all have one. SayBriefly has no phone app.
What is a good pomodoro timer for studying?
Pomofocus is great for studying because it is free and simple. Forest adds a reason not to touch your phone. See our study timer page for a working one.
What does 'pomofocus io' mean?
It is the web address, pomofocus.io. People often type 'pomofocus io' or 'pomo focus' when looking for the site.
Is 25 minutes the right length?
It is the classic pomodoro. Many people do better with 50 and 10 for deep work. Try the classic for a week before you change it.
Can a pomodoro timer track time per client?
Pomofocus premium tracks time by project. In SayBriefly each focus session runs on a task, and tasks sit inside client projects.
