Email notifications. Knocks on your office door. Sudden urges to check social media.
Distractions are everywhere. And even when you feel in control of your busy day, they might pop up when you least expect them, pulling you away from important tasks. Small diversions may seem unimportant, but they can add up and lead to forgotten to-do lists and missed deadlines.
While there’s a long list of apps and platforms interrupting your work, there’s also an ever-expanding world of digital tools that can help you reclaim your concentration. From blocking notifications to setting structured work sessions, there are dozens of apps to help you focus. Here’s a guide to some of the best and why to include them in your workflow.
What is a focus app?
Apps that aim to help you focus use a range of features to promote undisturbed work sessions. From task management tools to more specialized features like website blocking, they offer a customizable approach to productivity, targeting the things that distract you most and preventing them from disrupting you.
In most cases, you’ll download these self-improvement apps onto your computer or phone and implement them from there, like task trackers or to-do lists. Others have Google Chrome extensions to keep you on track even when you're browsing, blocking notifications or preventing you from visiting distracting websites. Some apps for focus even include brain games that help you build concentration skills and offer rewards when you finish tasks. They turn concentration into a fun and rewrading challenge.
The importance of apps to help you focus
With so much going on at work and at home, it’s tempting to multitask things to make more progress on your to-do list. You might start on a work task, answer a coworker’s question, and text your partner back about what to eat for dinner in the same breath. But focusing on more than one thing at a time reduces your productivity by as much as 40%. Aiming for full concentration is the best way to get more done and make time for other responsibilities.
Apps that help you focus encourage undisturbed work sessions, targeting the things that distract you and fostering more efficient work. They’ll help you stay productive and lead you to the satisfaction of truly immersing yourself in a task. And when you reach a flow state, you can finish tasks faster, leaving you with more free time to spend with loved ones or practice self-care.
17 best focus apps
According to a 2023 survey, the average American checks their phone 144 times a day, and 75% say they always do so within five minutes of getting a notification. It’s hard not to give in to distractions when it’s become the norm.
If you’re ready to ditch distractions and optimize your productivity, here are 17 of the best apps for focus:
1. RescueTime
RescueTime is a personal time tracker that dives deep into your digital habits, highlighting what you do well and what your biggest distractions are.
Available on both iOS and Android, it acts as both a smart calendar and a daily time tracker. When you organize your day in its schedule and input information about how you’re doing, RescueTime will highlight which things pull your focus most, giving a clear pathway to productivity.
RescueTime also lets you create blocklists to help you steer clear of distracting websites and apps. And if you're looking to supercharge your productivity, activate its “Focus Time” feature — a distraction-free mode that keeps you on task during those crucial work sessions. RescueTime has a free trial, and after that, it costs $9 per month or $78 per year.
2. Cold Turkey Blocker
Cold Turkey Blocker has customizable system-wide blocking so when you’re trying to focus, it’s impossible to visit games, streaming platforms, or other websites that distract you. You can also set schedules to block those websites at certain times of the day. If you’re serious about preventing distractions and prefer to work analog, activate the “Frozen Turkey” mode, which blocks your entire computer.
Cold Turkey is a one-time purchase of $39. It's available on iOS and Windows, and you can add it as an extension to almost every browser, ensuring you're distraction-free wherever you work.
3. LeechBlock
If you prefer using browser extensions, LeechBlock NG is a great choice. This free tool offers extensive options for blocking distracting websites, letting you set time limits, create schedules, and avoid up to 30 groups of websites at a time. It's available for both Chrome and Firefox, making it a versatile choice for many users. And the best part is that it’s a free focus app, so it’s a good option if you want to test site blockers without a financial commitment.
4. Focus
This app combines the best of two focus methods: the Pomodoro Technique and distraction-blocking. With the Pomodoro feature, you can set 25-minute work sessions and take short breaks in between to optimize your energy and avoid burning yourself out. Plus, Focus offers customization options to suit your workflow as you discover more about what works for you. Unfortunately, it’s only available for iOS, but for those users, it’s free.
5. PawBlock
PawBlock is an excellent free app if you need a gentle nudge to stay away from distracting sites. This browser extension shows cute animal pictures to discourage you from visiting the domains you’ve blocked, with sad faces when you try to bypass it and happy faces when you stay on track. It's a fun and lighthearted way to encourage productivity, and it’s free of charge.
6. SelfControl
If you're a Mac user, SelfControl is a strict distraction blocker with a simple interface. Once you block a website for a certain amount of time, there's no turning back — the block remains even if you restart your computer or delete the app. It's a surefire way to completely avoid distracting apps and websites. It's another free service.
7. Freedom
Freedom blocks distractions on all of your devices, whether you're using Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, or Chrome. If you deny access to a website on your computer, it’ll also apply to your phone, preventing workarounds. You can also schedule distraction-free sessions that repeat every day for ease of use. While it requires a paid subscription, it’s only $3.50 per month.
8. Forest
Forest is a service that turns focus into a game, motivating you to stay on task by growing virtual trees for a chosen timeframe. The longer you stay on its page, the bigger your forest becomes. But if you visit prohibited apps or websites, your trees will wither. It's a fun and visual way to stay accountable and track your productivity.
Forest also plants real trees through the Trees for the Future initiative for every virtual one you grow, adding an extra layer of motivation. This self-care app is $3.99 to download on iOS, but there’s a free Chrome extension.
9. ClickUp
This multifaceted app integrates project management, team collaboration, and productivity tools all in one place. Especially beneficial for remote teams, ClickUp does it so you never have to click away and get distracted while navigating between apps. While it doesn’t block distractions directly, it streamlines focus by centralizing your tasks.
10. Focus Bear
Focus Bear is an app and website blocker that adds self-care into the mix. While preventing you from opening locked apps, it also encourages good habits, guiding you through your morning mindfulness or journaling routine. Focus Bear also tells you when to take a break from working, similar to the Pomodoro method. After the 7-day free trial, it costs $4.99 per month.
11. Serene
Serene is a macOS app that maximizes productivity with daily goal-setting, distraction-blocking, and enhanced focus tools. You begin by setting a goal for the day, breaking it into focused sessions. During these sessions, Serene actively blocks distractions and adjusts smart devices to prevent you from getting notifications and breaking your focus.
This app also offers features like focus music, countdown timers, and scheduled breaks, all tailored for a range of professionals from entrepreneurs and marketers to writers and designers. Serene provides 10 free hours of access to all its features so you can try it out. After that, it costs $4 per month.
12. Taskade
With Taskade, collaboration meets productivity. While its primary focus isn't blocking websites, its range of tools, from countdown timers to video chats, facilitates efficient teamwork and individual focus. It also has an AI chatbot and project assistant to help automate workflows.
Taskade has several pricing tiers, including a free plan for individuals and many options for extra features and large teams.
13. Todoist
Todoist is a beloved task manager that companies like Disney, Microsoft, and Netflix use to help teams and individuals stay on track. With its intuitive design, you can seamlessly manage tasks across various devices, like your iPhone or Android. Its integration capabilities are also impressive — sync it with collaboration tools like Slack, and you have a centralized hub for all your tasks. You can even prioritize your tasks by their urgency and importance.
With Todoist’s sleek deadline and priority features, you'll ensure each task gets the attention it deserves without breaking your focus. This app has a free beginner plan with per-month pricing for higher tiers.
14. Noisli
Sometimes, ambient sounds are all you need to boost concentration and creativity. Noisli’s robust library of sounds, which range from the gentle hum of a coffee shop to the rhythmic patter of raindrops, can create your optimal workplace environment and keep you in the zone. It also has an in-app text editor so you don’t have to click around.
Noisli has many playlists and moods, but you can also craft and save a personal mix of sounds tailored to your liking. It offers three plans: a free plan, a pro plan ($10 per month), and a business plan ($24 per month).
15. Lumosity
Strengthening your brain's cognitive functions can have a ripple effect on your focus. Lumosity, a brain training app, has a series of games that challenge and hone your concentration and memory skills. These include speed games that test your aptitude and attention games that quiz your focus.
Whether you've got a free version or the pro, the minutes you spend on Lumosity can lead to hours of enhanced focus, strengthening your ability to stay on task. Think of it as working out your brain.
16. OmniFocus
OmniFocus is a task management software for professionals, offering powerful features like organized task tracking and notification integration. The software allows for personalized to-do lists, focus modes, and integration across devices. It also has its own Slack channels and forums so you can hear from other users about how to best use this app to stay motivated and on-task.
Although it’s primarily an Apple app, you can also access it on Android and PC through the web. You can pay either $9.99 per month or a set fee that gives you lifetime access.
17. Focus-To-Do
Focus To-Do is a simple app that uses the Pomodoro Technique to boost productivity. But over time, it tracks your behavior and lets you analyze your work patterns, helping you recognize bad habits and discover ones you might need to change. You can also set reminders, create due dates, and manage subtasks.
The app's synchronization capability works across mobile phones, computers, and tablets, so you don’t have to stop using it when you leave the office. It’s also free to download, but offers in-app purchases.
Turning focus into a habit
Staying focused in a notification-abundant world can be a challenge. But with the right tools, you can overcome distractions and achieve your goals. Whether you're looking for a simple timer, a comprehensive task management system, or a fun way to turn your work sessions into a game, there's an app waiting to enhance your focus. Set yourself up for success and dive into these apps to discover a world of focused productivity.
The beauty of using apps to help you focus is they do the organizational work for you. Just choose the options that resonate with you, integrate them into your daily routine, and let them prevent you from distractions. You can then discuss the data with your coach. You’ll work smarter, not harder, and develop sustainable ways to streamline your focus.
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