PulsePomWho made this list: we make PulsePom, and it's on this list. We've tried to be fair: every app here is the best choice for someone, and each entry says what it does well and what to keep in mind.
The short answer
For a no-sign-up timer in the browser, Pomofocus is the simplest, and PulsePom also starts without an account while adding stats, a planner and study groups. For a timer joined to tasks, Focus To-Do or TickTick; for gamified focus, Forest, Flora or Focus Friend.
| App | Best for | Price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Pomofocus | the simplest no-sign-up timer in a browser | Free; Premium adds projects, yearly reports, CSV download, integrations and no ads | Web; downloads for Mac, Windows and Linux |
| 2. PulsePom | a no-sign-up timer with stats, a planner and study groups | Free; Premium (monthly, yearly, or Lifetime on Android) adds PulsePom AI and Calendar Pro | Web, Android, Windows; iPhone, iPad and Mac in the browser |
| 3. Focus To-Do | Pomodoros planned task by task | Free with in-app purchases ($1.99–$11.99 per item on Google Play) | Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Apple Watch, Wear OS; Chrome extension |
| 4. TickTick | a Pomodoro timer inside a to-do app | Free; Premium US$49.99 a year | Web, Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Wear OS |
| 5. Forest | gamified Pomodoros that grow a tree | Free; Forest Plus subscription | Android, iPhone, iPad; Chrome and Firefox extensions |
| 6. Focus Friend | short, gentle sessions with a cute companion | Free with in-app purchases ($0.99–$39.99 per item on Google Play) | Android, iPhone, iPad |
| 7. Flora | Pomodoros with friends and real trees | Free; in-app purchases ($0.99–$134.99 per item on Google Play) | Android, iPhone, iPad; Chrome extension |
How we chose
- Can you start without signing up?
- Your own focus and break lengths
- What's saved: stats and tasks
- Ads, price and platforms
We compared each app's own Google Play and App Store listings and official website, on the date shown under Sources, and PulsePom from the app itself. We haven't tested every app hands-on for this list: when we call an app the best for something, it's because its own listing describes that most fully among the apps here.
Pomodoro timers side by side
| Feature | Pomofocus | PulsePom | Focus To-Do | TickTick | Forest | Focus Friend | Flora |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus timer | Pomodoro timer with short and long breaks | Pomodoro timer, and a Normal stopwatch or countdown; every session is saved to a subject | Pomodoro timer with custom lengths, short and long breaks and Continuous Mode | Pomodoro timer that logs distractions | Countdown timer and stopwatch that grow a virtual tree | A Bean who focuses with you; break timers for the Pomodoro method | Focus timer that grows a tree; the tree dies if you leave to use other apps |
| Use without an account | The timer and task list open without signing in | Timer, Stats and Planner, saved on your device and moved into your account when you sign in | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| To-do list and planner | Task list with estimated Pomodoros, a finish-time estimate, templates and Todoist import | Planner with lists and a Board view; Calendar Pro (Premium) | Tasks, projects, reminders, sub-tasks, priorities and estimated Pomodoros | Full task manager: lists, smart dates, reminders, recurring tasks and calendar views | Not listed | Not listed | To-dos that unlock plants on a journey around the world |
| Stats | Daily, weekly and monthly reports; yearly reports and CSV download with Premium | Basic, Advanced and Subjects & Tasks stats: heatmap, hourly chart, streaks | Reports: focus time, a Gantt chart, trends and a calendar view | Not listed | Focus tracking and history; Focus Analytics and custom tags with Forest Plus | Not listed | Focus time, habits and trends by day, week and month |
| Focus sounds | Alarm and background sounds | No focus sounds | White noise | White noise | Ambient sounds, and Mindful Space breathing exercises | Not listed | Not listed |
| Ads | In the free version (“No Ads” is a Premium feature) | No ads | No “Contains ads” label on Google Play | No “Contains ads” label on Google Play | In the free version (Google Play label); Forest Plus is ad-free | No “Contains ads” label on Google Play | No ads (its listing) |
| Platforms | Web; downloads for Mac, Windows and Linux | Web, Android, Windows; iPhone, iPad and Mac in the browser | Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Apple Watch, Wear OS; Chrome extension | Web, Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Wear OS | Android, iPhone, iPad; Chrome and Firefox extensions | Android, iPhone, iPad | Android, iPhone, iPad; Chrome extension |
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1. Pomofocus
Best for the simplest no-sign-up timer in a browser
Pomofocus is a clean Pomodoro timer in the browser with a task list, estimated Pomodoros and a finish-time estimate. It opens and starts without an account, and has desktop downloads for Mac, Windows and Linux.
Good
- Open the page and press Start: no sign-up
- Task templates, a finish-time estimate and Todoist import
- Downloads for Mac, Windows and Linux
Keep in mind
- Ads in the free version (“No Ads” is a Premium feature)
- Yearly reports and CSV download need Premium
- No study groups or app blocking in its features
Price: Free; Premium adds projects, yearly reports, CSV download, integrations and no ads · Platforms: Web; downloads for Mac, Windows and Linux
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2. PulsePom
Best for a no-sign-up timer with stats, a planner and study groups
A free study app that puts a Pomodoro and Normal timer, study groups with chat, a planner, a weekly and monthly habit tracker, stats and leaderboards in one place, with no ads. Its Android app adds a free blocker for apps, websites, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. The Timer, Stats and Planner work without an account and offline.
Good
- Study groups, group chat, challenges and leaderboards, all free
- Every Android blocking feature is free, Shorts and Reels blocking included
- Web, Android and Windows apps with one account, and no sign-up needed to start
Keep in mind
- No App Store app: on iPhone, iPad and Mac it runs in the browser
- Blocking is Android-only
- No focus sounds, video study rooms or smartwatch app
- The AI study coach is part of Premium
Price: Free; Premium (monthly, yearly, or Lifetime on Android) adds PulsePom AI and Calendar Pro · Platforms: Web, Android, Windows; iPhone, iPad and Mac in the browser
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3. Focus To-Do
Best for Pomodoros planned task by task
Focus To-Do joins a Pomodoro timer to a full task manager with projects, reminders and recurring tasks, and syncs between phone and computer. It has reports with a Gantt chart, an app whitelist, white noise and a plant that grows as you focus.
Good
- A real task manager next to the timer
- Apps for almost every platform, including watches
- Gantt-chart and trend reports
Keep in mind
- No study groups or group chat in its listing
- Blocking is an app whitelist only
- Some features are in-app purchases
Price: Free with in-app purchases ($1.99–$11.99 per item on Google Play) · Platforms: Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Apple Watch, Wear OS; Chrome extension
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4. TickTick
Best for a Pomodoro timer inside a to-do app
TickTick is a powerful task manager and calendar with a built-in Pomodoro timer, white noise and a habit tracker, synced across the web, phones, computers and Wear OS.
Good
- One of the most complete to-do and calendar apps
- Pomodoro timer and white noise built in
- Apps for every major platform
Keep in mind
- The free plan has 5 habits; more need Premium (US$49.99 a year)
- No study groups or app blocking in its listing
- Made for tasks first, studying second
Price: Free; Premium US$49.99 a year · Platforms: Web, Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Wear OS
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5. Forest
Best for gamified Pomodoros that grow a tree
Forest grows a virtual tree while you stay off your phone, and the tree withers if you leave to scroll. It has a countdown timer and stopwatch, Deep Focus app blocking, Plant Together rooms with friends, a global leaderboard and ambient sounds, and the coins you earn can plant real trees.
Good
- A simple, motivating idea that works
- Plants real trees with Trees for the Future
- Native Android and iPhone apps, plus Chrome and Firefox extensions
Keep in mind
- The free version shows ads (Google Play label)
- The custom allowlist, multi-app Time Guard and Focus Analytics need Forest Plus
- No to-do list or habit tracker in its listing
Price: Free; Forest Plus subscription · Platforms: Android, iPhone, iPad; Chrome and Firefox extensions
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6. Focus Friend
Best for short, gentle sessions with a cute companion
Focus Friend, made by Hank Green, is a cozy timer where a little Bean focuses with you and earns decorations for its room. Its Deep Focus Mode locks distracting apps during a session.
Good
- Very gentle and fun for short sessions
- Deep Focus Mode locks distracting apps
- Pomodoro-style break timers
Keep in mind
- No study groups, planner or stats in its listing
- No web or desktop app in its listing
- Decorations and skins are in-app purchases
Price: Free with in-app purchases ($0.99–$39.99 per item on Google Play) · Platforms: Android, iPhone, iPad
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7. Flora
Best for Pomodoros with friends and real trees
Flora is a tree-planting focus app with no ads: a seed grows while you focus and dies if you leave. You can grow trees with friends in groups, chat, compare focus time, turn to-dos into a plant-collecting journey, and plant real trees with Flora Care.
Good
- No ads, per its listing
- Grow trees together with friends, and chat
- Real trees with a Flora Care subscription
Keep in mind
- No app blocking in its listing: leaving kills the tree instead
- No web or Windows app in its listing
- Real tree planting needs a subscription
Price: Free; in-app purchases ($0.99–$134.99 per item on Google Play) · Platforms: Android, iPhone, iPad; Chrome extension
Questions
What is the best Pomodoro timer with no sign-up?
Pomofocus and PulsePom both start without an account. Pomofocus is the simpler page. PulsePom also keeps stats, a planner and a habit tracker on your device, works offline, and moves your data into an account if you sign up later.
What are good Pomodoro settings for studying?
The classic is 25 minutes of focus and a 5-minute break, with a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes after four rounds. PulsePom starts at 25 and 5 minutes with a 15-minute long break every 4 sessions, and you can change all of them. Our guide to the Pomodoro Technique covers other settings.
Is there a Pomodoro timer that blocks apps?
Yes. PulsePom's Android app can block apps, websites, Shorts and Reels during focus sessions, free. Forest blocks with Deep Focus, Focus To-Do has an app whitelist, and Focus Friend has a Deep Focus Mode.
Sources and disclaimer
PulsePom's column comes from the app itself. The other apps' details come from their own store listings and websites, checked on 9 November 2026. "Not listed" means we didn't find the feature in those sources, not that the app lacks it. Apps change often, so check each app for its latest features and prices.
- Pomofocus (checked 9 November 2026): pomofocus.io (home page, opened in a browser)
- Focus To-Do (checked 9 November 2026): Google Play listing, focustodo.cn, App Store listing
- TickTick (checked 9 November 2026): Google Play listing, TickTick Premium page, App Store listing
- Forest (checked 9 November 2026): Google Play listing, forestapp.cc (Free vs Plus plans), App Store listing
- Focus Friend (checked 9 November 2026): Google Play listing, App Store listing
- Flora (checked 9 November 2026): Google Play listing, flora.appfinca.com, App Store listing
Pomofocus, Focus To-Do, TickTick, Forest, Focus Friend, Flora are trademarks of their owners. PulsePom isn't affiliated with them.
Ready to focus together?
PulsePom is free on the web, Android and Windows. Start the timer now, with no account, and bring your friends when you're ready.