Best Mac Pomodoro apps, compared by need
At a glance
| App | Price | Requirements | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session | Free with in app purchases: $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year | Current macOS minimum not confirmed | Time blocks with app and website blocking, Slack muting, AppleScript and Calendar sync. |
| Be Focused | Free with in app purchases: $2.99 a month, $19.99 a year (7 day trial) or $39.99 lifetime | macOS 12.0 | Pomodoro timer with tasks, tags, due dates, reports and sync across Apple devices. |
| Flow | Free with in app purchases: 1.49 EUR a month, 9.99 EUR a year or 24.99 EUR lifetime (Bulgarian storefront) | macOS 26.0 | Pomodoro and study timer with statistics, blocking, Commitment mode and Apple Health sync. |
| NotchPop | Free, MIT open source, no login | macOS 14, Apple silicon and Intel | Free, open source notch app with stopwatch, countdown and Pomodoro, plus a pill beside the notch. |
| Korinotch | $11.50 lifetime, or $1.50 a month after a promotional year; 14 day trial | macOS 14; account required | Notch app with a Pomodoro timer, media HUD, calendar alerts and CPU widgets. |
| NotchNest | Free capped tier; $2.99 a month or $14.99 once for Lifetime | macOS 14 or later; AI features need Apple silicon | Pomodoro with sessions, breaks and a daily streak, with a capped free tier. |
| Droppy | $9.99 once, 3 day trial, one license covers two Macs | macOS 14 or later; Intel support not stated | A Pomodoro droplet in a modular notch suite, with break reminders in a nightly build. |
| NotchStar | $4 once for ten tools, up to 3 Macs, 7 day trial, 7 day refund | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel | Timer, stopwatch and Pomodoro with session dots; keeps counting while the notch is closed. |
Prices and availability were checked on 4 November 2026. Verify the linked product page before buying.
There is no single best Mac Pomodoro app. Session suits people who want app blocking and calendar sync. Be Focused pairs a timer with tasks. Flow is a cheap focus timer for macOS 26. NotchPop is the free notch pick. NotchStar has three fixed presets for $4. Prices as of 4 November 2026.
How we checked
Each entry comes from the maker’s own pages, read on 4 November 2026: websites, pricing pages, GitHub pages and Mac App Store listings. Nothing was tested by hand for this list, so it says what each maker states and no more. Where a page did not state a price or a macOS version, this list says so instead of guessing. Prices as of 4 November 2026.
At a glance
| App | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Session | blocking sites and syncing to Calendar | Free with in app purchases: $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year |
| Be Focused | a timer tied to tasks | Free with in app purchases: $2.99 a month, $19.99 a year (7 day trial) or $39.99 lifetime |
| Flow | a low cost focus timer on macOS 26 | Free with in app purchases: 1.49 EUR a month, 9.99 EUR a year or 24.99 EUR lifetime (Bulgarian storefront) |
| NotchPop | a free Pomodoro in the notch | Free, MIT open source, no login |
| Korinotch | a very cheap lifetime notch app | $11.50 lifetime, or $1.50 a month after a promotional year; 14 day trial |
| NotchNest | Pomodoro with streaks in the notch | Free capped tier; $2.99 a month or $14.99 once for Lifetime |
| Droppy | a Pomodoro droplet in a bigger suite | $9.99 once, 3 day trial, one license covers two Macs |
| NotchStar | three fixed presets that keep time while closed | $4 once for ten tools, up to 3 Macs, 7 day trial, 7 day refund |
Eight Pomodoro apps, one entry each
Session
Best for: blocking sites and syncing to Calendar.
Session runs time blocks such as 25 or 45 minutes, blocks websites and apps during a session on the Mac, can mute chosen Slack teams, and syncs sessions one way to Apple Calendar. It supports AppleScript and session review notes. Extras are a subscription, its App Store label lists email and IDs collected, and only the App Store listing was read.
Price: Free with in app purchases: $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year. Requires: Current macOS minimum not confirmed.
Be Focused
Best for: a timer tied to tasks.
Be Focused combines custom work and break intervals with task management, widgets, global hotkeys and Shortcuts. Pro adds blocking of distracting apps and sites, CSV reports and sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac. The free tier contains advertising, and many features are gated behind Pro.
Price: Free with in app purchases: $2.99 a month, $19.99 a year (7 day trial) or $39.99 lifetime. Requires: macOS 12.0.
Flow
Best for: a low cost focus timer on macOS 26.
Flow: Pomodoro and Study Timer offers work and break intervals, session statistics, break notifications, app and web blocking, Commitment mode, Apple Calendar and Health sync and widgets. It needs macOS 26 or later. The prices came from the Bulgarian storefront in euros, and several unrelated Mac apps are named Flow, so check the exact listing.
Price: Free with in app purchases: 1.49 EUR a month, 9.99 EUR a year or 24.99 EUR lifetime (Bulgarian storefront). Requires: macOS 26.0.
NotchPop
Best for: a free Pomodoro in the notch.
NotchPop shows a pill beside the notch while Pomodoro runs, and adds music, calendar, clipboard, a shelf and system stats. It is free, with MIT source and no login. No privacy policy is linked, the maker is not named, and the last release was 13 May 2026.
Price: Free, MIT open source, no login. Requires: macOS 14, Apple silicon and Intel.
Korinotch
Best for: a very cheap lifetime notch app.
Korinotch has a 14 day trial with no card and a 7 day refund for first time buyers. It requires an account with email verification, the maker is not named, and chip support and licence were not stated.
Price: $11.50 lifetime, or $1.50 a month after a promotional year; 14 day trial. Requires: macOS 14; account required.
NotchNest
Best for: Pomodoro with streaks in the notch.
NotchNest tracks sessions, breaks and a daily streak, and the free tier limits the timer. Its Lifetime price is $14.99 once. See the NotchNest comparison.
Price: Free capped tier; $2.99 a month or $14.99 once for Lifetime. Requires: macOS 14 or later; AI features need Apple silicon.
Droppy
Best for: a Pomodoro droplet in a bigger suite.
Droppy treats Pomodoro as one droplet among many, and break reminders arrived in a 1 November nightly. It is a fit only if you want the rest of the suite. See the Droppy comparison.
Price: $9.99 once, 3 day trial, one license covers two Macs. Requires: macOS 14 or later; Intel support not stated.
NotchStar
Best for: three fixed presets that keep time while closed.
NotchStar’s Pomodoro has three presets: 25 and 5, 50 and 10, or 15 and 3 minutes, with four dots tracking sessions and a skip button. It follows the real clock and finishes with a sound you choose. It has no blocking, tasks, statistics or banner notification, and timers reset if you quit the app. Read start a Pomodoro session.
Price: $4 once for ten tools, up to 3 Macs, 7 day trial, 7 day refund. Requires: macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel.
How to choose
- Need blocking: Session, Be Focused Pro or Flow.
- Want tasks beside the timer: Be Focused.
- Want free: NotchPop, or the free downloads of Be Focused, Session and Flow with their limits.
- Want a notch timer for a few dollars once: NotchStar ($4), Korinotch ($11.50) or NotchNest ($14.99).
- Run macOS 14 or 15: Flow will not run. Check each requirement above.
- Learning the method itself: read the Pomodoro setup guide.
Left out
Plain countdown and stopwatch apps are on the timer apps list. NotchStar’s timer details are on the Timers page.
Sources
Official pages, read on 4 November 2026. Prices as of 4 November 2026.
