# NotchStar vs Be Focused > Be Focused pairs a Pomodoro timer with tasks, reports, sync and blocking behind a Pro tier; NotchStar has simpler Pomodoro timers in a $4 once toolbox. Canonical: https://www.notchstar.com/vs/be-focused/ Last updated: 2026-11-04 Checked 4 November 2026. | | NotchStar | Be Focused | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | $4 once, with a 7 day trial, up to 3 Macs, 7 day refund | Free with in app purchases: Pro $2.99 monthly, $19.99 yearly (with a 7 day trial) or $39.99 lifetime. Contains advertising | | Minimum macOS | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel | macOS 12.0; Apple silicon support is not stated | | Latest release | 1.0.5, 12 October 2026 | 2.7, shown as Sep 29 with no year | | Work and break timers | Included. Pomodoro presets | Included. Custom work and break intervals | | Task management | Not listed. Quick notes only | Included. Tags, due dates and notes | | Blocks distracting apps and websites | Not listed | Partly. Pro only | | Reports and CSV export | Not listed | Partly. Pro only | | Sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac | Not listed | Partly. Pro only | | Widgets, global hotkeys and Shortcuts | Not listed | Included | | Advertising | Included. No ads | Not listed. The listing says it contains advertising | | Account and data collection | Included. No account; analytics only if you opt in | Partly. Developer labels: coarse location, email, name and user ID linked to you. Not verified by Apple | Sources: [Be Focused on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id973134470) (checked 4 November 2026). “Not listed” means the source does not mention it, which is not proof the feature is missing. Prices and features change, so check before you buy. ## Be Focused at a glance. - **Made by:** Denys Ievenko (seller), copyright Xwavesoft - **Who it suits:** Someone who wants task driven Pomodoro with reports. - **Price:** Free tier and paid plans. Free with in app purchases: Monthly Pro $2.99, Yearly Pro $19.99 with 7 day trial, Lifetime Pro $39.99. Contains advertising per the listing. A search snippet gave different prices; the fetched US listing is used. - **Needs:** macOS 12 or later. Not stated. - **License:** Closed source Be Focused is one of the 62 apps counted in our [pricing statistics](https://www.notchstar.com/research/mac-notch-app-pricing/) and [requirements statistics](https://www.notchstar.com/research/mac-notch-app-requirements/). ### Strengths - Task management with tags, due dates and notes, and custom work and break intervals. - Pro adds blocking of distracting apps and websites, reports with CSV export, and sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac. - Widgets, global hotkeys and Shortcuts. - A lifetime Pro option at $39.99. ### Limits - The free tier has ads and many features are gated. - Developer labels list email, name and IDs linked to you for marketing and analytics; Apple has not verified them. - Apple silicon support is not stated, and the release date shows no year. - An older separate Be Focused Pro listing exists that we did not read. ## Choose Be Focused if… - You want tasks, tags and due dates tied to your Pomodoro sessions. - You want reports, CSV export and sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac. - You want the dedicated timer app, which does this job in more depth. ## Choose NotchStar if… - You want a simple Pomodoro timer in the notch next to nine other tools. - You want no ads and a single $4 payment. - You want no account, and analytics only if you opt in. ## The verdict. Be Focused is the fuller Pomodoro app, with tasks, reports and sync, much of it in Pro. NotchStar's Timers are a quick countdown in the notch. Choose Be Focused for task driven focus. Choose NotchStar for a simple timer in a toolbox. ## What Be Focused is Be Focused, from Xwavesoft, is a Pomodoro timer with tasks. Its App Store page lists tags, due dates, notes, custom intervals, widgets, global hotkeys and Shortcuts, and in Pro, blocking, reports and sync. ## What NotchStar's Timers do Countdown timers with Pomodoro presets in the notch. They have no tasks, reports or sync. ## What we could not verify We have not tested Be Focused. We read only its App Store page on 4 November 2026. Prices in a search snippet differed from the listing, so we use the listing. ## Questions. ### How much does Be Focused cost? Its US App Store listing shows it free with in app purchases: Monthly Pro $2.99, Yearly Pro $19.99 with a 7 day trial and Lifetime Pro $39.99. It contains advertising. ### Do the prices match what I saw elsewhere? Not always. A search snippet showed other prices and macOS 11.5, but the US listing we fetched says macOS 12.0 and the prices above, so this page uses the listing. ### Does NotchStar sync timers across devices? No. NotchStar runs on the Mac only and its Timers do not sync. ### What does Be Focused collect? Its developer labels list coarse location, email, name and user ID linked to you for marketing and analytics. Apple has not verified them. ## Related - [NotchStar vs AgentNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/agentnotch/): AgentNotch is an MIT licensed app that shows Claude Code and Codex tool calls, tokens and cost in the notch; NotchStar has no agent monitoring. - [NotchStar vs Alcove](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/alcove/): Alcove is a $12.99 one time purchase for macOS 15 or later built around live activities, lock screen widgets and HUDs; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten utilities with none of those three. - [NotchStar vs Alfred](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/alfred/): Alfred is a launcher whose clipboard history needs the Powerpack at 34 GBP and keeps up to 3 months; NotchStar is a $4 once app where clipboard history is one of ten notch tools. - [NotchStar vs Atoll](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/atoll/): Atoll is an open source GPL 3.0 notch app with live activities, lock screen widgets and a very wide feature list; NotchStar is a $4 signed toolbox with neither, and with tools Atoll does not list. - [NotchStar vs Avocado](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/avocado/): Avocado is a teleprompter with a free tier and a Pro tier for voice scrolling, AI access and a Recording Studio; NotchStar's teleprompter scrolls at a set speed inside a $4 toolbox. - [NotchStar vs Bartender](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/bartender/): Bartender is a dedicated menu bar manager that handles items the notch hides; NotchStar does not organize menu bar icons and instead puts ten tools in the notch for $4 once. - [NotchStar vs Boring Notch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/boring-notch/): Boring Notch is free, open source and replaces the volume and brightness HUDs; NotchStar is a $4 signed and notarized app with more utility tools, such as clipboard history, timers, a teleprompter and disk tools. - [NotchStar vs Brow](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/brow/): Brow is a broad Mac toolkit with a launcher and window management, free with a Pro tier at $4.99 a month for AI features; NotchStar is a smaller notch app at $4 once. - [NotchStar vs ChocolateBar](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/chocolatebar/): ChocolateBar is a $15 menu bar manager that hides crowded icons or shows them in a second row under the bar, on macOS 12 to 15. NotchStar is a $4 notch toolbox that does not manage menu bar icons. - [NotchStar vs CleanShot X](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/cleanshot-x/): CleanShot X captures, annotates and records, from $35 with a year of updates; NotchStar does not capture, and its $4 Screenshot Tray only holds screenshots macOS already took. - [NotchStar vs Crest](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/crest/): Crest is a larger notch control room at $14.99 once, with Claude Code and Codex approvals, passwords, a 2FA authenticator and encrypted file sending; NotchStar is $4 once and sticks to everyday utilities. - [NotchStar vs CueNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/cuenotch/): CueNotch is a feature rich notch teleprompter with voice following and Ghost Mode, free with a $29.99 lifetime or $7.99 weekly Pro; NotchStar's teleprompter scrolls at a set speed inside a $4 toolbox. - [NotchStar vs DaisyDisk](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/daisydisk/): DaisyDisk is the dedicated visual disk analyzer at $9.99 once with a 30 day money back guarantee; NotchStar's Disk tool finds large files, duplicates and leftovers inside a $4 toolbox. - [NotchStar vs DropNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/dropnotch/): DropNotch is a free notch file shelf with live status displays and a $15 one time Pro upgrade for clipboard history; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools. - [NotchStar vs Dropover](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/dropover/): Dropover is a dedicated drag and drop shelf that opens on a shake, with cloud uploads and actions, free with a $7.99 Pro; NotchStar is a $4 app whose shelf is one of ten tools. - [NotchStar vs Droppy](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/droppy/): Droppy is a larger modular suite with 41 free extensions, live activities, window snapping and a teleprompter at $9.99 once; NotchStar is a smaller $4 toolbox of ten tools. - [NotchStar vs Dropzone](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/dropzone/): Dropzone 5 is a $35 action launcher with grids, scripting and a Drop Bar; NotchStar is a $4 app whose file shelf overlaps only with that Drop Bar. - [NotchStar vs Dynamic Notch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/dynamic-notch/): Dynamic Notch is a free GPL 3.0 app that brings iPhone style live activities to the Mac notch, with a release on 3 November 2026; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools with no live activities. - [NotchStar vs DynamicHorizon](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/dynamichorizon/): DynamicHorizon sells 20 or more notch modules with lock screen media and lyrics for $11.99 lifetime; NotchStar is $4 once with ten tools and a clear Mac count. - [NotchStar vs DynamicLake](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/dynamiclake/): DynamicLake adds a Dynamic Island style layer with message and call notifications, plugins, weather and file conversion for $13.99, with 89 changelog entries since June 2024; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten utilities that stays quiet until you open it. - [NotchStar vs Gojo](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/gojo/): Gojo sells clipboard, shelf, window snapping, camera mirror and on device dictation from $9.99 lifetime for one Mac, or $19.99 for up to three; NotchStar is $4 once for up to three Macs. - [NotchStar vs Hidden Bar](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/hidden-bar/): Hidden Bar is a free, open source app that tucks menu bar icons behind an arrow; NotchStar does not organize menu bar icons and offers ten notch tools for $4 once. - [NotchStar vs Ice](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/ice/): Ice is a free, open source menu bar manager with an Ice Bar, profiles and hotkeys; NotchStar does not organize menu bar icons and is a $4 toolbox of ten notch tools. - [NotchStar vs iStat Menus](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/istat-menus/): iStat Menus is the deeper dedicated monitor, with sensors, fan control, clocks and weather; NotchStar shows five basic readouts as one of ten tools for $4 once. - [NotchStar vs Korinotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/korinotch/): Korinotch lists $11.50 lifetime, a 14 day trial and a required account; NotchStar is $4 once with no account, a 7 day trial and ten tools. - [NotchStar vs Maccy](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/maccy/): Maccy is a free MIT clipboard manager you search by typing; NotchStar's clipboard history is one of ten notch tools for $4 and keeps 50 items in memory only. - [NotchStar vs MacNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/macnotch/): MacNotch, sold through Setapp, does more: a widget grid, device batteries, file actions and live activities in the closed notch. NotchStar is smaller and costs $4 once, where MacNotch is a subscription from $4.99 a month. - [NotchStar vs MediaMate](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/mediamate/): MediaMate replaces the volume, brightness and keyboard backlight HUDs and adds a now playing view for 6.99 euros on 5 devices; NotchStar adds ten utilities in the notch for $4 on 3 Macs. - [NotchStar vs MewNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/mewnotch/): MewNotch is a free GPL 3.0 app that replaces volume and brightness HUDs and adds a shelf with AirDrop, now playing and a mirror; NotchStar is $4 once, signed and notarized, with ten tools. - [NotchStar vs Notch Buddy](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notch-buddy/): Notch Buddy adds live revenue and visitor numbers to a notch toolbox at $5.99 for the first 100 customers, then $19.99; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools. - [NotchStar vs NotchBar](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchbar/): NotchBar is a pre release AGPL 3.0 widget bar with media playback, system monitor and active app widgets; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools. - [NotchStar vs NotchBox](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchbox/): NotchBox is free with a $4.99 Pro purchase, runs on macOS 13 and has shipped 25 listed updates since October 2025; NotchStar is $4 once with a 7 day trial and needs macOS 14, with a similar set of notch tools. - [NotchStar vs NotchDrop](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchdrop/): NotchDrop does one job, a temporary file shelf with AirDrop in the notch, and is open source under the MIT license; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools that includes a shelf with an AirDrop zone. - [NotchStar vs Notchet](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchet/): Notchet is a notch clipboard manager with search, text inside images and a shelf for $9.99 once; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox where clipboard history is one of ten tools. - [NotchStar vs Notchi](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchi/): Notchi is a free GPL 3.0 app that shows Claude Code and Codex sessions, usage and cost in the notch; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox with no agent monitoring. - [NotchStar vs Notchie](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchie/): Notchie is a teleprompter in the notch for $29.99 once that hides during screen sharing in supported apps and pauses when you hover; NotchStar's teleprompter is one tool in a $4 toolbox. - [NotchStar vs Notchmeister](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchmeister/): Notchmeister is a free Mac App Store app from The Iconfactory that adds decorative effects around the notch; NotchStar adds ten working tools instead. - [NotchStar vs NotchNest](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchnest/): NotchNest is a free Mac App Store download with capped free use, $2.99 a month or $14.99 once, and on device AI helpers; NotchStar is a $4 one time toolbox of ten tools with no caps. - [NotchStar vs NotchNook](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchnook/): NotchNook Pro (28 October 2026) adds live activities, AI agent approvals, clipboard and a teleprompter for $19 lifetime or $3 a month on Apple silicon; NotchStar is a $4 one time toolbox with none of the live features. - [NotchStar vs NotchPop](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchpop/): NotchPop is a free, open source notch app covering clipboard, shelf, music, calendar, timers and system stats; NotchStar costs $4 once and adds a teleprompter, camera mirror, quick notes, disk tools and a screenshot tray. - [NotchStar vs NotchPrompter](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchprompter/): NotchPrompter is a single purpose open source teleprompter that follows your voice and hides from screen sharing; NotchStar's teleprompter scrolls at a set speed inside a $4 toolbox. - [NotchStar vs NotchSpace](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchspace/): NotchSpace is a free notch shelf, app launch bar and menu bar manager on the Mac App Store, and it says it is not a clipboard tool; NotchStar does not manage menu bar icons but adds ten tools for $4. - [NotchStar vs NotchThings](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchthings/): NotchThings has more modules, live indicators in the notch and AI usage tracking, and needs macOS 15.6 and a $6.99 unlock; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools for macOS 14. - [NotchStar vs OmniNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/omninotch/): OmniNotch ships twenty tools, including on device AI chat, AI usage meters and live sales totals, and has a timer countdown in the closed notch. NotchStar is narrower, with ten tools, and costs $4 once against OmniNotch's $5 flash sale and $19.99 regular price. - [NotchStar vs OneNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/onenotch/): OneNotch is a free to start notch app with deep clipboard boards, capture tools and window snapping for Apple silicon on macOS 15; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox that runs on macOS 14 and Intel. - [NotchStar vs Paste](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/paste/): Paste is a subscription clipboard manager with unlimited history, pinboards and iCloud sync; NotchStar's clipboard keeps 50 items in memory for a $4 one time price. - [NotchStar vs PastePal](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/pastepal/): PastePal is a dedicated clipboard manager with iCloud sync and 75+ text transforms, free with a $14.99 Pro; NotchStar is a $4 app where clipboard history is one of ten tools. - [NotchStar vs PromptSmart](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/promptsmart/): PromptSmart Pro is a full window teleprompter that follows your voice and imports many file types for $29.99; NotchStar's Teleprompter is a fixed speed scroll in the notch within a $4 toolbox. - [NotchStar vs QuackScreen](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/quackscreen/): QuackScreen is a capture app for the notch with screen recording, screenshots and an annotation editor, for EUR 20 on macOS 26; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox that catches screenshots but does not capture. - [NotchStar vs Raycast](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/raycast/): Raycast is a launcher whose clipboard history keeps 3 months on the free plan and is unlimited on Pro at $10 a month; NotchStar is a $4 once app where clipboard history is one of ten notch tools. - [NotchStar vs Sapphire](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/sapphire/): Sapphire is a free, AGPL licensed notch app with Face ID, window snapping, a lock screen and a big free feature set, plus monthly AI and live data plans from $15.99; NotchStar is a $4 one time toolbox with none of those. - [NotchStar vs Seam](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/seam/): Seam is a Dynamic Island style surface with live activities, a lock screen display, coding agent progress and on device voice dictation for $19.90 on Apple silicon; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools you open on purpose. - [NotchStar vs Session](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/session/): Session is the dedicated focus timer, with website and app blocking, calendar sync and AppleScript, on a $4.99 monthly or $39.99 yearly plan; NotchStar has simpler Pomodoro timers for $4 once. - [NotchStar vs Shottr](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/shottr/): Shottr captures and annotates screenshots with OCR and scrolling capture at a pay what you want price; NotchStar does not capture, and its $4 Screenshot Tray only holds macOS screenshots. - [NotchStar vs Stats](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/stats/): Stats is a free, open source menu bar monitor with sensors, GPU, Bluetooth and a clock; NotchStar is a $4 closed source toolbox where system stats is one of ten tools. - [NotchStar vs SuperIsland](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/superisland/): SuperIsland is a free app with live activities, a JavaScript extension SDK and store, and meeting join links, but it needs a physical notch and has had no release since June 2026; NotchStar is $4 once with ten tools. - [NotchStar vs TopNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/topnotch/): TopNotch, a free app from the CleanShot team, makes the camera housing blend into a black menu bar; its last release was June 2023. NotchStar keeps the notch visible and puts ten tools around it. - [NotchStar vs Tuneful](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/tuneful/): Tuneful is a focused $4.99 music controller for Spotify and Apple Music that needs macOS 15; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools with Now Playing as one of them. - [NotchStar vs Vibe Notch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/vibe-notch/): Vibe Notch, formerly Claude Island, is an Apache 2.0 open source app for monitoring Claude Code and approving permissions from the notch; NotchStar has no agent monitoring. - [NotchStar vs Xnapper](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/xnapper/): Xnapper beautifies and redacts screenshots from $29.99 with a year of updates; NotchStar does not capture, and its $4 Screenshot Tray only holds screenshots macOS already took. - [NotchStar vs Yoink](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/yoink/): Yoink is a long established drag shelf with clipboard history and an iOS companion at $8.99 once with a 28 day trial; NotchStar is a $4 app whose shelf is one of ten tools. - [Be Focused alternatives](https://www.notchstar.com/alternatives/be-focused/): Every option next to Be Focused, with price and macOS support. - [Best Mac notch apps](https://www.notchstar.com/guides/best-mac-notch-apps/): A neutral roundup of the options.