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Best focus app for ADHD: Forest, Focusmate, Freedom and Brick compared
Last checked 2 November 2026. Written by the Divergent Products team, reviewed by Louise and Sam. How we pick.
What is the best focus app for ADHD?
The best focus app for ADHD depends on what pulls you away. If it is your phone, try Forest (free) or the Brick tap-to-block device (£44.75). If it is websites on a laptop, Freedom blocks them. If you start better with company, Focusmate, FLOWN and Focus101 put another person on video beside you.
If you only read this bit
- A free phone timer with a small stakeForestSee it at App Store
- Making it a physical effort to open appsBrickSee it at Brick
- Blocking sites on a laptop and phone togetherFreedomSee it at Freedom
Affiliate links. Prices change, so check the listing.
All 6 picks, in order
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Best for: A free phone timer with a small stake
Forest
By Seekrtech, sold by App Store
A tree grows while you stay off your phone and withers if you leave the app. Free with in-app purchases; Forest Plus was listed at £35.00 a year. The App Store page mentions iPhone, iPad and browser extensions but not Android.
Affiliate link -
Best for: Making it a physical effort to open apps
Brick
By Brick
A small NFC puck: tap your phone on it to block the apps you chose, tap again to get them back. £44.75 in our data. Reports say it needs Android 12 or iOS 16.2 or later, and an emergency release exists. Tests we saw were by journalists, not us.
£44.75See it at BrickAffiliate link -
Best for: Blocking sites on a laptop and phone together
Freedom
By Freedom
Free plan blocks apps and sites with unlimited devices. Premium adds scheduling and Locked Mode, which stops you quitting a session. Premium was listed at US$8.99 a month, US$3.33 a month yearly or US$99.50 once.
$8.99a month, US priceSee it at FreedomAffiliate link -
Best for: A stranger on video while you both work
Focusmate
By Focusmate
Book a session with a partner, say what you are doing, then work. The free plan has 3 sessions a week; Plus was listed at US$12 a month, or US$8 a month billed yearly.
$12a month, US priceSee it at FocusmateAffiliate link -
Best for: Hosted drop-in sessions with guidance
FLOWN
By FLOWN
FLOWN runs focus sessions, drop-in sessions and rooms you can host. Our data shows about £20 a month. Third-party sites report a free tier and an annual plan near US$19 a month, but the maker's pricing page would not load for us.
£20a monthSee it at FLOWNAffiliate link -
Best for: A cheaper body-doubling app with a free tier
Focus101
By Focus101
The free plan has 5 focus sessions a week, unlimited group rooms and a Pomodoro timer. Paid is about £4 a month in our data; its own page showed US dollars when we looked.
Affiliate link
What is the best focus app for ADHD?
There is no single best, because the apps solve three different problems. Some block the thing that pulls you away. Some put a person beside you. Some only time the work. Pick the problem first, then the app.
We have not tested any of these. Everything below comes from the makers' pages, App Store listings or named reviews, checked on 2 November 2026 where the pages would load.
Which app for which problem?
Start with the moment you stop working, not with the feature list. Most people lose a work session in one of three ways, and each has a different fix.
Match the app to what you actually do when you stop working:
- You pick up your phone. Use Forest or Brick. Forest relies on a small cost to leaving the app. Brick relies on you having to find a physical object.
- You open the same websites. Use Freedom. Its free plan blocks apps, websites or the whole internet, and Premium adds scheduling and Locked Mode.
- You cannot start alone. Use Focusmate, FLOWN or Focus101. Having someone in the room, even on a screen, is called body doubling, and our body doubling guide covers it in depth.
- You lose track of time. A timer is enough. See our Pomodoro timers guide.
| App | Price | Platform | What it does | Drawback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | Free; Plus £35.00 a year | iPhone, iPad, browser | Grows a tree while you stay off your phone | Android not mentioned on its listing |
| Brick | £44.75 | iPhone and Android (reported) | Blocks chosen apps until you tap the puck | Hardware cost; emergency release exists |
| Freedom | Free; Premium from US$3.33 a month | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chromebook | Blocks sites and apps | Website exceptions are not on iOS or Android |
| Focusmate | Free for 3 sessions a week; Plus US$8 to US$12 a month | Web | One-to-one video sessions | Prices in dollars |
| FLOWN | About £20 a month in our data | App and web | Hosted sessions and rooms | Maker's pricing not confirmed |
| Focus101 | Free for 5 sessions a week; about £4 a month | App and web | Group and one-to-one video sessions | Prices shown in dollars |
Can a phone app really stop you using your phone?
Only while you cooperate. Forest relies on the cost of letting a tree die. Its listing says leaving the app or cancelling the timer makes the tree wither. It also has Allow Lists on iOS 16 or later, for apps you still need.
Brick makes it a physical job. You choose which apps to lock, tap your phone to the Brick, and cannot reopen them until you tap again. Tom's Guide says the blocking works because you do not want to go and find the Brick. That also means it is only as strong as your willingness to leave it somewhere inconvenient. The Brick costs £44.75 in our data, one-off, with no subscription that we found. A cheaper route is a phone lock box, which we cover separately.
Which focus app for working on a laptop?
Freedom is the choice for a laptop, because it runs on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and Chromebook and syncs sessions across devices. The free plan has unlimited devices and custom blocklists. Premium is where scheduling and Locked Mode live, and Locked Mode is what stops you quitting a session in a weak moment. Premium was listed at US$8.99 a month, US$3.33 a month on the yearly plan, or US$99.50 once.
If you want a one-off payment rather than a subscription, our website blockers guide compares Cold Turkey and LeechBlock too.
Which focus app for working alongside someone?
Focusmate is the best known. You book a slot, say what you will do, and both of you work on camera. The free plan gives 3 sessions a week. Plus gives unlimited sessions and was listed at US$12 a month or US$8 a month billed annually.
FLOWN's help centre describes focus sessions, drop-ins and rooms you can host, and says you do not need to be on the same task as anyone else. Focus101 has a free tier of 5 sessions a week and a Pomodoro timer. Whether an employer or Access to Work would pay for a subscription is a question for your assessor, so ask before you buy.
What do these apps cost over a year?
A year of Forest Plus is £35.00 at the listed price. A year of Freedom Premium on the annual plan is about US$40, because US$3.33 a month is billed yearly. Focusmate Plus on the annual plan is about US$96. The Brick costs £44.75 once and has no subscription that we found. Free tiers exist for all the apps except Brick, so spend nothing for two weeks, then pay for the one you used.
Things to know
- No health claim. A focus app is a tool, nothing more. We make no claim about ADHD, and have not tested these products.
- Prices. Freedom, Focusmate and Focus101 show US dollars on their own pages. FLOWN's page would not load, so its price is from our data and third-party sites. Check each before you pay.
- Cancel. Subscriptions renew. Set a reminder before any free trial ends.
- Flora. We looked for a Flora app review and could not find one we could verify, so we have left it out.
- Privacy. Body doubling apps put your face on camera. Check who can see you and what the app records.
Questions people ask
- Are there free focus apps?
- Yes. Forest is free to download, Freedom has a free plan, Focusmate gives 3 sessions a week and Focus101 gives 5. Each has paid extras.
- Is Forest available on Android?
- The App Store listing does not mention it, so check Google Play before you assume. The listing does cover iPhone, iPad and browser extensions.
- What happens if I need my phone while Brick is on?
- Reports say you can tap the Brick again, and the app has an emergency release with a small number of tokens. Check the maker's current terms before you rely on it.
- Do I need a camera for body doubling?
- Focusmate, FLOWN and Focus101 all run on video. Check each app's rules on camera use before you book, because we could not confirm them for all three.
- Can a focus app replace seeing a doctor?
- No. These are tools for blocking distractions or working alongside others. If you are concerned about attention, speak to your GP.
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