Hardcore Focus is an iPhone focus timer that blocks distracting apps for the session. It is not a 25-minute Pomodoro clone and it is not a to-do list. You tap the Focus dial and work until you are done.
How the Focus dial works
- Start — tap the circular dial. The screen stays awake. Optional Apple Music focus playlist.
- Daily goal — default two hours, fully customizable. The ring fills as you work. The point is a finish line, not a guilt meter.
- Pause / resume — when life happens.
- Live Activity + Dynamic Island — the timer stays on the lock screen without unlocking.
This is the same app as the app blocker. Blocking and the timer are one session, not two products.
Apple Watch
The Watch companion can start a focus session and complete habits. It is not a standalone Mac-class app — it rides the same iCloud data as the iPhone.
What else is in the day
Habits and routines (optional Apple Health auto-complete), a Shutdown ritual at the end of the day, widgets, and analytics.
There is no task inbox, no Apple Reminders sync, and no calendar to manage. The constraint is the session: apps blocked, dial running.
Compared to Forest / one sec / Opal
- Forest is a gamified timer. Leaving kills a tree. It does not block Instagram.
- one sec adds a breathing pause before an app opens. A 2023 PNAS study found that kind of friction cut problematic opens by about 57%. It is not a session timer.
- Opal is a screen-time dashboard with scheduled rules. Hardcore Focus is built around this session, this goal.
Best iPhone app blockers (2026) and Hardcore Focus vs one sec.
Price
Hard paywall, one subscription: $3.99/week, $8.99/month, $49.99/year with a 7-day annual trial. No account. App Store.