The Best Pomodoro Timer Apps and Physical Timers, Ranked

Seven Pomodoro timer picks, from free browser apps to flip cubes you can hold, ranked by how easily they get you started and keep you going.

A pomodoro timer is the simplest focus tool there is: you set it, work on one thing until it rings, then rest. According to Todoist, Francesco Cirillo came up with the method as a student using a tomato shaped kitchen timer, which is where the name comes from, since pomodoro is Italian for tomato. Below are seven timers we like for ADHD brains, apps first, then ones you can hold, and if you want to tune the method itself, our guides to the Pomodoro Technique for ADHD and visual timers and time blindness go deeper.

How to choose a pomodoro timer, step by step

Tick each step as you go. Your progress is saved on this device.

1. 1. Notice what pulls you awayThink about your last focus session that fell apart. Did you grab your phone, forget the time, or never start at all? If the phone is the trap, look at a physical pomodoro timer or an app that blocks other apps. If you lose track of time, pick something you can see from across the room.
2. 2. Make starting one tap or one flipThe best timer is the one with the least friction. A browser tab you keep pinned, a widget on your home screen, or a cube you flip on your desk all work. If setting it up takes more than a few seconds, you will skip it on a hard day.
3. 3. Pick a block length you can actually finishStart with a block that feels almost too easy, even 10 minutes. Finishing a short block builds trust with yourself, and you can make it longer later. Most of the timers below let you change both the focus time and the break time.
4. 4. Choose a sound you will not ignore or dreadA harsh alarm can make you jump, and a soft chime can slip past you mid thought. Try the sound once before a real session. Some people like a gentle warning a few minutes before the end so stopping feels less abrupt.
5. 5. Test it on a real task for one weekUse your new timer on something you have been avoiding for a week before you pay for anything. Notice whether you reach for it on your own. If you do not, that is useful information, not a failure, and the next pick on the list might fit better.

App or physical pomodoro timer: which fits you

Videos worth a watch

Further reading

• The Pomodoro Technique Todoist

  Where the method came from, the classic 25 and 5 minute rhythm, and the longer break after four rounds.

• Pomodoro Timer ADDA

  A free online timer from the Attention Deficit Disorder Association, with ADHD tips for each step.

• Pomodoro Technique for ADHD Kids: How to Structure Homework ADDitude

  Ideas for shorter blocks and movement breaks that work for grown ups too.

The best pomodoro timer picks, ranked

• 1. Pomofocus

  Pomofocus is a pomodoro timer that runs in your browser, so there is nothing to install and nothing on your phone to distract you. You can change the focus and break lengths, pick alarm and background sounds, and add a short task list with an estimate of how many rounds each task needs. Premium features like reports and integrations are optional. Best for: Anyone who works at a computer and wants to start in one click.

  Visit site
• 2. Ticktime Cube

  Ticktime makes flip timers with preset times built in, including 25 minutes on the Cube, and you simply flip it to start, pause or reset. No phone, no menus, just turn the side you want face up. It ranks high because it removes the biggest trap for many ADHD brains: unlocking the phone to start a timer. Best for: People who want a pomodoro timer they can touch and see on the desk.

  Visit siteFind on Amazon
• 3. Forest

  Forest grows a small virtual tree while you focus, and leaving to use another app makes it wither. Its Deep Focus mode can block apps, and it works with the nonprofit Trees for the Future to plant real trees. The core timer is free on iPhone, iPad and Android, with a browser extension too. Best for: Phone scrollers who like a gentle, visual reward.

  Visit site
• 4. Time Timer

  Time Timer is the classic visual timer: a red disk shrinks as time passes, so you can see how much is left at a glance without reading numbers. The MOD line comes in several lengths, and the Original comes in 8 and 12 inch sizes you can see from across a room. It is not a pomodoro timer in the strict sense, but a 30 minute block on a Time Timer works beautifully for focus rounds. Best for: People who need to see time to feel it.

  Visit siteFind on Amazon
• 5. Flow

  Flow is a simple, ad free focus timer for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch that alternates work blocks and short breaks. It can also block distracting apps and websites while the timer runs. The basic features are free with no sign up. Best for: Apple users who want a calm pomodoro timer that also blocks distractions.

  Visit site
• 6. TickTick

  TickTick is a to do list with a pomodoro timer built in, so you can start a focus round right from the task you need to finish. It syncs across phone, computer, tablet and watch, and it has a free version. Turn off the features you do not need so it stays simple. Best for: People who want tasks and a focus timer in one place.

  Visit site
• 7. Focus To-Do

  Focus To-Do pairs a pomodoro timer with a task list that handles due dates, reminders, subtasks and repeating tasks. Its reports show how much time you spent on each project by day, week and month, which some people find motivating. It works on Android, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, Windows and Chrome. Best for: People who like seeing their focus time add up.

  Visit site

Common pomodoro timer questions

This page shares practical ideas, not medical advice. Videos and articles belong to their creators; we link to them because they explain things well.