Pomodoro timer
A Pomodoro timer splits work into focused blocks, classically 25 minutes of work and 5 of rest, with a longer break after four. Timer apps we read in October 2026 charge from A$1.49 to A$299.99.
You do not need an app to use the Pomodoro technique, and we will say so first. What an app can add is a record of how many blocks you finished each day. We are building a timer into the Daily Journal that logs sessions to Today, and this page is how you tell us it matters.
- The technique explained, with the maths of a working day
- What three timer apps charge, read 20 October 2026
- A free timer today: your phone's own clock
- A timer in the Daily Journal is planned, and your sign up is the vote
What the Pomodoro technique is, and where the timer stands
The Pomodoro technique is a way of working in short, timed blocks. You choose one task, set a timer for 25 minutes, work on only that task until it rings, then take a 5 minute break. After four blocks you take a longer break. It was created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s and is named after the tomato shaped kitchen timer he used as a student. The method is popular because it is small enough to start and short enough to finish.
There is no timer in the Daily Journal yet. What it does have is the record keeping around one: Today for a line about what you got done, Plan for the tasks themselves, and Home for the streak of days you showed up. A timer that writes finished blocks into that record is the feature we would build, and it is on the list because of this page.
What is included
- Plan for the tasks you will time
- Today for one line about what you finished
- Home streak for the days you did a block
- Your vote on the timer, counted at sign up
Who it is for
- People who start the day with a long list and no momentum
- Students and remote workers who lose hours to small distractions
- Anyone who finds a deadline helps and an open afternoon does not
- People who want a record of focus days without a separate app
How a Pomodoro session runs
The steps are the same on a kitchen timer, a phone clock or an app.
- 1Choose one task
Write it down in a sentence. If it is too big to finish in a few blocks, write the first part of it.
- 2Set 25 minutes
Start the timer and work on that task only. A thought about something else goes on a scrap of paper to look at later.
- 3Stop when it rings
Stop even if you are in the middle of a sentence. Tick the block on your sheet.
- 4Rest for 5 minutes
Stand up, drink water, look out of a window. Do not open anything that can swallow the break.
- 5After four blocks, rest longer
Take 15 to 30 minutes, then start the next set with a new task or the next part of the same one.
The maths of a working day
One set of four blocks is 4 times 25 minutes of work plus three 5 minute breaks, which is 115 minutes before the long break. Eight blocks in a day is 200 minutes of focused work. That sounds low until you notice how few hours most people spend truly focused in a long day.
The standard 25 and 5 is a default, not a law. Longer blocks suit deep work and shorter ones suit tasks you dread. The table compares three common patterns over a four hour window, so you can see how little the totals differ and how much the rhythm does.
| Pattern | Work block | Break | Blocks in 4 hours | Focused minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | 25 minutes | 5 minutes | 8 | 200 |
| Longer | 50 minutes | 10 minutes | 4 | 200 |
| Deep work | 90 minutes | 20 minutes | 2 (with 20 minutes spare) | 180 |
Arithmetic worked on 23 October 2026. The patterns are common variations, not recommendations from a study.
Do you need a Pomodoro app?
No. A kitchen timer, the timer on your phone's clock app or a browser search for a timer all work. The three reasons people reach for an app are to count finished blocks, to block distractions and to keep a history. If you only want the first, a tick on a sheet of paper is enough.
The paid apps we read sell extras around the timer: task lists, statistics, sync across devices, white noise and app blocking. Whether those are worth money depends on how much you will use them, and a free trial is the cheap way to find out.
What is in the app today, and what is not
The position on 23 October 2026.
| Feature | In the app today | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Tasks and reminders | Yes | Plan holds tasks and reminders on a calendar. |
| A line about what you got done | Yes | Thoughts of the day on Today, one line is plenty. |
| A streak of days you showed up | Yes | Home counts current streak, days active and weeks in a row. |
| A 25 minute timer | Not yet | Not built. This page is where we count how many people want it. |
| Finished blocks logged to Today | Not yet | Not built. It would follow the timer. |
| App and website blocking | Not yet | Not built and not planned. |
Sign up to your own free journal
- Free to start, no card needed
- Private by default, and you choose who you share with
- Your account opens straight away, on your phone or computer
Free to start. Takes about a minute.
What Pomodoro timer apps charge
Read from the Australian App Store listings on 20 October 2026. A range is a spread of monthly, yearly and lifetime purchases, not one price. Rating counts show how widely each is used.
| App | What we read | Read on |
|---|---|---|
| Focus Keeper - Pomodoro Timer | In-app purchases A$5.99 to A$299.99, ten items listed. 2,357 ratings. | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Focus To-Do: Focus Timer and Tasks | In-app purchases A$2.99 to A$19.99, three items listed. 752 ratings. | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Pomodoro - Focus Timer | In-app purchases A$1.49 to A$14.99, five items listed. 544 ratings. | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Your phone's clock app | A timer is built in. We have not priced phone makers' apps. | not read |
| Daily Journal | Free to start. No paid plan is set, and the timer is not built yet. | 23 Oct 2026 |
We have not asked ChatGPT which Pomodoro timers people name, so there is no list of names here. Check each app's own page before you pay.
Start your first block today
Use any timer for now, and keep the record in a free journal that is ready the minute you sign up.
Sign up to your own free journal
- Free to start, no card needed
- Private by default, and you choose who you share with
- Your account opens straight away, on your phone or computer
Free to start. Takes about a minute.
Making blocks stick as a habit
A timer helps most when it becomes part of a routine. Attach the first block of the day to something you already do, such as making a coffee, and the start is no longer a decision. That is habit stacking, covered in our habit stacking guide, and it works for work blocks the same way it works for a morning walk.
Count days, not blocks. Aiming for one finished block a day is easy to keep and often turns into three. The habit tracker app page shows how the streak is counted, and the habit streak calculator lets you test it.
- Plan tomorrow's first block tonight, as one sentence on a sheet
- Keep the breaks, they are what makes the next block possible
- End the day by writing one line about what you finished
When Pomodoro does not suit the task
Some work does not split into 25 minute pieces: a conversation, a long call, a creative flow that is working. If the timer breaks something good, let it go and go back to the method tomorrow. The technique is a tool for starting and finishing, not a rule.
If you struggle to focus even in short blocks and it affects your life, talk to a doctor or a psychologist. A timer is not a treatment.
Tools to pair with a focus timer
Choose the day's tasks and tick the blocks.
→Weekly planner printableSpread focus blocks across the week.
→Goal setting worksheetPick what the blocks are for.
→Habit tracker printableTick one block a day on paper.
→Habit stacking explainedHang the first block on an existing routine.
→Journal appWrite what you finished at the end of the day.
→Tell us you want the timer
Sign up free, and your sign up counts as a vote for the Pomodoro timer. We will tell you the day it arrives.
Questions people ask
What is the Pomodoro technique?
It is a way of working in timed blocks: 25 minutes of focused work, then a 5 minute break, with a longer break after four blocks. It was created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s and named after a tomato shaped kitchen timer.
How long is a Pomodoro?
The classic block is 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest. Many people use 50 and 10 for longer tasks. The right length is the one you can finish.
Does the Daily Journal have a Pomodoro timer?
Not yet. It has Plan for tasks, Today for a line about what you finished and a streak on Home. A timer that logs finished blocks to Today is planned, and signing up counts as a vote.
Is there a free Pomodoro timer?
Yes. Your phone's clock app has a timer, and many Pomodoro apps have a free tier. You can also use a kitchen timer and tick a sheet of paper.
How much do Pomodoro apps cost?
In the Australian App Store on 20 October 2026, Pomodoro - Focus Timer listed purchases from A$1.49 to A$14.99, Focus To-Do from A$2.99 to A$19.99 and Focus Keeper from A$5.99 to A$299.99.
How many Pomodoros should I do in a day?
Eight blocks is 200 minutes of focused work, which is a strong day for most people. Start with two to four and add one when it feels easy.
What should I do in the 5 minute break?
Stand up, move, drink water and look away from the screen. Avoid anything that can swallow the break, such as feeds and email.
What if I get interrupted?
Note it, handle it if it is urgent, and start the block again. Keep a scrap of paper for distracting thoughts so you can come back to them after the block.
Does the Pomodoro technique work for everyone?
No. It suits tasks you can do in short blocks and people who benefit from a deadline. It suits a conversation or a creative flow less. Try a week and keep it only if it helps.
Can a timer help me start a task I am avoiding?
Often, yes. Promising yourself only 25 minutes makes the start smaller, and starting is usually the hard part. Our habit stacking guide shows how to attach the start to something you already do.
Who can see my entries?
Private by default. You can share with one person or a group and stop at any time. The people who run the app can see counts, such as how many days you wrote, but not what you wrote. If anyone is ever given access to read your entries, your Profile page says so. The privacy policy has the detail.
How much does the Daily Journal cost?
It is free to start and no paid plan is set. If one is added you will see the price before you pay.
Where these figures come from
- App prices and rating counts: Australian App Store listings for Focus Keeper, Focus To-Do and Pomodoro - Focus Timer, read on 20 October 2026 and saved in our files.
- The Pomodoro technique was created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. The 25 and 5 pattern and the longer break after four blocks are the standard form of the method.
- The 50 and 10 and 90 and 20 patterns are common variations. The totals in the table are arithmetic worked on 23 October 2026, not findings from a study.
- We have not asked ChatGPT or SpyFu about this topic for the page text, so no list of popular apps is shown. A figure not read from a file is written as unknown.
Updated 23 October 2026. A figure that was not read from a file is written as unknown. Prices change: check the supplier's own page before you rely on one. We are not affiliated with any app named here.
Start your free journal today
Sign up free. Your account opens straight away and your entries stay yours.
Free to start. Privacy.