Updated 3 November 2026 by Spencer Lay, who makes FocusFlow.
How earning works
You pick the apps that get locked. You add the tasks you need to do. When you finish a task, you take a photo of it, an AI model checks the photo against the task, and you earn 15 minutes by default. The minutes count down only while you are in the locked apps, and when they run out the apps lock again, even if FocusFlow is closed. Once every task for the day is done, the apps stay open for the rest of the day.
You decide what a task is worth when you add it, so a long assignment can earn more than a short one.
What counts as a task
- Homework and studying: a problem set, a reading, an essay draft.
- Workouts: a photo from the gym or the end of a run.
- Chores: a made bed, an empty sink, a packed bag.
- Anything a photo can show, or anything you trust yourself to tick off with photo proof switched off.
Earning versus limiting
Apple's Screen Time and most blockers set a limit and take time away. Earning works the other way: you start at zero and build time up, so the apps become the reward for the work rather than the thing you are fighting.
For families
Parents can set FocusFlow up on their kids' devices, give them tasks and decide which ones need checking. FocusFlow is free to download from the App Store. The family plan, for parents setting it up on their kids' devices, is $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year after 7 days free.