Opal is one of the most popular screen-time apps for a reason: it puts a wall between you and the apps that eat your day. Schedule focus sessions, block social media and other time-sinks, and Opal makes the distraction genuinely harder to reach. But blocking is only half of focus. Removing Instagram doesn't tell you what to do instead, or make the work itself feel rewarding.
This is an honest comparison of Opal and Focus Train, our Pomodoro timer — because they're actually solving two different halves of the same problem.
The core difference: remove vs build
- Opal works by subtraction — it takes the distracting apps away so you can't slip into them.
- Focus Train works by addition — it gives your focus a shape (a Pomodoro session) and a reward (a train journey that travels farther the longer you stay on track).
Focus Train vs Opal at a glance
| Opal | Focus Train | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Blocks & limits distracting apps | Structures & rewards focus time |
| Approach | Removes temptation | Builds momentum |
| Method | Screen-time control | Pomodoro: board · focus · arrive |
| Helps you start work | Indirectly | Directly — it times the session |
| Feel | Restrictive (by design) | Positive, no guilt |
| Web version | App-based | Free web Pomodoro timer too |
Where Opal wins
If your core problem is compulsively opening social apps — you reach for them before you even decide to — Opal's blocking is the right medicine. A hard wall beats willpower, and Opal's scheduling and stats are well done. A timer alone won't stop a reflex; a blocker can.
Where Focus Train fits better
Choose Focus Train if your problem is starting and sustaining work rather than resisting specific apps. The Pomodoro structure gives you a clear "focus now, break soon" rhythm, and the train journey makes the effort feel like progress instead of a slog — built on momentum, not guilt. There's a free web timer too, for desk work.
Honestly? Use both
These aren't really rivals. The strongest setup for many people is Opal blocking the time-sinks and Focus Train timing the work — one closes the escape hatches, the other moves you forward. If you only want one, pick based on your weak point: blocker for reflexive scrolling, timer for trouble starting.
"Opal stopped me opening Twitter; Focus Train got me to actually start writing. Together they finally fixed my afternoons."
The bottom line
Opal answers "stop me from getting distracted." Focus Train answers "help me do the work." Removing distractions is valuable, but it isn't the same as building focus — and for a lot of people, the timer is the part that was actually missing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Focus Train and Opal?
Opal is a screen-time app that blocks or limits distracting apps and websites so you can't reach for them. Focus Train is a Pomodoro timer that builds focus by turning each session into a train journey, rewarding the time you spend working. Opal removes temptation; Focus Train structures and motivates the work itself. They solve different halves of the same problem.
Can I use Focus Train and Opal together?
Yes, and they pair well. You can use Opal to block distracting apps during a work block and run a Focus Train Pomodoro session to structure and motivate the focus time itself. One handles what you can't do; the other handles what you're doing.
Do I need an app blocker, or just a focus timer?
It depends on your weak point. If you compulsively open social apps, a blocker like Opal helps by adding a wall. If your issue is starting and sustaining focused work, a Pomodoro timer like Focus Train helps more. Many people only need the timer; heavy doom-scrollers may want both.
Is Focus Train free?
Focus Train is a free iOS app with an optional upgrade, plus a free web version of the Pomodoro timer, and no account is required to start a session.
Blocking distractions is half. This is the other half.
A Pomodoro timer that gives your focus structure and momentum — turning deep work into a train journey. Free, web version too.
Download Focus Train on the App Store →More: Focus Train vs Forest, Focus Train vs FocusFlight, and What Is the Pomodoro Technique? Questions? Email us.