A timer that winds down
Set how long you want to focus, and the ring empties as the time runs out. When it ends, you can add a few minutes or just stop. It doesn't log the time or score you on it.
Local-first focus app · Open source
A timer and a notepad.
That was all I needed.
A free, local-first focus timer, task list, and notepad for Mac and Windows.
Focusbox is a countdown, a task list, and a notes page, side by side. That's the whole app. It runs on your own computer, it's free, and the code is open. I built it after Rize started doing too much.
free · apple silicon .dmg · windows .exe too
24:00
focusing
What it is
It does three things.
A list you check off
Type a task, press enter, and check it off when you're done. The header keeps a count of what's left. That's the whole task list.
Notes beside it
A plain notes page that's always open next to the timer. You get headings, lists, and checkboxes, without a wall of buttons to wade through. More on the timer with notes.
Why I built it
I run a few businesses at once. For a while I leaned on Rize to keep up with it all, but it tracked and scored everything until staying focused turned into one more dashboard to manage. It was too much.
What actually worked was simpler than anything I'd installed: a countdown to work against, and a page to write down what I'm doing. So that's all I built. I start a timer, check a few things off, keep my notes next to me, and I know what I need to get done.
That's Focusbox. It stays on your computer, it's free, and anyone who's curious can read the code. Here's how I actually use it day to day, or try it in your browser first.
— Mathias
Your data stays put
Private, and open.
yours by default
It stays on your computer
By default there's no account and nothing leaves your machine. Your tasks and notes sit in a single file on your own disk. Turn on sync only if you want your devices in step.
nothing watching
Nothing is tracked
No analytics and no scores. The app doesn't measure your day or grade how you did. It stays out of your way.
MIT licensed
Every line is public
The whole thing is on GitHub under an MIT license. Read it, build it yourself, or just trust it because you're able to check. More on local-first and open source.
In the box
What you get.
- Depleting-ring timer with 30m / 1h / 1.5h / 2h presets
- Add +5 / +10 / +15 / +30 minutes the moment it's up
- Check-off task list with a running "what's left" count
- Markdown notes with a pinned formatting toolbar
- Light & dark, plus four accent colors
- Optional Spotify mini-player on macOS
- Everything saved locally, the instant you change it
- Native macOS app today, Windows from the same code
Optional, if you want it
Your work, on every device.
Keep your tasks, notes, and settings in step across your Macs, PCs, and the web app. Sync is end-to-end encrypted: the server only ever holds encrypted blobs, and never receives your password or keys. The app stays free and works exactly the same without it.
$2/mo · $20/yr
Introductory pricing. Monthly bills right away; annual starts with a 7-day free trial (card up front). Cancel anytime. You subscribe in the app, under Settings then Account.
Questions
Good to know.
- Is Focusbox free?
- Yes. The app is free and open source under the MIT license. Sync across devices is an optional paid add-on; everything else is free, and you can donate if you'd like to.
- Is my data private?
- Yes. By default everything stays on your computer in a single file, with no account and nothing tracked. If you turn on cloud sync it's end-to-end encrypted: the server never receives your password or keys and stores only encrypted blobs, so we can't read your tasks or notes. The web app uses the same encryption; the desktop app is the strongest tier and what I'd recommend for sensitive notes.
- Can I sync across my devices?
- Yes, optionally. Cloud sync keeps your tasks, notes, and settings in step across your devices, end-to-end encrypted so we can't read them. It's $2/month, billed right away, or $20/year with a 7-day free trial (introductory pricing), started in the app under Settings then Account. The app stays free and fully usable without it. The web app and desktop app share the same end-to-end encryption; the signed desktop build is the strongest tier.
- Is Focusbox a Rize alternative?
- Pretty much why I made it. If Rize felt like too much for you, Focusbox is just a timer, a task list, and notes, with no time-tracking and no scoring. Here's the honest comparison.
- What platforms does it run on?
- macOS (Apple Silicon) now, and there's a Windows build too. Both are on the GitHub releases page.
- Does it track my time or focus?
- No. It's just a countdown. It doesn't log time against your tasks or rate your day, it only helps you focus and then gets out of the way.
Get it
Download Focusbox.
it isn't signed yet, so the first time you open it on macOS, right-click the app and choose Open
More on the free focus timer for Mac and Windows.
Support Focusbox
It's free and open source. If it's useful to you, you're welcome to chip in.