Focus Valley vs NotchOwl

Focus Valley is a Pomodoro timer that works in any browser without signup, rewarding each focused minute with sparks that count toward a global weekly ranking.

NotchOwl turns the empty space around a MacBook notch into a hover activated panel for tasks, voice capture, a focus timer, notes and upcoming meetings.

About Focus Valley

Focus Valley is a browser based Pomodoro timer for students, developers and remote workers who want structure and a little friendly competition. The default preset runs 25 minutes of focus followed by a 5 minute break. Each minute of completed focus earns a spark, and daily streaks are stored locally, so no account is needed. Signing up is optional and serves only two purposes: joining the world leaderboard, which resets every Monday in UTC, and syncing data across devices. The top three each week receive Gems, which never expire. A desktop app that covers the screen when work stops is described on the site but is temporarily unavailable. The web timer is free with no time limit.

About NotchOwl

NotchOwl is a Mac utility that places a planner in the screen area around the MacBook notch, opened by hovering or by pressing Option N. It is pitched as a task manager for people with ADHD: spoken or typed thoughts become sorted tasks, and a focus timer keeps attention on one item. It also stores screenshots, shows meetings with quick joining, offers a weekly view for dragging tasks between days, and displays progress insights. Tasks sync to iPhone and Apple Watch through Apple Reminders, external monitors get their own notch, and Claude can push plans into it. Planner data stays on the Mac. An early bird lifetime license costs 12 USD for up to three Macs.