A Pomodoro timer you can use with a friend
You and one other person each run your own Pomodoro timer on a board you both see. No shared countdown, no scheduling, no webcam — just the fact that they can tell when you are working, and you can tell when they are. It is free, and there is no session limit.
How it works
- 1Make a workspace. One click after you sign in. It holds exactly two people.
- 2Send the link. Your friend opens it and they are in. No installs, no invite approval.
- 3Plan the day on one board. A column each, for today. Either of you can add a task for the other.
- 4Start your own timer. Pick a task, press start. They see you go into focus immediately.
Why the timers are not synchronised
Most shared Pomodoro tools give you one countdown that both people watch. It sounds right and it fails in practice: somebody is always two minutes from finishing something when the other presses start, so one of you is waiting and the other feels rushed. After a week, one of you stops turning up.
What actually does the work is visibility. Knowing that the other person is heads-down right now makes starting the default rather than a decision, and knowing they will see that you did not start is enough friction to get you going. That needs no shared clock at all.
With a friend, or with a stranger?
Focusmate and Flow Club match you with somebody you have never met, on camera, at a booked time. That genuinely works for some people. This is the other shape.
| FocusTribe | Stranger matching | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you focus with | One person you chose | A stranger you are matched with |
| Webcam | None | Required, usually |
| Scheduling | None — start whenever | Book a slot in advance |
| Free tier | Everything, no limit | Usually a few sessions a week |
| Shared task board | Yes | No |
If you would rather be matched with somebody, we keep an honest comparison of the alternatives.
Frequently asked
Can you use a Pomodoro timer with a friend?
Yes. FocusTribe gives two people one shared board where each person runs their own Pomodoro timer. You can see whether the other is in focus, on a break, or away, and what they are working on. Send them a link, they join, and that is the whole setup.
Do both timers start at the same time?
No, and that is deliberate. There is no shared countdown and no synchronised start, because waiting for the other person to be ready is the most common reason a shared timer gets abandoned. You each start when you are ready; what is shared is the visibility, not the clock.
Is there a free shared Pomodoro timer?
This one. The whole product is free with no card and no session limit — the shared board, both timers, the break room and the progress history. There is no paid tier holding a feature back.
How many people can join?
Exactly two. A workspace holds one partner and it is enforced in the database, not a plan limit. Accountability between two people who know each other works differently from a room of twelve, and the product is built for the first one.
Do I need a webcam?
No. There is no video and no audio call anywhere in FocusTribe. The signal is a status — in focus, on a break, away — plus the shared task board. That is the main difference from Focusmate and Flow Club, which pair you with a stranger on camera.
What if my friend is in another timezone?
It still works. Because nothing is synchronised, seeing that your partner focused for three blocks this morning is useful even if you are starting your day as they finish theirs. The board is per calendar day in each person’s own timezone.
Ask one person.
That is the whole setup cost. Make a workspace, send the link, and you have somebody who notices whether you showed up today.
Start free