A Focusmate alternative for when you want to work alone

Focusmate is virtual coworking: you book a session, a stranger joins on video, you each say what you will do, and you work. It is body doubling made easy, and for many people it works better than any app. People look for an alternative when the free sessions run out, or on days when a camera and a stranger are more than they want.

What Focusmate costs

At the time of writing Focusmate's free plan gives three sessions a week. Plus is unlimited, at $8 a month billed yearly ($96) or $12 month to month. Check Focusmate's pricing page for the current numbers.

The same structure, on your own

Much of what makes Focusmate work is structure: a start time, a stated task, a fixed end. You can keep most of that alone. Kiri asks what you are working on before each block, runs a 25, 50 or 90-minute timer with the countdown in your tab title, and chimes at the end. Ambient sound in the same tab makes the block feel like a place you are in.

The timer, rain, brown noise and alpha beats are free with no limit on sessions. The other sounds are €39 once, no subscription. It runs on a laptop only, so the phone stays out of the room.

When Focusmate is the better tool

• You need another person. If a timer on its own has never been enough, the social pressure is the point. Nothing solo replaces it.
• You struggle to start. A booked session with someone waiting is a strong push to begin.
• You like the people. Many regulars do. That is worth paying for.

Use both

Plenty of people use Focusmate for the hard mornings and work alone the rest of the time. For more on why a second person helps, and what to do on the days you work alone, read body doubling alternatives.