Focuh vs Serene: free ADHD todo list for Mac and web

What is Serene?

Serene is a macOS focus app that combines website and app blocking with a day planner and built-in focus music. The workflow is built around planning your day in focused sessions. You list what you want to accomplish, assign time blocks, then work through them with distractions blocked and focus music playing.

Serene launched as a focused alternative to complex productivity suites, aiming to give Mac users a simple daily focus ritual. However, development has slowed in recent years, with fewer updates and new features.

What is Focuh?

Focuh is an ADHD todo list for Mac and web. Today sits next to Google Calendar. Week is the week. Loops are standing to-dos you pull onto a day. Goals are the one win for the horizon. On Mac, website and app blocking is system-wide during a session.

Focuh and Serene both combine planning with blocking. Serene is Mac-only. Focuh runs on Mac and web. The differences are in the details and approach.

How do the day planning features compare?

Both apps center around planning your day with focused work sessions, but the interfaces differ.

Serene uses a linear daily planner where you list your goals for the day and assign time estimates. You then work through them sequentially, one focus session at a time. It's a straightforward daily routine.

Focuh uses a kanban-style task board where you can drag and drop tasks across days. Tasks can be organized visually, and you can see your Google Calendar alongside your task board. This gives you a broader view, not just today, but your week.

Feature	Focuh	Serene
Website blocking	Yes, system-level	Yes
App blocking	Yes	Yes
Focus timer	Yes	Yes
Day planner	Today next to Google Calendar	Linear day planner
Google Calendar sync	Yes	No
Focus music	No	Yes, built-in
Ambient sounds	No	Yes
Session history	Yes	Yes
Platforms	Mac and web	macOS
Active development	Yes	Slowed
Price	Free. Early beta. No subscription.	~$4/month

Does Serene have focus music?

Yes, and this is one of Serene's standout features. It includes built-in focus music and ambient soundscapes designed to help you concentrate. You can choose between different music styles and ambient sounds without needing a separate app or subscription.

Focuh doesn't include any audio features. If focus music is important to your workflow, you'd need a separate service like Brain.fm, Spotify, or just your own playlist. This is a genuine gap if you rely on focus audio.

How does blocking compare?

Both apps block websites and applications on macOS. Serene blocks distractions during your planned focus sessions, similar to Focuh's session-based approach. Neither offers unbreakable blocking. Both can be circumvented with enough effort.

Focuh uses macOS Accessibility APIs for system-level blocking across all browsers. Serene uses its own blocking mechanism. In practice, both are effective at preventing casual distraction-seeking during focus sessions.

Should you worry about Serene's development pace?

It's worth considering. Serene's update cadence has slowed, and the app hasn't seen major new features recently. It still functions, and for some users a "finished" product is fine. Not every app needs constant updates.

However, macOS updates sometimes break third-party apps that aren't actively maintained. If Serene stops working after a macOS update and there's no fix coming, you'd need to switch anyway. Focuh is under active development, which means ongoing compatibility and new features.

When should you choose Serene over Focuh?

Choose Serene if:

• Built-in focus music is a must-have for your workflow
• You prefer a simple linear day planner over a kanban board
• You like the structured "plan then execute" daily ritual
• You're okay with an app that may not see frequent updates

Choose Focuh if:

• You want an ADHD todo list for Mac and web
• You want Today next to Google Calendar, a week view, and loops
• Google Calendar sync is important to your planning
• You have ADHD and need the list next to the day, plus Mac blocking that holds
• You want an actively developed app with regular updates

The bottom line

Serene and Focuh both combine blocking with day planning. Serene is a paid Mac day planner with focus music. Focuh is an ADHD todo list for Mac and web. Serene's unique advantage is built-in focus music, which some users swear by. Focuh's advantages are Today next to Google Calendar, the week view, loops, system-wide Mac blocking, active development, and the price: Free. Early beta. No subscription.

If Serene's focus music feature is essential to your workflow, it may be worth the $4/month. For everything else, Focuh covers the list, the week, and Mac blocking, with the added confidence of active development and regular macOS compatibility updates.

Want the short version of this split, from the Mac side? Read best Serene alternative for Mac.