u/LautaroVegaa

Two months ago I had some money saved up and made a decision that scared me. I bought a MacBook, went to zero, and told myself I was going to build something real.

I'm 20, studying, no team, no funding, no experience shipping an app. Just figured it out step by step.

The app is called Pomodo Flow. It's a productivity app that combines Pomodoro sessions with real app blocking for iOS, the kind that uses Screen Time so you actually can't bypass it. There's even a mode where you can't exit your session until the timer ends.

Seven days ago I submitted it to the App Store and it got approved.

I don't know if it'll make money. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. But I built something from scratch, alone, and it's live. That feels like enough for now.

If you're sitting on an idea, just start. The Mac paid itself off the moment the app went live, at least in my head.

I used to think my problem was “lack of discipline,” but I’m starting to think the real issue was much simpler:

I’d start studying, feel focused, and then automatically open Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or X a few minutes later.

At that point the study session was basically over.

What has helped me more than any motivational trick is reducing access to distractions while I study.

It sounds obvious, but making the “escape route” harder has worked better for me than just setting a timer and hoping I stay focused.

Curious if anyone else here has the same issue.

What helped you actually stay in the session?

https://preview.redd.it/su9sll0b8myg1.png?width=2388&format=png&auto=webp&s=5916c6ddb98ee03df231a872164dc64677fa04ae

Yesterday I launched my app, Pomodo Flow, which helps you be very productive and focus more on your tasks by blocking social media. This morning when I woke up, I had my first subscriber! I feel like I've won $1000 USD; I'm so happy.

Here's the link to the app if you want to check it out: https://apps.apple.com/ar/app/pomodo-flow-focus-app-blocker/id6758891889

https://preview.redd.it/r6hkas5g7myg1.png?width=2388&format=png&auto=webp&s=ab5a1a3ebcc63fee04f4fcb3218184750f3bf047

I know it's a small achievement, but I'm very happy!

Gente, como andan? Vengo a recomendarles una app que me llamó la atención y creo que puede estar buena para la mayoría de nosotros, al menos a mi me pasa que procrastino mucho y me distraigo con tikTok o instagram cada vez que voy a estudiar. Me instale esta app llamada Pomodo Flow y me ayudó muchísimo, te bloquea las apps que vos elijas y tiene el metodo Pomodoro de estudio, por ahora solo esta disponible en AppStore, la recomiendo para aquellos que tengan iPhone.

les dejo el link a la app por si quieren probarla: https://apps.apple.com/ar/app/pomodo-flow-focus-app-blocker/id6758891889

https://preview.redd.it/1c9wpawmufyg1.png?width=1134&format=png&auto=webp&s=f220b3a917babff3a4a28d65127a18f2f78cc864

After a long build and App Store review process, my first iOS app is finally live.

It’s called Pomodo Flow. The core idea is simple: instead of just starting a timer, it blocks selected distracting apps during focus sessions, and if you quit, you lose the session.

A few things I learned building and shipping it:

- App blocking / Screen Time related flows need very clear UX, otherwise users get confused fast

- Positioning the app without sounding like every other productivity app is harder than building the timer itself

- The App Store side of subscriptions, messaging, and screenshots took more work than I expected

I’d genuinely love feedback from other Apple devs on:

- whether the App Store positioning is clear enough

- whether the “lose the session if you quit” mechanic sounds useful or too harsh

- anything you’d improve from a UX / monetization / App Review perspective

App Store link: https://apps.apple.com/ar/app/pomodo-flow-focus-app-blocker/id6758891889

I just shipped my first iOS app: Pomodo Flow.

I built it because most focus apps help you start a timer, but they don’t do much when you instinctively open Instagram, X, YouTube, or whatever usually breaks your concentration a few minutes later.

So I designed this around friction instead of just tracking time.

What it does:

- Focus sessions with strict app blocking

- If you want to unblock the selected apps, you have to abandon the session and lose it

- Scheduled blocking by day and time

- Daily, weekly, monthly, and total stats

- Weekly report comparing your current week vs previous week

- English and Spanish support

What I wanted to solve:

I didn’t want another “soft” productivity app where everything is easy to skip. I wanted something that makes distraction slightly annoying in the moment, because that’s usually the point where self-control fails.

Tech-wise, it’s built for iPhone and includes native iOS work for app blocking / weekly reporting, plus the usual timer, stats, and subscription flow.

What I’m still figuring out:

- whether the “lose the session if you quit” mechanic feels motivating or too harsh

- whether schedule blocking is something users actually set up long term

- how to position it without sounding like every other productivity app

Would love honest feedback on the concept and the positioning.

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/ar/app/pomodo-flow-focus-app-blocker/id6758891889

https://preview.redd.it/biu97p43sfyg1.png?width=1242&format=png&auto=webp&s=78e6cab11f077c0380e874ae8ddcfc008027c483