FocusNod questions, answered
FocusNod is a Mac menu-bar app that notices when you drift from your task and nudges you back. It reads app names and window titles, never your screen, and you pay once. Every answer below starts with the short version.
How it works
How does it know I’ve drifted?
You type what you're working on. Each window you settle on for a few seconds is judged against that task by a fast AI model, using only the app name and window title. After about a minute of clear drift a dot appears in the menu bar. After about three minutes, a small panel asks if you're still on your task. Unclear cases never trigger a nudge.
Does FocusNod block apps or websites?
No. FocusNod is a nudge app, not a blocker. It notices when you've drifted from your task and asks if you're still on it. You decide what happens next. If you want hard locks you can't escape, a blocker like Cold Turkey is a better fit.
Will it nag me during real work?
It's designed not to. FocusNod only nudges when the model is confident you've drifted, waits minutes before speaking up, and shows at most one panel every ten minutes. One tap on “It's for the task” teaches it that window for the rest of the task. Calls, meetings and presentations are never interrupted.
Does it work with YouTube tutorials, Slack and Zoom?
Yes. A tutorial that matches your task counts as work, while a music video doesn't. Chat apps like Slack get a time budget before any check‑in, and meeting apps like Zoom are never interrupted.
What happens if I don’t set a task?
Nothing intrusive. Without a task FocusNod just tracks your day and never nudges.
Privacy
Does it take screenshots or read my screen?
No. FocusNod reads two things: the name of the app in front and its window title. It never takes screenshots, reads page content, logs keystrokes or sees full URLs. The privacy page lists exactly what is read, sent and never touched.
Your Mac and setup
How long does setup take?
About a minute. Open the app, allow one macOS permission (Accessibility, so it can read the focused window's title), and type what you're working on. No account, no API key, no configuration.
Which Macs does it support?
FocusNod runs on macOS 14 Sonoma or later. It lives in the menu bar and uses very little CPU.
Do I need an API key or an account?
No. The AI is built in and included in the price. There's no account, no API key and no setup beyond one macOS permission (Accessibility, so it can read the window title).
Does it work offline?
Partly. Windows it has already judged keep working offline from a local cache. New windows can't be judged offline, so FocusNod quietly pauses nudges instead of guessing.
Does it work with multiple monitors?
It judges the window you're using, the one with keyboard focus. A video playing on a second screen isn't judged. Background music and podcasts are fine.
Price and refunds
Is it a subscription?
No. FocusNod costs $29 once for up to two Macs, with a year of updates. The app keeps working after that. The first 100 customers pay $23. See pricing.
What’s the founder price?
The first 100 customers pay $23 instead of $29. The code FIRST100 is applied automatically at checkout, and the pricing page shows how many are left.
How many Macs can I use it on?
Up to 2. One license works on up to 2 Macs you own or use, for example a laptop and a desktop. There's only one license, so there's nothing to choose.
What’s the refund policy?
Founder pre-orders can be refunded in full any time before launch and for 7 days after. Regular purchases can be refunded within 7 days, no questions asked. Email hello@focusnod.com. Details are in the terms.
Still have a question?
Write to the person who makes FocusNod. Every email is read.