Alternatives
Products that do what I struggle to focus working from home so I built a solution does
Hey HN friends, I keep getting distracted working from home and always end up watching youtube, browsing blogs like HN or just mindlessly scrolling then I feel like crap because I didn’t do enough. I went through dozens of productivity tools but they’re quite overwhelming to use and none of them actually helped me focus. So I built http://complish.ai, a web-based sidebar that helps me focus on one task at a time. I launched it last month and have over 3,000 users now and I’ll be keeping it free. Would love for you all to try and give some feedback!
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2016 · chrome.google.com
- 4IB
Hi everyone, I built this project to solve a problem I personally struggled with — using too many tools and losing focus. The idea is simple: Instead of adding more tools, reduce them and focus on what actually matters. This is still early, and I’d love your feedback. https://toolrelief.com/
Apr 2026
- 5IP
Hey hackers, Like many of you, I'm always trying to optimize my productivity, and I have tried a lot of apps out there to do so. I didn't find the exact one that I could use, so I built one for myself. Check it out and let me know if you have any thoughts!
2024 · focusmax.io
- 6IB
I’ve always liked fast online tools for jotting notes or organizing thoughts — but most “productivity” sites either save data to the cloud, require sign-ups, or are full of distractions. So I built an online productivity tools website, a small collection of browser-based tools. It includes an online notepad where you can write and save notes right in your browser, a cornell notes tool available in more than 20 languages, and more coming soon like a pomodoro timer and a simple blank page for focused writing. Everything works entirely in-browser using localStorage — no accounts, no cloud sync,…
Oct 2025 · onlinenotep.ad
- 7IM
I really struggle to keep my notes organised, and often can't make any sense of hand written notes after meetings. I did some experiments with Claude and ChatGPT where I blast random thoughts at them during a meeting or brainstorming session and then have them output a nice document that pulls it all together at the end. It worked incredibly well but it was a bit cumbersome to keep sending messages to the chat and telling the ai each time what to do. So I took the idea and built a tool, it makes it easy to throw random notes and voice recordings (images and document support on the way) and…
2025 · scatternote.com
- 8AA
I built this app in less than 4 hours over a busy and noisy weekend to help me stay focused while studying, during my college days. Since then I have been maintaining this open source project. Its been quite a fruitful and enjoyable ride. Hope you all like it :)
2023 · github.com
- 9IW
I'm an ML engineer. I know how AI works, the limitations, the hype. And I was still drowning. Couldn't stick to goals. Couldn't stay consistent. Productivity apps became digital clutter. Therapy waitlists were 3 months out. Friends were tired of my complaints. So at 2am I started building: zropi.com What shocked me was it actually worked. It felt human. Last week I mentioned a tough client call. Didn't set a reminder. Two days later it voice messaged me: "Hey, how'd that call go? You seemed stressed." When does technology ever do that? What makes it feel alive: It doesn't reply instantly.…
Jan 2026
- 10YP
Care to share a screenshot and the 'killer feature' of any of your personal, self-built productivity tools? eg. I made my own calendar and money-tracker last year - there are no other users, it makes no money, I have no plans to make it public, but it holds my life together :) http://i.imgur.com/h2keJDg.png GREAT BECAUSE... it tells me how much I'm going to get paid this month. Absolutely no ulterior motive here (ie. I'm not canvassing opinions for a productivity app startup or anything), just interested.
2013
- 11AC
We created Slash (https://getslash.co/hn) after realizing that todo list apps are hopelessly broken. They're great at making lists, but offer you no help in crossing them off. In fact, they often create even more stress when you're staring at a list 100 items longs. Slash is a task "do-er" that helps you CRUSH your list by focusing on one task at a time. Quickly enter your tasks, hit 'Start', and the window shrinks down to a small always-on-top window that shows your current task and how long you've been working on it. When you're done, hover over the task name and click…
2019
- 12IM
Hi HN, I’ve struggled with anxiety and procrastination for most of my life, feeling overwhelmed and stuck in cycles of stress. A few weeks ago, I decided to channel this experience into something meaningful: TheInnerAlien.co. It’s a platform designed to help people like me manage anxiety and time overwhelm through structured tools, personalized systems, and a supportive community. It’s still early, but I’m excited to share it and hear what you think. Here’s the link: http://www.theinneralien.co I’d love your feedback or ideas on how to improve it. Thanks for taking a look!
2024
- 13IS
Hi all, Sooo ive spent years and years battling ADHD behind a desk, and still, I haven't found that 'one' tool to keep me focused. I'm pretty sure I've sampled a galaxy of productivity tools, and yet, not a single one seems to be designed for an ADHD brain like mine. Here's the loop I find myself in: 1. Realize I've done nothing at work and feel overwhelmed and stressed. 2. Hit Google: "Top ADHD productivity tools," "Best ADHD time-management…." you name it. 3. Sign up for EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. 4. Feel like I'm drowning in a sea of features, but still used it. 5. Few days later, forget the…
2023
- 14NA
Since I went remote(working) last year, I found it hard to track my work/focus hours. To begin with, I started with my mobile stopwatch but found it to be inefficient and distracting. I then tried some time management tools online but they were geared towards enterprises than individuals. Plus, had too many features. So, last weekend I created https://www.timemygrind.com/ - a simple focus time tracking tool that requires no login, no internet and has no ads. Once you finish your work, it shows the times in the table below. I usually pause when I take a break or go out for…
2024 · timemygrind.com
- 15IM
2022 · shhhsound.com
- 16FA
The url can be found in the first comment. To scratch my own itch, I created a simple tool that should be helpful to many of us who are under constant distractions. If anyone uses this and finds it effective or ineffective, please kindly share your experience. Below are some ways I think it can be put in use: 1. Before we start a work day, we can use it to clear up random thoughts and anxiousness. 2. We can use it regularly to increase our attention span. Note: This was posted several years ago. I only made very minor changes since last time. I'm reposting it and hope to see some feedback on…
2019
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One-task focus app with AI optimization and daily streaks
May 2026 · nextstep-2czdeehf.manus.space
- 18IB
I was frustrated with how I share ideas online. LinkedIn/X forces you to compress everything into hot takes. Research papers require months of work. And posting on social media increasingly feels like trying on outfits in ChatGPT until you find one that "fits" – performance over genuine thinking. I wanted something in between. A place where: - Half-formed ideas are okay - Thinking evolves over time (with revision history) - Garbage gets pruned naturally through format itself and status tracking (exploring → resolved → abandoned) So I built Kwegg. How it works: 1. You're in ChatGPT or…
Jan 2026 · kwegg.com
- 19IB
I used to watch hundreds of hours of lofi beats on youtube while I was coding, but I got really sick of all the ads. I decided to build a better alternative - It's a configurable space for you to hang out online while you work, with a ton of relaxing music and backgrounds. Its got useful tools built in like a timer to keep track of how long you've been locked in, and a notepad for todos or scribbling down ideas while you work. Honestly this is the first tool I've built that I personally use every day, so I'm hoping some of you out there can get some use out of it too!
2025 · lofizone.com
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Howdy, Hackers; dustball and I just launched a new web app called Prioritize My Work ( http://prioritizemywork.com ). We've been working on it off and on for about a month, and we figured it was time to share it with the world (i.e. you guys) and see what you thought. The basic pitch is that you've got a bunch of things to do and not enough time to do them all. You can use Prioritize My Work to build a todo list and then send it to your boss/client to let them arrange them, so you know what to work on first. Assuming you've got good time estimates, we even show you when you're going to run…
2010
- 22ER
Hi, the maker here. Like most developers, I stare at my work screen for many hours a day, completely forgetting that my eyes need rest. Yes, in an ideal world you need to go for a walk, do eye exercises, and also sleep well, etc. I tried different techniques and reminders, but it only lasted me for a couple of days. So I decided to make a browser extension that contains exercises and a timer to switch from routine tasks to short exercises, this allows you to switch tasks and really helps relieve stress. In development, I used scientific articles with an evidence base and chose exercises for…
2023 · chrome.google.com
- 23BA
I built BetterSelf to solve a problem I kept running into: most of what we learn, we forget. Books, podcasts, and notes — valuable insights disappear in days. BetterSelf keeps your best lessons and ideas alive, reminding you over time so they actually stick. I use it every day, and it’s already helped me retain things I would have forgotten. I’m 19 and built this in about a month while experimenting with personal productivity tools. I’d love feedback from the HN community — anything you suggest will go straight into the app.
Oct 2025 · apps.apple.com
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The ADHD Productivity Hub | Focus Better Without Feeling
Jul 2026 · avatarachiever.gumroad.com
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