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A beautiful, native focus companion for macOS designed to help you stay focused and track your progress across projects. Completely free. Forever.

22 starsTypeScript

Flumen – An open-source focus timer for macOS (menu bar, local data)

by saranshbarua01·Feb 19, 2026·4 points·2 comments

AI Analysis

●●SolidCozySolve My Problem

Beautiful macOS timer replaces bloated SaaS competitors, but Toggl and Be Focus already dominate.

Strengths
  • Menu bar + floating popup + Mission Control awareness shows genuine macOS platform fluency, not a generic cross-platform port.
  • Local-only SQLite with CSV export respects user privacy; no telemetry or cloud syncing is table stakes but executed cleanly.
  • SwiftUI + React hybrid tech stack is well-justified: native UI performance + React for analytics dashboard without rebuilding in Swift.
Weaknesses
  • Crowded category: Toggl, Timing, Be Focus, Focus@Will all exist; menu bar timer + local storage isn't novel anymore.
  • macOS-only limits addressable market; cross-platform alternatives (Toggl, RescueTime) capture users who switch devices.
Category
Target Audience

macOS users who value privacy and minimalist design in focus/time-tracking apps

Similar To

Toggl Track · Be Focus · Timing

Post Description

Hey HN,

I built a focus timer for macOS because every one I tried was either bloated with features, ugly, paywalled, or stored my data in the cloud. My daily time-tracking data is personal - I didn't want it on someone else's server.

Flumen lives in your menu bar. One click to start a focus session. Key details:

- Menu bar timer with animated progress ring — always accessible - Task Shelf for single-task focus with project tagging - Analytics with project-level time breakdowns - 4-7-8 breathing animations during breaks - 100% local SQLite storage — no accounts, no cloud, no telemetry - Universal binary (Apple Silicon + Intel) - Free, open source

I believe simple productivity tools like this should be free, especially now. So I built what I wanted and made it available to everyone.

Website: https://saranshbarua.github.io/flumen/ GitHub: https://github.com/saranshbarua/flumen Direct download: https://github.com/saranshbarua/flumen/releases/latest/downl...

I'd love feedback, especially from folks who've tried other Mac timer apps. What's missing? What would make this part of your daily workflow?

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104mo ago