Focus apps like Centered and Session charge $5–10/month for a timer, a task list and some rain sounds. Deepdesk is the whole deep-work loop — a Pomodoro engine, session intents, per-task tallies, an always-on-top mini timer, procedurally generated ambient noise and a streak dashboard — stored on your machine, purchased exactly once.
If you've searched for a Centered alternative, Deepdesk is the pay-once option worth putting at the top of the list: Deepdesk is $15, one time, and covers the same core job Centered charges ~$10/mo for.
What makes Deepdesk the pick for 2026
- Pomodoro engine — Configurable focus / short break / long break lengths, auto-cycling, long break after every N sessions, pause and skip.
- Session intents — Answer "what are you working on?" before each session — every intent lands in your session log.
- Tasks with pomodoro tallies — Add tasks, pick the active one, and watch its 🍅 count grow as you complete sessions.
- Always-on-top mini timer — A frameless, draggable floating widget with a live progress ring — hover to expand pause / skip / open controls.
- Generated ambient noise — White, pink and brown noise plus procedural rain, synthesized mathematically in real time — per-source mix sliders, no audio files, no streaming.
Deepdesk vs Centered, at a glance
| Deepdesk | Centered | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $15 once | ~$10/month |
| Cost over 2 years | $15 | ~$240 |
| Account required | Never | Yes |
| Works offline | Always | Partly |
| Pomodoro + intents + tasks | Yes | Yes |
| Floating mini timer | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient noise | Generated locally | Streamed |
| Source code | MIT, yours | Closed |
Deepdesk costs six weeks of Centered — and it keeps working after every focus startup pivots or shuts down.
Common questions
Is it really free on GitHub?
Yes — MIT source at github.com/bensblueprints/focus-dashboard-mvp. $15 buys the signed installer, auto-shortcuts and zero setup.
How is the ambient noise generated?
Mathematically, in real time — white/pink/brown noise and droplet-synthesized rain as pure sample-buffer math through WebAudio. No audio files are shipped and nothing streams, which is why it works offline forever.
Does it block distracting websites or apps?
No — Deepdesk is a timer, intent and stats tool, not a blocker. Pair it with a hosts-file blocker if you need hard enforcement. Centered's coaching nudges and Flow music are also things Deepdesk deliberately doesn't do.
The bottom line
Deepdesk won't out-feature Centered on every axis — no subscription tool with a bigger team and a bigger roadmap loses on everything. But for the core job, $15 once against ~$10/mo forever is a trade most people should at least look at. Deepdesk is part of OneTimeSuite, a catalog of pay-once apps that replace subscription SaaS.
Try Deepdesk — $15, once
Pomodoro engine, session intents, floating mini timer, generated ambient noise & focus stats.