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Library/App & software/Focus Friend
Grade B12 sourcesHIS-01904

Focus Friend

App & software · 2025

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A knitting bean helped Focus Friend reach No. 1 among free US iPhone apps.

Cultural Impact Winner: Focus Friend on the App Store
Apple
Hank Green's 'Focus Friend' unseated ChatGPT on the App Store. I used it to help concentrate while writing this article.
Business Insider
Hank Green (@hankgreen.bsky.social)
Hank Green
Scrolling instead of working? YouTuber Hank Green's new app wants to help
NBC News
The App That Dethroned ChatGPT Isn't What You'd Expect
Appfigures
YouTuber Hank Green’s Focus App Just Overtook ChatGPT on the App Store
Lifehacker
The Hail Mary pitch that launched a #1 App Store hit | RevenueCat
RevenueCat

Spread Score

How it works
Reach27Contagion35Breadth10Velocity40Longevity1625

Numbers

Seed to milestone
4 weeks
Jul 23 ’25 to Aug 19 ’25
Platforms
4
Started on App stores
Origin
Seeded
Technology

Mechanics

  • Press loopPrimary
  • Pairing

How it spread

Trace the origin

Focus Friend soft-launched in July. After Hank and John Green posted about it in August, the app reached No. 1 among free US iPhone apps. Appfigures later estimated 1.9 million installs.

Documented milestone; not a measured attention peak.

Google searchesJul ’25AugSepOctNovDecJan ’26MarMayMilestoneHank Green and Honey B…Starts · Jul 23 ’25Hank GreenAug 17 ’25TechCrunchAug 18 ’25Hank GreenAug 18 ’25App storesThreadsPressTikTok
App storesThreadsPressTikTok

Timeline (12)

  1. July 2025

    Hank Green and Honey B Games seed · Jul 23 ’25

    Focus Friend launched on July 23, according to 36Kr; TechCrunch reported a July soft launch.[1][2]

  2. August 2025

    Hank Green owner response · Aug 17 ’25

    Green posted on Bluesky that Focus Friend was fourth among App Store productivity apps.[3]

    Hank Green (@hankgreen.bsky.social)

  3. TechCrunch press · Aug 18 ’25

    TechCrunch reported the app had risen to fourth among free apps and second in productivity.[2]

  1. owner response · Aug 18 ’25

  2. milestone · Aug 19 ’25

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Spread the same way

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Do this

  1. 1Give an abstract utility a character people can describe and demonstrate.
  2. 2

Every number (4)

  • US App Store free apps“the number 1 app in the Top Free Apps category”
    #1[5]

Press (5 outlets)

  1. Aug 18, 202526 days inTechCrunch · Hank Green’s Focus Friend app is climbing the App Store charts

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Origin
Seeded
Sector
Technology
Region
US
Reported figure
—
Evidence
Grade B