Engross vs Forest
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Engross
Pomodoro timer with to-do list and planner for phones
Forest
Focus timer that grows a virtual tree while you stay off apps
Where they differ
- Engross starts at $5.99 for Engross Premium (US App Store; billing basis not shown). Forest starts at $5.99 / month, or from $32.49 / year (US App Store).
- Only Forest lists a browser extension.
- Engross also covers tasks, calendar and time tracking.
At a glance
| Engross | Forest | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5.99 for Engross Premium (US App Store; billing basis not shown) | $5.99 / month, or from $32.49 / year (US App Store) |
| Free plan | Free to download on iPhone, iPad and Android. Neither store listing says which features need Engross Premium. | Focus timer, Deep Focus app blocking, Time Guard for 1 app or site, 1 Mindful Space soundscape, focus tracking and Plant Together group rooms. |
| Free trial | None listed | Free Forest Plus trial; the length is not stated |
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Engross Applications | Seekrtech Co., Ltd. |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Engross
- Students planning study blocks and tracking study time
- People who want a timer, to-do list and planner in one phone app
- Those who lose focus mid-session and want to count the lapses
- Freelancers tracking work hours by label
Forest
- People who respond to a visual reward for staying off their phone
- Friends or study groups who want to focus in a shared session
- Short timed work sessions in the Pomodoro style
Worth knowing
Engross
- Phone and tablet only: iPhone, iPad and Android. No desktop or web version is listed.
- The vendor does not say what Engross Premium unlocks; the stores show $5.99 on the US App Store and $0.99 to $7.99 per item on Google Play.
- App blocking appears on the website and the Google Play listing but is not mentioned on the App Store listing.
- The vendor's website is a single page with no pricing, help or documentation pages.
Forest
- Seekrtech does not publish Forest Plus prices on its site; it says they vary by region and platform and points to the app stores.
- No Mac or Windows app is listed; on a computer Forest runs only as a Chrome or Firefox extension.
- Custom app allowlists, focus analytics, custom tags and real-tree planting need Forest Plus.
- Forest Pro, the earlier unlock, is no longer available to new users; existing Pro holders keep it.
Key features
Engross
- Pomodoro timer and stopwatch
- Focus and break lengths are adjustable, with sessions of up to 180 minutes on Android, and a stopwatch covers open-ended work. A session can be started straight from a task or event.
- Distraction button
- During a session you tap 'Hit me when you are distracted' each time your attention slips, which the vendor describes as a distraction tracker for building focus.
- To-do list
- Tasks support sub-tasks, a progress tracker for long jobs, flexible repeats such as twice a week or alternate days, and reminders up to 24 hours ahead.
- Planner and calendar
- Events and routines sit in a calendar view next to tasks, with recurring events for regular routines and reminders for each entry.
- Statistics and labels
- Sessions can be tagged with labels. Charts show focus trends, peak performance times and session history, with daily, weekly and monthly study or work totals.
- App whitelist and white noise
- The Android listing describes an App Whitelist that blocks distracting apps once the timer starts. Both listings include white noise sounds to play while working.
Forest
- Tree-growing focus timer
- A tree grows during a countdown or stopwatch session and dies if you leave to use other apps. Each finished session is added to your forest.
- Deep Focus Mode
- A stricter mode that blocks other apps or sends you back to Forest when you open one. It is free; building a custom allowlist of permitted apps needs Plus.
- Time Guard
- Scheduled windows during which chosen apps or sites are blocked. The free tier covers 1 app or site and Plus covers several.
- Plant Together
- Create a room, invite friends with a code and plant the same tree in a synchronized session. If one person gives up, the tree dies for everyone.
- Real tree planting
- Plus and legacy Pro users can spend coins earned from focus sessions to have real trees planted through Trees for the Future, up to 5 per account.
- Focus statistics and tags
- Your forest shows total focus time, patterns by day, week or month, and streaks. Focus analytics and custom tags are part of Plus.
Plans
Engross
Free$0
The app is free to download, and the vendor's site describes it as free. The listings do not say where the free version stops.
Engross Premium$5.99
US App Store in-app purchase; billing basis not shown
The only in-app purchase on the iPhone and iPad listing. The listing does not describe what it unlocks.
Android in-app purchases$0.99 to $7.99
per item on Google Play (US); the basis is not shown
Google Play gives only a price range for the Android app's in-app items, without naming them.
Forest
Free$0
Countdown and stopwatch timer, Deep Focus app blocking, Time Guard for 1 app or site, 1 soundscape and group focus rooms.
Forest Plus (monthly)$5.99
per month, US App Store in-app purchase
Custom app allowlist, Time Guard for multiple apps and sites, all soundscapes, focus analytics, custom tags and real-tree planting.
Forest Plus (annual)$32.49 or $35.99
per year, US App Store in-app purchase
The same Plus features billed yearly. The App Store lists two annual purchases and does not say which one a new subscriber pays.
Ways to pay less
Engross
No public discounts listed.
Forest
- Annual discount
Annual Forest Plus costs about half of monthly
The US App Store lists the monthly Forest Plus purchase at $5.99 and annual purchases at $32.49 and $35.99, so a year paid annually costs about half of twelve monthly payments.
