The Forest Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Forest in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Forest
The Insider’s Guide
Focus timer that grows a virtual tree while you stay off apps
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among focus apps, read from Forest’s own pages.
Made by Seekrtech Co., Ltd. · checked Oct 4, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02Insider tipsWhat most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches
- 03What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 04What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 05Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 06The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 07Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Forest’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Forest’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 4, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 51 of the 65 other focus apps we grade
Forest is a focus timer in the Pomodoro style: a virtual tree grows while a session runs and dies if you leave to use other apps. Finished sessions fill a personal forest that doubles as a record of focused time. The app also blocks other apps, schedules app-free windows and runs shared sessions with friends.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Forest, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Set a time, plant a tree, put the phone down.
- 1
Best for a focus timer that rewards you with a tree
Forest is a phone focus timer that grows a tree while you stay off other apps and kills it if you leave.
- 2
Paid plans start at $2.71 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $5.99 / month, or from $32.49 / year (US App Store).
- 3
There is a free plan
Focus timer, Deep Focus app blocking, Time Guard for 1 app or site, 1 Mindful Space soundscape, focus tracking and Plant Together group rooms.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
Time Guard
Scheduled windows during which chosen apps or sites are blocked. The free tier covers 1 app or site and Plus covers several.
- 8
A 3.0 GPA, above 51 of 65
That is against the other focus apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Forest you could make: Pomodoro timer. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Forest at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $5.99 / month, or from $32.49 / year (US App Store)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Free Forest Plus trial; the length is not stated
- Runs on
- iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- Seekrtech Co., Ltd., since 2014
- Category
- Focus Apps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
- Store rating
- 4.8 on the App Store, 49,513 ratings
The report card
Best for a focus timer that rewards you with a tree
Forest is a phone focus timer that grows a tree while you stay off other apps and kills it if you leave. Free covers the timer and app blocking. But Time Guard covers 1 app or site free, Plus is $5.99 a month with no prices on Seekrtech's own site, and on a computer it's only a Chrome or Firefox extension.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Plus is $5.99 a month on the US App Store, where a quarter of focus apps come in under $2.99, so this is the ordinary middle of the category. The year at $32.49 works out to about $2.71 a month, but Seekrtech publishes no prices itself and the store lists two annual purchases without saying which one you'd get. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The tree timer, Deep Focus app blocking, focus tracking and group rooms with friends are all free, which is a plan one person could live on. The edges are thin: Time Guard covers 1 app or site, and you get 1 soundscape. |
| Features | B | A countdown or stopwatch that grows a tree, Deep Focus to block other apps, Time Guard to block on a schedule, shared sessions where one person quitting kills everyone's tree, and focus time by day, week or month. Timer and blocker both. |
| Ease of use | A | 4.8 from about 50,000 App Store ratings. Set a time, plant a tree, put the phone down. The listing shows nothing to set up first. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | iPhone and Android, plus a Chrome or Firefox extension, so it does reach a computer. Just not as a real app: no Mac or Windows version is listed, and nothing it connects to either. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Forest is for
- Fits if a small visual reward is what keeps you off your phone
- Works for friends or study groups who want to focus in the same session
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a proper Mac or Windows app, as on a computer it's a browser extension only
- Tight if you're staying free and want scheduled blocks, because Time Guard covers just 1 app or site
- Not for you if you want the price in writing up front, since Seekrtech doesn't publish Plus prices on its site
- Watch out: the custom allowlist, focus analytics, custom tags and real-tree planting all need Plus
- Watch out: the store lists two annual Plus prices, $32.49 and $35.99, and the trial length isn't stated
Good to know
Good for
- 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
- 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.
Part 02 · Tips
Insider tips
What most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches
7
Things most people miss, each from its own help pages
The things about Forest that are easy to miss until they cost you: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches at renewal or when you leave. Each one is from Forest’s own pages, linked beside it.
Read on Oct 17, 2026. Read from Seekrtech's Forest website and its FAQ, its terms and its US App Store listing on 17 October 2026. Not tried out: these tips are what its own pages say.
- 1
Pay less
One Plus subscription covers every device you sign in on
Forest's App Store listing says signing in with the same account syncs your data and gives you Forest Plus on all platforms. So there's no need to buy it again for an Android phone or the browser extension. Just sign in with that account first.
apps.apple.com - 2
Setting
Switch off pauses if you want sessions with no way out
Plus lets you pause a session for up to 5 minutes at a time without killing the tree. Handy, but it's also an easy escape hatch. Forest's FAQ says you can turn pauses off in settings, so every session runs start to finish.
forestapp.cc - 3
Easy to miss
Your focus time can go straight into Apple Health
The App Store listing says Forest can sync your focused time with Apple Health. Worth switching on if Health is where you already keep the rest of your daily numbers.
apps.apple.com - 4
Easy to miss
The timer works offline, but group rooms and real trees don't
Its FAQ says the core focus timer works with no connection at all, so a flight or a dead spot is fine. Plant Together, Focus Challenge, the Shop, seasonal events and real-tree planting all need internet, though.
forestapp.cc - 5
Renewal
Cancel Plus in the App Store or Google Play, not in Forest
Plus is billed by Apple or Google, so that's where you cancel, and where you ask for a refund. Forest's FAQ says Plus keeps working until the end of the period you've already paid for.
forestapp.cc - 6
Leaving
Your trees and history stay when Plus ends
When a cancelled Plus period runs out, the account drops back to Free. Its FAQ says your past sessions, trees and history are all kept, and you can come back to Plus any time. What goes is the Plus extras, like pauses and the app allowlist.
forestapp.cc - 7
Privacy
Its App Store label says some data is used to track you
Forest's privacy label on the App Store lists contact info and usage data as used to track you across other companies' apps and websites. If that bothers you, say no when your iPhone asks whether to allow tracking.
apps.apple.com
Part 03 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$2.71
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Forest has a free plan. Paid plans start at $5.99 / month, or from $32.49 / year (US App Store).
The tree timer, Deep Focus app blocking, focus tracking and group rooms with friends are all free, which is a plan one person could live on.
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.
The free plan
Focus timer, Deep Focus app blocking, Time Guard for 1 app or site, 1 Mindful Space soundscape, focus tracking and Plant Together group rooms.
Trying it first
Free Forest Plus trial; the length is not stated
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 4, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on apps.apple.com
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Box of Sunshine Elixir”, against $1.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺99,99 | $2.03 | about the same |
| Philippines | ₱ 129.00 | $2.05 | about the same |
| India | ₹ 199 | $2.06 | about the same |
| Australia | $2.99 | $2.09 | about the same |
| Germany | 1,99 € | $2.23 | 12% more |
| South Africa | R39.99 | $2.42 | 22% more |
| Brazil | R$ 12,90 | $2.58 | 30% more |
| United Kingdom | £1.99 | $2.63 | 32% more |
Part 04 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: iOS, Android and Browser extension
Focus timer that grows a virtual tree while you stay off apps. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, site & app blocker, Pomodoro timer, focus music.
iPhone and Android, plus a Chrome or Firefox extension, so it does reach a computer.
- 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.
Where it runs
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Who makes Forest
Forest is made by Seekrtech Co., Ltd., a studio in Taiwan that also makes the SleepTown and WaterDo apps. It earns money from the Forest app: a free tier, a Plus subscription and an older one-time Pro purchase, and it pays for real trees planted through Trees for the Future out of app revenue.
- Based
- Taiwanforestapp.cc
- Ownership
- Privately held. Privately held: Forest's own site describes Seekrtech Co., Ltd. as an indie studio based in Taiwan, and none of its pages name a parent company.forestapp.cc
- Founders and leaders
- Pi Shaokan, Co-founderforbes.com
- 鄭婷予, Co-founderinside.com.tw
Read on Oct 18, 2026 from the company’s own pages and from news reports. What is not stated there is left out.
Part 05 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
51/65
Other focus apps it is graded above
Forest's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 51 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 7.
It stands best on ease of use (A, above 45 of 65) and worst on value for money (C, above 8).
Its paid plans start at $2.71 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.82 for the category: 22 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 66 focus apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Forest’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 8 of 65
- BFree plan and trialAbove 41 of 65
- BFeaturesAbove 48 of 65
- AEase of useAbove 45 of 65
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 39 of 65
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 56 focus apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Forest is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Forest you could make: Pomodoro timer. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 51 of the 65 other focus apps we grade. It costs $32.49 a year.
What you could make
- Pomodoro timer: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Blocking that reaches every browser and app and is hard to switch off.
- A library of sound you would have to license.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Forest’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 06 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Session, Opal and Freedom
The 3 tools Forest is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Session
Free plan · from $3.33/mo
Pomodoro focus timer with analytics for Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- Only Forest lists an Android app.
- Only Forest lists a browser extension.
- Only Session lists a macOS app.
- 2.8GPA
Opal
Free plan · from $8.29/mo
Screen time app that blocks distracting apps on phone and Mac.
- Only Forest lists a browser extension.
- Only Opal lists a macOS app.
- Opal can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.2GPA
Freedom
Free plan · from $3.33/mo
Website and app blocker that runs across computers and phones.
- Only Freedom lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Freedom can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Forest also covers Pomodoro timer.
Part 07 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Forest free?
Forest has a free plan. Focus timer, Deep Focus app blocking, Time Guard for 1 app or site, 1 Mindful Space soundscape, focus tracking and Plant Together group rooms.
How much does Forest cost?
Forest lists 3 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Forest work on?
Forest is available on iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.
Does Forest offer any discounts?
Forest publicly lists the following: Annual Forest Plus costs about half of monthly.
How is Forest rated?
Forest's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 49,513 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Forest have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 4, 2026. Forest is listed for iOS and Android.
Does Forest have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 4, 2026. Forest is listed for iOS and Android.
Is Forest open source?
Forest is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 4, 2026.
Does Forest work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Does Forest have a free trial?
Yes. Free Forest Plus trial; the length is not stated.
Who makes Forest?
Forest is made by Seekrtech Co., Ltd. Privately held: Forest's own site describes Seekrtech Co., Ltd. as an indie studio based in Taiwan, and none of its pages name a parent company.
What are the alternatives to Forest?
The closest alternatives to Forest in our directory are Session, Opal and Freedom.
How does Forest compare with other focus apps?
Forest's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 51 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 7.
Is Forest good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Forest C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $2.71 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.82 for the category: 22 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Forest?
The plain part of Forest you could make: Pomodoro timer. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Forest’s own pages on Oct 4, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Forest's own site and App Store listing on 4 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-12.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Seekrtech Co., Ltd. Prices change, so check forestapp.cc before you buy.
Part 08 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Forest, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/forest
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Forest: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 4, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/forest
Know someone choosing between focus apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/forest/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded focus apps after Forest, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Focus Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 66 focus apps we grade, compared
- ScreenZen Insider's GuideFree app that delays and blocks distracting apps and sites3.6 GPA
- Flora Insider's GuideFree focus timer that grows trees, alone or with friends3.2 GPA
- Flow Insider's GuideMinimal Pomodoro timer for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Forest’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Forest is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Seekrtech Co., Ltd. Prices and plans change: check forestapp.cc before you buy.