Forest gamifies focus sessions by growing a virtual tree while you stay off your phone, and lets you spend earned coins to plant real trees through a reforestation charity.
Each app below addresses a specific gap in Forest's offering. We picked them based on real user review patterns and feature differentiation.
Flora is a focus app similar to Forest that also partners with reforestation charities to plant real trees. It adds a social focus mode where friends can join the same session and all lose their trees if anyone picks up their phone.
Explore Flora data →Be Focused is a Pomodoro timer for iOS and macOS that supports task lists, interval customization, and detailed session reports. It integrates with Apple Reminders and is designed for productivity-focused workflows.
Explore Be Focused data →TickTick includes a built-in Pomodoro timer alongside full task management, habit tracking, and calendar views. It is available on all platforms and allows focus sessions tied directly to specific tasks.
Explore TickTick data →Focus Flow is a simple, distraction-free Pomodoro timer with ambient sound support and basic session tracking. It is a lightweight alternative for users who want a clean focus experience without gamification.
Explore Focus Flow data →Opal blocks distracting apps at the OS level during focus sessions, making it impossible to access social media or other time-wasters. It complements focus timers by enforcing real digital boundaries.
Explore Opal data →Focusmate pairs you with a real person over video for 25 or 50-minute work sessions. It replaces virtual trees with real human accountability, making it highly effective for users who need social pressure to focus.
Explore Focusmate data →Forest has planted over 1.5 million real trees through its partnership with Trees for the Future, combining digital focus tools with genuine environmental impact that resonates strongly with its user base.
Yes, Forest partners with Trees for the Future, a nonprofit reforestation organization. Users can spend in-app coins earned from focus sessions to sponsor real tree planting, and Forest has funded over 1.5 million trees.
Yes, Forest is available on both iOS and Android. Note that the iOS and Android versions are separate paid apps, and purchasing one does not grant access to the other platform.
Forest can block all apps except those you whitelist on Android. On iOS, it uses a timer that detects when you leave the app, causing your tree to die. A paid whitelist feature is available for allowing specific apps.
App Vulture tracks App Store and Google Play metrics in real time, analyzing update frequency, rating trends, and user review sentiment to surface focus and productivity apps that are actively maintained and highly rated.
Object-Based Note-Taking alternatives.
Calendar and Scheduling alternatives.
Office Suite alternatives.
Open Source Office Suite alternatives.