Forest
Forest is a focus app that plants a virtual tree when you start a session; the tree grows while you stay off your phone and dies if you leave the app. It turns not-touching-your-phone into a small game with visible stakes, and its paid tier funds real tree planting.
| Category | Focus timer / phone deterrent |
|---|---|
| Platforms | iOS, Android; Chrome extension |
| Price | iOS one-off ~£3.99; Android free tier + Pro |
| Best for | Phone-driven procrastination, students, Pomodoro users |
| Limitations | Deterrence is symbolic, nothing actually blocks other apps unless you enable deep-focus mode; desktop distraction untouched |
What it does well
- Makes the abstract cost of phone-checking concrete and slightly emotional: people genuinely don't want to kill the tree.
- Session lengths map neatly onto Pomodoro sprints.
- The forest-over-time view gives a satisfying visual record of focused hours.
Where it falls short
- Willpower-based at heart: you can abandon a tree with two taps. Hard blockers like Cold Turkey or Opal restrict you more firmly.
- Does nothing about laptop-based distraction, where much modern procrastination lives.
Related
Pomodoro TechniqueStop procrastinating on studying
Frequently asked questions
Is Forest better than a normal Pomodoro timer?
For phone-driven procrastination, yes, the tree adds a loss-aversion nudge a plain timer lacks. If your distraction is on your computer, a blocker or a plain timer does as much.