Why it's a strong pick

Forest turns a focus session into something you can see. A tree grows while you stay on task, and leaving costs you the tree. The vendor says the same app runs on iPhone, Android, Chrome and Firefox, with sync between them. The trade-off: the vendor lists the custom allowlist as a paid feature on its apps, so do not assume a free whitelist.

What it does

You start a session and a virtual tree begins to grow. Forest's "Deep Focus" blocks you from other apps or sites during a session. If you leave, the vendor says the tree dies. Finished sessions build a forest over time. The vendor says an account syncs your focus history and forest across platforms.

Key features

Growing tree. A tree grows for the length of the session. It is a picture of your progress.
Deep Focus. The vendor says it blocks other apps or sites during a session.
Forest history. Finished sessions add to your forest, so you can look back at your focus.
Cross-platform. The vendor lists iPhone, Android, Chrome and Firefox, with sync through an account.
Optional upgrades. The vendor lists the allowlist, advanced stats and rewards as upgrades, and says core focus sessions have no time limit.

Who it's for

Forest suits people who respond to a visual nudge more than a plain countdown. The fear of losing the tree is the whole idea. It is a better match if you also use Forest on your phone. If you want hard website blocking, use LeechBlock NG. If you want tasks next to the timer, try Focus To-Do.

What is Deep Focus in Forest?

Deep Focus is Forest's blocking mode. The vendor says it stops you using other apps or sites during a session, and that leaving lets the tree die. We have not tested how it behaves in the Chrome extension, so check the extension's settings after you install it.

Can I keep using the sites I need in Forest?

Maybe. The vendor lists a custom app allowlist as a paid feature on its apps. The extension's page uses the word "whitelist", but we could not confirm how it works there or whether it is free. Test it with the sites you need before you count on a session.

Does Forest sync between devices?

The vendor says an account syncs your focus history and your forest across platforms. We could not confirm from the vendor's pages whether the extension needs an account for sessions, so check the sign-up steps when you install. The vendor lists iPhone, Android, Chrome and Firefox as places Forest runs.

What does Forest do with my data?

We could not read the developer's privacy policy when we checked; read it before installing. The vendor says an account syncs your focus history across platforms, so some data leaves your device if you sign in. If you do not sign in, check what the extension stores before you rely on it.

What permissions does Forest ask for?

We did not find a permissions list we could check. Look at the install prompt in Chrome before you add it. Permissions can change between releases. The vendor says Deep Focus blocks other apps or sites, so read the prompt with that in mind.

FAQ

Is Forest free? The vendor says it is free to download with core focus sessions and no time limit, with optional upgrades. We did not verify prices.

Does the tree die if I switch tabs? The vendor says leaving a session lets the tree die. How strict the extension is about tab switches, we did not test.

Is it a real site blocker? Deep Focus blocks during a session, per the vendor. For a blocker you configure in detail, see LeechBlock NG.

Good to know

Check whether the sites you need can be exempted before you rely on Forest for a work session. The custom allowlist is listed as an upgrade feature on the apps. If you lose a tree to a quick docs lookup, the game works against you.

Other productivity timers to compare

Forest is one of 6 picks in our productivity timers guide:

Marinara: A plain Pomodoro timer in your toolbar. Set your own interval lengths. Open source under MIT.
Focus To-Do: A Pomodoro timer and a to-do list in one extension. It works offline without an account. Sync needs one.
Tomato Clock: An open-source Pomodoro timer. Tomato intervals, stats and a dark theme. No task list, no site blocking.
Pomofocus: A Chrome listing that pairs a Pomodoro timer with a task manager and a website blocker. Check the publisher name before you install.
ActivityWatch Web Watcher: An open-source extension that logs your browser activity for the ActivityWatch time tracker.

See alternatives: Marinara alternatives lists Forest as the visual-nudge option.

Also see: LeechBlock NG for hard blocking · Best Chrome extensions for students