Forest app review: is it useful for exam revision?
Forest is a focus timer for phones and browsers. You set a time, a virtual tree grows, and leaving for another app ends the session with a withered tree. The free version includes the timer and Deep Focus app blocking; the Plus subscription adds a custom allowlist, more statistics, and real tree planting. It suits students whose main problem is picking up the phone during revision. It will not help much if the difficulty is starting, understanding the material, or feeling overwhelmed. This is a researched overview of Forest's own pages and store listing; we have not tested the app yet. [1] [2]
Forest at a glance
Details checked on 12 September 2026 from Forest's website and its listing on the US App Store. Prices and features vary by country and platform.
| Question | What we found |
|---|---|
| Who is it for? | Anyone whose phone pulls them away from revision. The Forest pages we checked do not state a minimum age. |
| Which devices? | iPhone and iPad (iOS 16 or later), Android, and browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. [1] [2] |
| Is it free? | Yes. The free version includes the focus timer, Deep Focus app blocking, and basic statistics, with occasional ads that Forest says never appear during a focus session. [1] |
| What does the paid version cost? | Forest Plus was listed on the US App Store at $5.99 a month, or $32.49 to $35.99 a year, as early-bird prices. [2] |
| How long does setup take? | Not yet measured. We will add this after using the app. |
| Main limitation | It targets the phone habit, not the reasons revision can feel hard to start. |
How we put this review together
We read Forest's website, its US App Store listing, its privacy policy, and the page run by its tree-planting partner, all on 12 September 2026.
We have not used Forest on a phone yet. When we do, we will add how long setup takes, what happens when a session is interrupted, and how the allowlist behaves with study apps, and update this page.
How does Forest work?
You choose how long to focus and start the timer. A virtual tree grows while the session runs. According to Forest, if you open another app the tree dies, and a finished session adds a tree to your forest. [1]
Deep Focus is a stricter setting. Forest says it blocks selected apps during a session and sends you back to Forest if you try to open one, so you cannot leave without ending the session. Deep Focus is included in the free version. [1]
Revision often needs another app: flashcards, a dictionary, or your school's learning platform. Forest handles this with an allowlist of apps you can still use. The free version's Time Guard covers one app or site; a custom allowlist needs Plus. If your revision depends on your phone, check this before you pay. [1]
Is Forest useful for exam revision?
It can be, if the phone is the problem. In one laboratory study, simply receiving phone notifications disrupted people's performance on an attention task, even when they did not pick the phone up. That study did not test Forest, revision, or exam results, but it is a good reason to deal with notifications while you study. [3]
Forest gives each session a visible stake: stop early and the tree withers. For some people that is a helpful nudge. For others, a dead tree can feel like one more thing going wrong on a hard day. We have not tested which is more common. If a withered tree bothers you, it is not a verdict on your revision, and a shorter session is a reasonable next try.
Forest will not help much when the phone is not the real barrier. If you cannot start, cannot follow the material, or feel overwhelmed, a timer does not fix that. A plan that breaks revision into small, specific tasks may help more.
What does Forest cost, and is Plus worth it?
The timer, Deep Focus, and basic statistics are free. Plus adds a custom allowlist, Time Guard for several apps or sites, all soundscapes, focus analytics with custom tags, extra tree species, three times the coins, and the option to plant up to five real trees per account. [1]
On the US App Store on 12 September 2026, Plus was listed at $5.99 a month, or $32.49 or $35.99 a year, all labelled early-bird prices. The listing also sells in-app items called Crystal and Sunshine Elixir, from $0.99 to $21.99. Prices differ by country, so check your own store. [2]
Plus is worth considering if you need specific apps during revision and the free limit gets in the way. If you only need a timer that keeps you off your phone, the free version covers that.
| Feature | Free | Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Focus timer (countdown or stopwatch) | Yes | Yes |
| Deep Focus app blocking | Yes | Yes |
| Apps or sites you can still use | One, through Time Guard | A custom allowlist of several apps or sites |
| Focus statistics | Basic tracking | Analytics with custom tags |
| Real trees planted | No | Up to five per account |
Does Forest really plant trees?
Forest works with the nonprofit Trees for the Future and says more than 2 million real trees have been planted through the partnership. The charity's own page showed 2,153,829 trees funded by Forest when we checked on 12 September 2026. Plus users can spend in-app coins to plant up to five real trees per account. [1] [4]
It is a pleasant extra, but not a reason to choose a study tool. Judge Forest on whether it keeps you working.
What about privacy?
Forest's App Store privacy label lists contact information and usage data as data that may be used to track you across other companies' apps and websites. Data linked to you includes purchase history, email address, identifiers such as a device ID, and product interaction. [2]
Its iOS privacy policy, last updated 7 March 2024, names Seekrtech Co., Ltd. as the data controller. It lists advertising, remarketing, and behavioural targeting among its purposes, and links to the privacy policies of services including Google, Meta, TikTok, and AppsFlyer. [5]
If you would rather not be tracked for advertising, choose "Ask App Not to Track" if your iPhone asks, or check your phone's privacy settings before you start.
Are there simpler alternatives?
Your phone's own Focus or Do Not Disturb setting can silence notifications for free, with no account. It will not stop you opening an app, but it removes the interruptions.
Putting the phone in another room, or just out of reach, costs nothing and needs no setup. If you revise at a computer, a browser timer such as Pomofocus keeps time without involving your phone at all.
Who should use Forest?
A short summary, based on Forest's published features rather than our own use:
- Try the free version if picking up your phone is what breaks your revision sessions.
- Consider Plus only if you need several specific apps during revision and the free limit gets in the way.
- Skip it if your phone is not the problem, if a withering tree would add pressure on a hard day, or if you would rather not share data used for advertising.
Sources and further reading
These links open Forest's own pages, the App Store, its partner charity, and a research database.
- Forest: official website
Provider description of features, free and Plus tiers, platforms, and the tree-planting partnership. Checked 12 September 2026. - Forest: Focus for Productivity on the US App Store
Subscription prices, in-app purchases, and the privacy label shown on 12 September 2026. Prices vary by country. - Stothart and colleagues (2015): the attentional cost of receiving a phone notification
Laboratory study of an attention task. It did not test Forest, revision, or exam results. - Trees for the Future: Forest App
Partner charity page showing the number of trees funded, checked 12 September 2026. - Forest: privacy policy
iOS privacy policy, last updated 7 March 2024. Names the data controller and the purposes for processing data.
Educational review, not medical advice. Prices, features, and policies change, so check the provider's own pages before you pay or enter personal information.