Leave a Review Forest
The app everyone needs
Let me start this off with a statement everyone can agree with — I never want to spend money on apps. But Forest is the best app I’ve ever used and I’ve never regretted spending that $2 for a second. I am a student with horrible attention problems and struggles with staying motivated, and this app manages to solve it all. I’ve been using it since 2018 and I’m only reviewing it now to say that the newest update brings this app to a whole new level. With the app allow list using apple’s screen time feature it solves every single little problem I had with the app (except for the plant together feature, it lags a bit when planting with users across platforms, if a developer is reading this please fix it!). I’ve referred so many friends to forest and it’s helped them so much as well, it gives us an incentive to study, to be productive, get off our phone, and then makes it so easy to do so. If you need help staying focused, this app is the app for you. And you can help plant real physical trees!! No other app gives you the chance to save your brain and the planet. I really do love this app & I can’t recommend it enough.Show lessdreadsticks
Tangible for ADHD
I am someone who struggles tremendously with studying due to my ADHD. Part of this is because setting restrictions on time and trying to force an intangible structure on myself doesn’t work. I can “say” I’ll follow a schedule to do my homework, but there’s nothing stopping me from straying from that schedule only I have a stake in, so I don’t maintain it.
This app gives me a time limit that has a tangible consequence for breaking, because the flower or shrub (or TinyTan BTS member) I’m growing will die if I break the rules of the app, and will remain on my forest record forever. I don’t want that to happen, so I follow the rules and do what I set out to do originally.
However, as is the case for many people who are neurodivergent, setting habits is almost impossible, because one missed step or one missed day ruins the entire process. So opening this app and turning it on to study is a choice you have to actively make every day, and that’s difficult. I choose to because I like the act of having a little forest I don’t have to maintain in real life, but also because I know I feel worse if I don’t study or don’t get everything done when I could have, but it took me 2 years to get to this point of knowing the choice to open this app and use it is worth it.
It’s so hard to do things of my own volition, but this app helps. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than nothing at all, so I think it’s worth the download.Show lessJinxer52
Developer Response
Hello, Thank you so much for leaving a detailed and awesome feedback! We totally understand your situation and how much you've struggled all along; that's why we're always striving hard to keep improving Forest. We want Forest not to be just a tool, but a partner who will constantly provide motivation and positivity to users along their focus journey. Seeing feedback like this really makes us feel like our intention has been approved and we're on a right track. We truly appreciate that you have chosen Forest as your partner in your focus journey and are so glad that you've found your comfortable way to build a focus habit. Thank you once again for sharing your story with us. This really means a lot. :)Really nice but
This app helps me focus and planting small trees is nice, the data collection is good but I’d like to be able to set goals. It seems there no goal setting system for the app, for example I’d like to be able to set a goal of studying however many minutes or hours per day/per week for a certain tag.MaeBruno
Developer Response
Hello, thank you for taking your time out to write us a feedback. Currently, Forest is aimed to help users boost productivity by staying away from distractions on their phones. As much as we feel like there are plenty awesome things that can be done to improve our focus timer, the idea of having a goal setting system sounds interesting. We will bring your request up with the internal team and see if we can make this happen in future versions. Thank you again for the insightful suggestion! :)Great Concept & Motivation for Studying
It’s a huge plus that there’s a humanitarian and ecologically motivating factor for diving into productivity. I’ve perpetually avoided school work (among many other less than desirable responsibilities) for years and I’ve tried countless things to help keep me on track and focused. Along with other self-care tips like creating a relaxing setting for studying, proper breathing, getting up and moving, meditation, vitamins and eating/sleeping right This app is the icing on the cake. I can bring a more creative/optimistic outlook on studying.
Also, for student that don’t know what the Pomodoro technique is - it really works!! If you’re a student and haven’t tried to, give it a shot. The technique is setting a timer for 25 minuets studying/reading/working & 5 minuets off. Personally I found that taking two 5 minuet breaks every two sessions and then one 15 minuet break after the third round is my sweet spot. There’s plenty of research to back up the technique if you’re interested in it :)
For App Developers:
Please bring this app to full timer control/functionality on the Apple Watch!! A lot of students are looking to completely get away from their phones while studying (at least I am). Other than that amazing job on the app, will be by go-to every time I need to crack down on some productivity :)Show lessBrnd26
Really good app
Normally would set a timer on my phone to space out my study but the added detail of the app like showing common daily trends is so interesting.
100% would recommend to any studentsCalebClrrk
Improved my grades from a “D-“ to “A+”
I don’t usually write reviews on apps but this deserves app my 2 cents. If you are like me where you see your phone even if you have tons of homework and you get distracted by social media and you do homework last minute. Then you need this app. Before I bought this app I had “D-‘s”and “F’s” in all my classes. Everytime I Would get home from highschool I would immediately go on social media. But with Forest my life is completely different. I now have “A’s”In almost all my classes and if not an “A” the a “B+”. When you sign up into Forest you are greeted with 2 trees that you can plant and then unlimited other trees that are so many cute designs. When I got the app I expected it to be confusing but it’s not. Forest shows you where everything is when you get the app. You can have to up 3hrs for a plant to grow. Over all best app I’ve ever bought for myself.Show lessMar's bar's
Amazing but bug error causing my tree to wilt
I have only had this app for a few days after seeing lots of really good reviews from people with ADHD. I have been so excited to use it and today for the first ever time after finally beating procrastination, I think I have finally found something to not only help me focus but motivate me to actually get started studying! I study on my MacBook and use my phone for forest next to me. It was all going really well until I took a screenshot on my Mac, then the forest app closed itself after around 10 minutes of focus. I wasn’t sure why at the time so I started again, took another screenshot and the same thing happened. I’m not sure if it’s an Apple glitch with the two being linked or if it’s a forest glitch, but it was quite disheartening 😢 I don’t want to turn off the deep focus (leaving the app will cause the tree to wilt) as that keeps me motivated! Great app and I’m excited to keep using it but I hope this issue resolves!Show lessigiveuptryingnicknames
Amazing app!
This app is amazing! It is really motivating me to have some study time, and spending a lot more time off my phone. Haven’t killed a tree yet which is great! I love how as you spend more time on focus, you get coins which you can spend on unlocking trees or planting real trees. So worth the moneyTara Carranceja
Consistent user since 2016, love it!
Hey forest team. I rarely ever post reviews, but I feel after this many years this app deserves my effort. I’ve been using this to help me focus since 2016 and have literally logged hundreds and hundreds of hours using this. It’s helped me with highschool, college, technical programs, and other courses. I’ve even used it to track my meditation and personal reading. I just want to say thank you. I have a ridiculously difficult time focusing thanks to a myriad of mental health issues that are quite literally out of my control. This app has been a game changer for me and I hope other people can have the same experience.
I also just wanted to voice some issues that I’ve had with the app (not very many at al but I know your development team is strong and actually takes reviews seriously). One issue is with the friends feature. I’ve tried to get many people to join the app and plant trees with me but I feel like each time it’s pretty difficult. That process could maybe be a bit more streamlined? One more thing is I think that I’ve noticed the app slow down as I’ve been using it. Maybe it’s because how much data I have logged in it? Not sure. It doesn’t affect the functionality too much but just something I’ve noticed.
All in all, hands down the best app I’ve had the pleasure of using. Again, thank you. If I could give more the 5 stars I would.Show lessnessesque
Better widget needed
Love this app but having my forest disappear at the end of everyday from the widget is really demotivating. Would be great to have the option to show a weekly forest in the widget instead. Also, tags need “total time focussed” shown, not just % of time spent per tag.FollowTheFez
