# Forest vs CoStudy

The clearest difference is ratings volume: CoStudy at 71 against Forest's 4. Forest's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Forest sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and CoStudy sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Forest holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CoStudy has 71 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Forest's written reviews are positive against 93% of CoStudy's.

Forest ships an update monthly, CoStudy every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Forest | CoStudy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forest-focus-timer/id1500856145/reviews)** | [4.8 (71 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/costudy/id1617091849/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **71** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 92.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 16 MB | 383 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [青青 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1500856144) | [Co-study Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1489845277) |

## What reviewers say

### Forest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forest-focus-timer/id1500856145)

Develop good habits by growing virtual trees. Successfully completing focus sessions cultivates a thriving digital forest, while missed sessions result in dead trees. This app encourages self-discipline through a gamified approach to habit formation.

**Highlights:** Grow virtual trees for completed habits, Develop good habits, Gamified self-discipline, Track habit completion, Build a digital forest

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 打卡森林月度会员 | $2.99 | per month |
| 打卡森林季度会员 | $5.99 | per 3 months |
| 打卡森林年度会员 | $19.49 | per year |


### CoStudy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/costudy/id1617091849)

This app creates a virtual study environment to combat the loneliness of solo learning. It simulates a campus with different buildings and allows users to find study partners and friends to study with, fostering a sense of community and accountability.

**Highlights:** Virtual campus with different buildings, Find study partners based on goals/region, Study with friends as virtual desk mates, Strict focus mode with rules, Earn rewards for focused study sessions, Positive reinforcement for self-discipline

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Co岛会员-连续包月 | $3.99 | per month |
| 购买10个Co钻 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 购买60个Co钻 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Co岛会员-1个月 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 购买180个Co钻 | $2.99 | one-time |
| 购买300个Co钻 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 购买450个Co钻 | $5.99 | one-time |
| 购买680个Co钻 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 购买1280个Co钻 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Co岛会员-12个月 | $24.99 | one-time |
| Co岛会员-12个月 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 购买1980个Co钻 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 购买3280个Co钻 | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Cute and visually appealing interface design
- 🎯 Effective focus and concentration enhancement
- 👥 Social learning features with friends and study groups
- 💰 Gamification through virtual currency and clothing rewards
- 🏫 Virtual study room with other users for motivation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🌍 No English language support despite international user base
- 💸 Increasing monetization of previously free cosmetics
- 📱 Phone verification issues for international users
- 🔗 Inconsistent server connectivity for overseas users
- ⚠️ Occasional app crashes and technical glitches

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and sudden crashes when opening
- Server connection errors for international users
- Phone verification codes not being sent to international numbers
- Study sessions interrupted by incoming call notifications
- Unable to change language settings despite English tag in app store

**Requested features**

- English language version for international users
- iOS whitelist integration with Screen Time
- Widget functionality for daily/monthly check-in tracking
- Voice chat feature in study rooms
- More affordable cosmetic options purchasable with earned currency


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Forest free?

Forest is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is CoStudy free?

CoStudy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Forest or CoStudy?

Forest is rated higher. Forest averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while CoStudy averages 4.8 from 71 ratings.

### Do Forest or CoStudy have ads?

Both Forest and CoStudy show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Forest or CoStudy?

Forest ships an update monthly, and CoStudy every 3 weeks. Most recently, Forest was updated on June 1, 2026 and CoStudy on September 22, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*