# Forest vs SmartTracer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SmartTracer at none against Forest's 10. SmartTracer also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). Forest's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Forest sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. SmartTracer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Forest ships an update weekly, SmartTracer every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Forest | SmartTracer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (50K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forest-focus-for-productivity/id866450515/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **50K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 65.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 840 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SEEKRTECH CO., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/469475888) | [Rem Software & Automation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1538449215) |

## What reviewers say

### Forest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forest-focus-for-productivity/id866450515)

This app helps you stay focused by growing a virtual forest while you avoid your phone. Earn rewards, unlock new trees, and even plant real trees on Earth through a partnership. It offers tools to block distractions and track your progress.

**Highlights:** Gamified focus timer, Virtual forest growth, App blocking with Allow Lists, Real tree planting partnership, Detailed statistics and insights, Co-planting with friends

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly (Early Bird) | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly (Early Bird) | $5.99 | per month |
| Annual (Early Bird) | $35.99 | per year |
| Shovelful of Crystal | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bottle of Sunshine Elixir | $0.99 | one-time |
| Box of Sunshine Elixir | $1.99 | one-time |
| Small pot of Crystal | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large bag of Crystal | $10.99 | one-time |
| Cartful of Crystal | $21.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💪 Helps with focus and productivity
- 🌳 Motivating to grow a virtual forest
- 📊 Useful data and statistics
- 🌱 Ability to plant real trees
- 🎨 Cute and visually appealing design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Restrictive app locking can be frustrating
- 💰 Expensive to unlock new trees and features
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches reported
- 🕰️ Lack of pause/resume functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Crashing and freezing issues
- Syncing and data loss problems
- Inconsistent behavior when switching apps

**Requested features**

- Ability to pause/resume timers
- More customization options for the forest
- Integration with other productivity apps
- Easier way to earn coins for new trees


### SmartTracer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smarttracer/id1592444396)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Forest free?

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

### Is SmartTracer free?

SmartTracer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Forest or SmartTracer have ads?

Neither Forest nor SmartTracer shows ads.

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

Forest ships an update weekly, and SmartTracer every 5 months. Most recently, Forest was updated on November 6, 2026 and SmartTracer on November 3, 2026.

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