# Forest vs TimeGuard

Forest and TimeGuard both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 58% of Forest's written reviews are positive against 0% of TimeGuard's. Forest also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (50K vs 7). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Forest sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and TimeGuard sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Forest holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Forest has 50K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Forest's written reviews are positive against 0% of TimeGuard's.

Forest ships an update every 9 days, TimeGuard weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Forest | TimeGuard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (50K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forest-focus-for-productivity/id866450515/reviews)** | [4.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timeguard-stop-doomscroll/id6569240222/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **50K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **58.3% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#200** | — |
| Size | 826 MB | 113 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SEEKRTECH CO., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/469475888) | [RMGO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1745937252) |

## What reviewers say

### Forest

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

**Currently charting:** #200 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

This app uses a gamified timer to help users stay focused and reduce phone distractions. Users plant virtual trees that grow while they concentrate, but wither if they leave the app. It encourages productivity and offers features like personalized allow lists and real tree planting.

**Highlights:** Gamified focus timer, Virtual tree planting, Personalized allow lists, Unlockable tree species and white noises, Real tree planting initiative, Detailed time statistics, Cross-device synchronization

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly (Early Bird) | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly (Early Bird) | $5.99 | per month |
| Annual (Early Bird) | $32.49 | per year |
| Annual (Early Bird) | $35.99 | per year |
| Bottle of Sunshine Elixir | $0.99 | one-time |
| Shovelful of Crystal | $0.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bonus Pack | $1.49 | one-time |
| Box of Sunshine Elixir | $1.99 | one-time |
| Select Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Package | $2.99 | one-time |
| Small pot of Crystal | $4.99 | one-time |
| Supreme Package | $4.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Bonus Pack | $6.99 | one-time |
| Elite Package | $9.99 | one-time |
| Large bag of Crystal | $10.99 | one-time |
| Select Pack | $12.99 | one-time |
| Supreme Bonus Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Deluxe Pack | $18.99 | 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


### TimeGuard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timeguard-stop-doomscroll/id6569240222)

This app helps you regain control of your time by blocking distracting apps and websites. It offers personalized screen time reports, smart reminders, and custom focus sessions to improve concentration and productivity.

**Highlights:** Real-time app blocking, Personalized screen time reports, Smart reminders, Custom focus sessions, Deep focus mode, Rewards and milestones

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| TimeGuard Yearly With Trial | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $99.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Forest free?

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

### Is TimeGuard free?

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

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

Forest is rated higher. Forest averages 4.8 out of 5 from 50K ratings, while TimeGuard averages 4.6 from 7 ratings.

### Do Forest or TimeGuard have ads?

TimeGuard shows ads; Forest does not.

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

Forest ships an update every 9 days, and TimeGuard weekly. Most recently, Forest was updated on October 20, 2026 and TimeGuard on October 8, 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.*