# Forest vs Pomodoro Timer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pomodoro Timer at 100% against Forest's 61%. Pomodoro Timer also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Forest's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (49K vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Forest sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Pomodoro Timer sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pomodoro Timer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Forest has 49K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Forest's written reviews are positive against 100% of Pomodoro Timer's.

Forest ships an update every 9 days, Pomodoro Timer every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and July 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Forest | Pomodoro Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (49K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forest-focus-for-productivity/id866450515/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pomodoro-timer-m/id6747019129/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **49K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 61.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 845 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SEEKRTECH CO., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/469475888) | [MASATO NISHIURA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1819418334) |

## What reviewers say

### Forest

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

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


### Pomodoro Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pomodoro-timer-m/id6747019129)

This app helps you focus by blocking distractions during work sessions. It integrates with your device's screen time features to mute selected apps and websites. Live Activity and Dynamic Island keep your progress visible without unlocking your phone.

**Highlights:** Minimalist timer interface, Screen Time-based app blocking (Pro), Live Activity and Dynamic Island integration, Stats dashboard for tracking sessions, Flip-to-toggle timer functionality, Offline functionality

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plan (Monthly) | $1.00 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Forest free?

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

### Is Pomodoro Timer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Forest or Pomodoro Timer?

Pomodoro Timer is rated higher. Forest averages 4.8 out of 5 from 49K ratings, while Pomodoro Timer averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Forest or Pomodoro Timer have ads?

Neither Forest nor Pomodoro Timer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Forest or Pomodoro Timer?

Forest ships an update every 9 days, and Pomodoro Timer every 2 months. Most recently, Forest was updated on September 25, 2026 and Pomodoro Timer on July 25, 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.*