# Forest vs Hustly

The clearest difference is monetization model: Forest at free with in-app purchases against Hustly's subscription. Forest also leads on ratings volume (50K vs 60) and review sentiment (58% vs 44%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Forest sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Hustly sells 4 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, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Forest has 50K ratings behind it against 60, 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 44% of Hustly's.

Forest ships an update weekly, Hustly every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Forest | Hustly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (50K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forest-focus-for-productivity/id866450515/reviews)** | [4.6 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hustly-focus-timer/id6758303198/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **50K** | 60 |
| Positive reviews | **57.8% of reviews** | 43.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#196** | — |
| Size | 829 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SEEKRTECH CO., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/469475888) | [Aurelien Moretto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1872083471) |

## What reviewers say

### Forest

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

**Currently charting:** #196 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


### Hustly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hustly-focus-timer/id6758303198)

This app generates real-time binaural frequencies to enhance concentration for intellectual work and study. It offers customizable focus blocks, detailed frequency exploration, and smart onboarding tailored to your goals. Track your progress with comprehensive statistics and enjoy a distraction-free, offline experience.

**Highlights:** Real-time binaural frequency generation, Customizable focus blocks, Frequency exploration and benefits, Smart onboarding based on user profile, Detailed tracking and statistics, Offline functionality, iOS Control Center integration

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hustly - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Hustly - Yearly | $17.99 | per year |
| Hustly - Lifetime | $22.99 | one-time |
| Hustly - Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Forest free?

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

### Is Hustly free?

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

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

Forest is rated higher. Forest averages 4.8 out of 5 from 50K ratings, while Hustly averages 4.6 from 60 ratings.

### Do Forest or Hustly have ads?

Neither Forest nor Hustly shows ads.

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

Forest ships an update weekly, and Hustly every 9 days. Most recently, Forest was updated on October 27, 2026 and Hustly on October 26, 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.*