Forest made focus sessions charming — plant a tree, protect it, maybe fund a real one. But it only sees the sessions you start; the doomscrolling between them is invisible to it, and since December 2025 it's subscription-based. Five apps people switch to, honestly compared: one is ours (bias disclosed).
Forest tracks the 25 minutes you commit to, not the two hours of scrolling scattered everywhere else.
Forest moved from a one-time purchase to a subscription (~$32-36/year) in December 2025 — long-time buyers have been vocal about it.
Plant Together is cooperative — friends share one tree. Some people are moved more by a bet they can win.
our app — bias disclosed, judge accordingly
people who want a wholesome, cozy focus timer
A cute mascot and focus timer that rewards you with room decorations while you stay off your phone.
people who like trading real habits for earned scroll time, with a cute buddy
Earn coins by doing real-world habits like walking, reading or cleaning, then spend them to unlock app time.
people who want a gentle pause and autonomy rather than hard blocking
Adds a deep-breath pause before each app opens, then asks if you still want to continue — friction, not blocking.
people who want polished, hard-to-bypass focus blocking and deep analytics
Scheduled focus sessions and Deep Focus that block chosen apps with no bypass, plus a focus score and analytics.
| Forest | Pauza | |
|---|---|---|
| Core approach | Plant a virtual tree for each focus session — leave early and it dies; completed sessions earn coins that can help fund planting real trees (Trees for the Future). | Rewards time OFF your phone: every minute away from social media becomes tokens, builds streaks, and can be staked in head-to-head bets with a friend — lowest screen time wins the pot. |
| Price | free with a Forest Plus subscription around $32-36/year (moved from a one-time purchase to subscription in Dec 2025) | free core app; optional PRO tier |
| Social layer | 'Plant Together' rooms — friends grow one shared tree, and anyone giving up kills it for everyone; cooperative, no stakes | real head-to-head stakes with friends — lowest screen time wins the pot (tokens only, no cash value) |
| When you slip | your tree dies — a guilt nudge, and the session is lost | streaks freeze instead of breaking; a lost bet costs tokens, never money |
| Privacy | records focus sessions, not your per-app screen time | per-app usage and your blocked-apps list never leave the device; friends only see an anonymous daily minute total |
| Platform | iPhone and Android | iPhone only (iOS 26+) |
Full breakdown: Pauza vs Forest
This page is written by the team behind Pauza, so read it with that in mind — we've kept every claim factual and point out where the other app is genuinely the better choice. Prices are approximate as of July 2026 and change often; always check the App Store for current pricing. All product names are trademarks of their respective owners; Pauza is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.
A session timer can't see your whole day — that's a different category. Pauza tracks social media all day, rewards every minute off with tokens and streaks, and lets you bet a friend on who scrolls less (free core, iOS 26+).
Focus Friend — a cozy mascot-based focus timer that rewards sessions with room decorations. Same wholesome session mechanic, different reward.
Yes — in December 2025 Forest moved from a ~$3.99 one-time purchase to free with a 'Forest Plus' subscription around $32-36/year (approximate, check the App Store). Existing owners kept their features.
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Every minute off social media earns tokens — and you can bet a friend on who scrolls less.
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