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Scheduling & Booking · head to head

Booksy vs Forest

Booksy logo

Booksy

Scheduling & Booking

Book local beauty services

From
$29.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Forest logo

Forest

All industries

Stay focused, be present

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Forest has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Booksy the Boost marketplace feature charges a one time 30% fee on the first visit cost for each client it brings in; Forest no standalone desktop app; limited to browser extensions
  • They diverge on capability: Booksy covers Online booking, Forest covers Focus timer.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Booksy and Forest actually diverge.

Attributes where Booksy and Forest differ
AttributeBooksyForest
Starting price$29.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidiOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox
CategoryScheduling & BookingAll industries

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2014).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Booksy

  • Online booking
  • Calendar management
  • Client database
  • Automated reminders
  • Marketing tools
  • Reviews management
  • Mobile apps
  • Analytics dashboard

Only in Forest

  • Focus timer
  • Virtual forest building
  • Real tree planting partnership
  • Website/app blocking
  • Statistics tracking
  • Achievements & rewards
  • Social features
  • Custom tree species

Both cover

  • Ios support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Booksy

  • Appointment booking and client management for salons and barbersnot Forest
  • Taking payments and deposits against bookingsnot Forest

Forest

  • Study sessionsnot Booksy
  • Work focus timenot Booksy
  • Digital detoxnot Booksy
  • Pomodoro techniquenot Booksy
  • Phone addiction managementnot Booksy

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Booksy

  • The Boost marketplace feature charges a one time 30% fee on the first visit cost for each client it brings in
  • Additional team members are $20 a month each on top of the $29.99 base
  • Card processing runs from 2.49% plus $0.10 to 2.69% plus $0.30 depending on how the payment is taken
  • Getting paid out within 30 minutes costs a further 1.5%
  • Card readers are bought separately at $53.10 or $219.85 plus shipping

Forest

  • No standalone desktop app; limited to browser extensions
  • Mobile app pricing varies by platform; iOS one-time purchase vs. Android different model
  • Forest Plus features required for advanced analytics and custom tag tracking

Pricing, plan by plan

Booksy

$29.99/month
  • Solo$29.99/month
    • Unlimited bookings
    • Client management
    • Mobile app
  • Team$49.99/month
    • Everything in Solo
    • Multiple staff
    • Staff scheduling
  • Business$79.99/month
    • Everything in Team
    • Multi-location
    • Priority support

Forest

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Forest review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Booksy if

  • You need online booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want calendar management.
Booksy review

Choose Forest if

  • You need focus timer.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox.
  • You also want virtual forest building.
Forest review

Questions people ask

Is Booksy or Forest better?
Neither clearly leads. Booksy starts at $29.99/month and Forest at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Booksy or Forest?
Forest has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29.99/month for Booksy and Free for Forest.
Does Booksy or Forest run on more platforms?
Booksy runs on Web, Ios, Android. Forest runs on iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox.
Can I use Forest for free?
Yes. Forest has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Booksy starts at $29.99/month.
What is Booksy best used for?
Booksy is most often used for appointment booking and client management for salons and barbers, taking payments and deposits against bookings. Of those, appointment booking and client management for salons and barbers and taking payments and deposits against bookings are not what Forest is typically brought in for.
What can Booksy do that Forest cannot?
Booksy covers Online booking, Calendar management, Client database, Automated reminders. Forest covers Focus timer, Virtual forest building, Real tree planting partnership, Website/app blocking. Both handle Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Forest: How much does Forest cost?

Forest has a free version with core features (timer, app blocking, group focus). Forest Plus subscription costs $3.33/month when billed annually at $39.99, with pricing varying by region and platform.

Source
Forest: What platforms does Forest support?

Forest is available on iOS (one-time purchase $3.99), Android (free with ads, or $1.99 one-time for ad-free), and as a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox.

Source
Forest: What is Forest's tree planting program?

Forest has partnered with Trees for the Future to plant real trees. Users can spend earned focus coins to fund tree planting in Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, and Cameroon. Over 2.1 million real trees have been planted.

Source
Forest: Does Forest work offline?

Yes. Forest's core focus experience including the timer, tree growth, and stats works completely offline. This allows use on airplanes, subways, and areas without internet connectivity.

Source
Forest: Is there a Forest desktop app?

No. Forest does not have an official standalone desktop application. Desktop access is available through browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox only. Some users run the mobile app via emulators like BlueStacks.

Source
Forest: What features are in Forest Plus?

Forest Plus includes all Mindful Space soundscapes, custom app allowlists, advanced analytics with custom tags, exclusive tree species, 3x coin boost, and the ability to plant up to 5 real trees annually.

Source
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