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Software · head to head

Forest App vs Tana

Forest App logo

Forest App

Software

Gamified focus timer and productivity app

From
$1.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tana logo

Tana

Software

The everything app for your personal workspace

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tana has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Forest App requires active user initiation to function, so it is ineffective if users forget to start a session; Tana the free plan hosts only 5 meetings a month with AI transcripts and summaries
  • They diverge on capability: Forest App covers Focus timer with gamification, Tana covers Outliner interface.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Forest App and Tana actually diverge.

Attributes where Forest App and Tana differ
AttributeForest AppTana
Starting price$1.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, Android, Chrome, FirefoxWeb, Desktop
Founded20142020

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Forest App

  • Focus timer with gamification
  • Virtual tree growing system
  • Forest building and sharing
  • Focus statistics
  • Real tree planting partnership
  • Distraction tracking
  • Themes and customization
  • Cloud sync

Only in Tana

  • Outliner interface
  • Supertags
  • Live queries
  • AI integration
  • Graph views
  • Email capture
  • API
  • Zapier

What people use each for

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

Forest App

  • Productivitynot Tana
  • Collaborationnot Tana
  • Task managementnot Tana
  • Organizationnot Tana

Tana

  • Structured note taking with a graph based supertag data modelnot Forest App
  • Automatic meeting capture with AI transcripts and summariesnot Forest App
  • Turning notes into queryable structured databasesnot Forest App

Where each one falls short

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

Forest App

  • Requires active user initiation to function, so it is ineffective if users forget to start a session
  • Virtual coin awards are limited without additional in-app purchases for unlocking new content
  • Apple Watch app is very limited, allowing only viewing of the current day's forest
  • Website blocklist feature has poor discoverability

Tana

  • The free plan hosts only 5 meetings a month with AI transcripts and summaries
  • The free plan connects only 1 calendar and allows 50 AI queries
  • Pro is $30 per user per month at standard price, with $20 shown as an early bird rate
  • Max is $120 per user per month at standard price, with $80 shown as an early bird rate
  • Integrations and full MCP require the Pro plan
  • Dedicated support and onboarding, and unlimited agents, skills and types, require the Max plan
  • The Business plan is custom priced, billed yearly and has no published rate
  • The free trial runs 30 days

Pricing, plan by plan

Forest App

$1.99/one-time
  • Lite$1.99/one-time
    • Basic forest building
    • Focus timer
    • Statistics
  • Pro Subscription$4.99/month
    • All Lite features
    • Advanced themes
    • Real tree planting partnership

Tana

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core features
    • Supertags
    • Searches
  • Pro$10/month
    • Advanced AI
    • Priority support
    • Extended history

Which should you pick?

Choose Forest App if

  • You need focus timer with gamification.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox.
  • You also want virtual tree growing system.
Forest App review

Choose Tana if

  • You need outliner interface.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop.
  • You also want supertags.
Tana review

Questions people ask

Is Forest App or Tana better?
Neither clearly leads. Forest App starts at $1.99/one-time and Tana at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Forest App or Tana?
Tana has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1.99/one-time for Forest App and Free for Tana.
Does Forest App or Tana run on more platforms?
Forest App runs on iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox. Tana runs on Web, Desktop.
Can I use Tana for free?
Yes. Tana has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Forest App starts at $1.99/one-time.
What is Forest App best used for?
Forest App is most often used for productivity, collaboration, task management, organization. Of those, productivity and collaboration are not what Tana is typically brought in for.
What can Forest App do that Tana cannot?
Forest App covers Focus timer with gamification, Virtual tree growing system, Forest building and sharing, Focus statistics. Tana covers Outliner interface, Supertags, Live queries, AI integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Forest App: Is Forest available on multiple platforms?

Yes. Forest is available on iOS, Android, Chrome browser extension, and Firefox browser extension with cross-platform account sync.

Source
Forest App: Does Forest have a free version?

Yes. Forest offers a free tier that includes the core timer, app blocking, group focus sessions, basic soundscape, and focus tracking with no credit card required.

Source
Forest App: What does Forest Plus subscription include?

Forest Plus subscription offers exclusive and seasonal tree species, full soundscape library, custom app allowlists, advanced analytics, 3x coin boost, and the ability to plant up to 5 real trees.

Source
Forest App: Can I use Forest to block distracting apps during work sessions?

Yes. Forest includes Deep Focus mode that blocks distracting apps during sessions, and Time Guard that schedules app blocks throughout the day.

Source
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