Is Forest or HiBob better?

Neither clearly leads. Forest starts at Free and HiBob at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, Forest or HiBob?

Forest has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Forest and On request for HiBob.

Does Forest or HiBob run on more platforms?

Forest runs on iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox. HiBob runs on Web, iOS, Android.

Can I use Forest for free?

Yes. Forest has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. HiBob starts at On request.

What is Forest best used for?

Forest is most often used for study sessions, work focus time, digital detox, pomodoro technique. Of those, study sessions and work focus time are not what HiBob is typically brought in for.

What can Forest do that HiBob cannot?

Forest covers Focus timer, Virtual forest building, Real tree planting partnership, Website/app blocking. HiBob covers Core HR, Onboarding, Time Off Management, Performance Management. Both handle Ios support, Android support.

Software · head to head

Forest vs HiBob

Forest

Software

Stay focused, be present

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

HiBob

Software

Modern HR for modern businesses

From: On request
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Only Forest has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
Each has a real cost: Forest no standalone desktop app; limited to browser extensions; HiBob pricing not publicly displayed; requires contacting sales for custom quote
They diverge on capability: Forest covers Focus timer, HiBob covers Core HR.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Forest and HiBob actually diverge.

Attributes where Forest and HiBob differ
Attribute	Forest	HiBob
Starting price	Free	On request
Pricing model	Unknown	subscription
Free tier	Yes	No
Platforms	iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox	Web, iOS, Android
Founded	2014	2015

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

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

Only in HiBob

Core HR
Onboarding
Time Off Management
Performance Management
Compensation
People Analytics
Engagement
Slack

Both cover

Ios support
Android support

What people use each for

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

Forest

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

HiBob

Core HR system of record with automated workflowsnot Forest
Performance management, learning and skills trackingnot Forest
US and UK payroll, benefits and time trackingnot Forest
Workforce planning and compensation review cyclesnot Forest
Employee self-service for a distributed workforcenot Forest

Where each one falls short

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

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

HiBob

Pricing not publicly displayed; requires contacting sales for custom quote
Limited payroll functionality compared to dedicated payroll platforms
Smaller integration ecosystem compared to larger HR platforms

Pricing, plan by plan

Forest

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Forest review.

HiBob

On request

Bob$undefined/month
- Core HR
- Onboarding
- Time Off

Which should you pick?

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

Choose HiBob if

You need core hr.
You work on Web, iOS, Android.
You also want onboarding.

HiBob review

Questions people ask

Is Forest or HiBob better?: Neither clearly leads. Forest starts at Free and HiBob at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Forest or HiBob?: Forest has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Forest and On request for HiBob.
Does Forest or HiBob run on more platforms?: Forest runs on iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox. HiBob runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Forest for free?: Yes. Forest has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. HiBob starts at On request.
What is Forest best used for?: Forest is most often used for study sessions, work focus time, digital detox, pomodoro technique. Of those, study sessions and work focus time are not what HiBob is typically brought in for.
What can Forest do that HiBob cannot?: Forest covers Focus timer, Virtual forest building, Real tree planting partnership, Website/app blocking. HiBob covers Core HR, Onboarding, Time Off Management, Performance Management. Both handle Ios support, Android 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

HiBob: What modules does HiBob include?

HiBob includes Core HR, Time & Attendance, Performance & Goals, Compensation Management, Global Operations, and Analytics modules that can be selected based on organizational needs.

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

HiBob: How is HiBob pricing calculated?

HiBob pricing is customized based on company size (1-49, 50-199, 200-999, or 1,000+ employees) and the specific modules selected. Pricing is on a per-employee basis.

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

HiBob: Does HiBob offer a mobile app?

Yes, HiBob includes mobile app access as part of all plans, allowing employees to manage their HR tasks on the go.

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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Forest vs HiBob

Forest

HiBob

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Forest

Only in HiBob

Both cover

What people use each for

Forest

HiBob

Where each one falls short

Forest

HiBob

Pricing, plan by plan

Forest

HiBob

Which should you pick?

Choose Forest if

Choose HiBob if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Forest

More on HiBob

Keep looking

Other head to heads