Softwr

All industries · head to head

Forest vs Kareo

Forest logo

Forest

All industries

Stay focused, be present

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kareo logo

Kareo

Healthcare & Medical

Cloud-based EHR and billing for small practices

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Kareo kareo is now part of Tebra and sold under the Tebra brand rather than as a standalone product
  • They diverge on capability: Forest covers Focus timer, Kareo covers Electronic Health Records.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Forest and Kareo actually diverge.

Attributes where Forest and Kareo differ
AttributeForestKareo
Starting priceFree$99/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, Chrome, FirefoxWeb, Mobile
CategoryAll industriesHealthcare & Medical
Founded20142010

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

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 Kareo

  • Electronic Health Records
  • Scheduling
  • Patient Portal
  • Medical Billing
  • Payment Processing
  • Labs
  • Pharmacies
  • Clearinghouses

What people use each for

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

Forest

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

Kareo

  • Practice management, scheduling and billing for independent medical practicesnot Forest
  • Electronic health records and e-prescribing for small clinicsnot Forest
  • Insurance claim submission and patient payment collectionnot 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

Kareo

  • Kareo is now part of Tebra and sold under the Tebra brand rather than as a standalone product
  • Tebra publishes no rate: pricing varies with provider count, features and implementation requirements and is quoted during a demo
  • Billing counts clinical providers such as MDs, DOs, NPs and PAs, so adding a prescriber raises the bill even though non clinical staff are free
  • Electronic prescribing of controlled substances setup costs about $75 per provider as a one time fee
  • PDMP integration costs $500 one time per facility plus about $50 per user per year

Pricing, plan by plan

Forest

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Forest review.

Kareo

$99/month
  • Starter$99/month
    • EHR
    • Scheduling
    • Patient Portal
  • Professional$199/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Billing
    • Reporting

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 Kareo if

  • You need electronic health records.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want scheduling.
Kareo review

Questions people ask

Is Forest or Kareo better?
Neither clearly leads. Forest starts at Free and Kareo at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Forest or Kareo?
Forest has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Forest and $99/month for Kareo.
Does Forest or Kareo run on more platforms?
Forest runs on iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox. Kareo runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Forest for free?
Yes. Forest has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kareo starts at $99/month.
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 Kareo is typically brought in for.
What can Forest do that Kareo cannot?
Forest covers Focus timer, Virtual forest building, Real tree planting partnership, Website/app blocking. Kareo covers Electronic Health Records, Scheduling, Patient Portal, Medical Billing.

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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