Is Forest or Memberstack better?

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

Which is cheaper, Forest or Memberstack?

Forest starts at Free and Memberstack at Free.

Does Forest or Memberstack run on more platforms?

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

Can I use Forest for free?

Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.

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 Memberstack is typically brought in for.

What can Forest do that Memberstack cannot?

Forest covers Focus timer, Virtual forest building, Real tree planting partnership, Website/app blocking.

Productivity · head to head

Forest vs Memberstack

Forest

Productivity

Stay focused, be present

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

Memberstack

Productivity

Add memberships and logins to any website

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Each has a real cost: Forest no standalone desktop app; limited to browser extensions; Memberstack basic and Professional tiers include transaction fees of 4% and 2% respectively
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Forest and Memberstack actually diverge.

Attributes where Forest and Memberstack differ
Attribute	Forest	Memberstack
Pricing model	Unknown	subscription
Platforms	iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox	Web
Founded	2014	Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

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 Memberstack

Nothing recorded that Forest does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Forest

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

Memberstack

Launching course platforms without custom backendnot Forest
Building subscription services with Webflow and paymentnot Forest
Gating content without writing codenot Forest
Managing password resets and two-factor authenticationnot Forest
Processing Stripe billing automaticallynot 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

Memberstack

Basic and Professional tiers include transaction fees of 4% and 2% respectively
Annual billing required for discounts; monthly pricing is higher
Webflow community builders receive Basic plan free but locked to that tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Forest

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Forest review.

Memberstack

Free

Basic$29/month
- Up to 1,000 members
- 4% transaction fee
- $25/month with annual billing
Professional$49/month
- Up to 5,000 members
- 2% transaction fee
- $39/month with annual billing
Business$99/month
- 10,000+ members
- 0.9% transaction fee
- $79/month with annual billing
Established$499/month
- 10,000+ members
- Zero transaction fees
- $399/month with annual billing

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 Memberstack if

You want to start without paying.

Memberstack review

Questions people ask

Is Forest or Memberstack better?: Neither clearly leads. Forest starts at Free and Memberstack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Forest or Memberstack?: Forest starts at Free and Memberstack at Free.
Does Forest or Memberstack run on more platforms?: Forest runs on iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox. Memberstack runs on Web.
Can I use Forest for free?: Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Memberstack is typically brought in for.
What can Forest do that Memberstack cannot?: Forest covers Focus timer, Virtual forest building, Real tree planting partnership, Website/app blocking.

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

Memberstack: What are Memberstack's transaction fees?

Memberstack's transaction fee varies by tier: Basic plan charges 4% per transaction, Professional charges 2%, Business charges 0.9%, and Established tier charges zero transaction fees.

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

Memberstack: Does Memberstack offer a free trial or testing mode?

Yes, Memberstack offers an unlimited free trial in test mode requiring no credit card. Users maintain full feature access at no cost until their site launches with real members.

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

Memberstack: What discounts does Memberstack offer?

Memberstack offers 50% discount for non-profits, special pricing for young professionals (4% fees), and $249/month with zero fees for startups under $1M raised. Webflow community builders receive the Basic plan free. 30-day money-back guarantee available with full refund.

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

Forest vs Memberstack

Forest

Memberstack

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Forest

Only in Memberstack

What people use each for

Forest

Memberstack

Where each one falls short

Forest

Memberstack

Pricing, plan by plan

Forest

Memberstack

Which should you pick?

Choose Forest if

Choose Memberstack if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Forest

More on Memberstack

Keep looking

Other head to heads