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Forest vs Sunsama

Forest logo

Forest

All industries

Stay focused, be present

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sunsama logo

Sunsama

Project Management

The daily planner for busy professionals

From
$17/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; Sunsama pricing is higher than some competitor daily planners at $17+ per month
  • They diverge on capability: Forest covers Focus timer, Sunsama covers Daily planning ritual.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Forest and Sunsama actually diverge.

Attributes where Forest and Sunsama differ
AttributeForestSunsama
Starting priceFree$17/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, Chrome, FirefoxWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryAll industriesProject Management
Founded20142016

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Sunsama

  • Daily planning ritual
  • Task timeboxing
  • Workload management
  • Shutdown routine
  • Focus mode
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Todoist

What people use each for

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

Forest

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

Sunsama

  • Schedulingnot Forest
  • Appointment bookingnot Forest
  • Time trackingnot Forest
  • Resource managementnot Forest
  • Team coordinationnot 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

Sunsama

  • Pricing is higher than some competitor daily planners at $17+ per month
  • Requires consistent daily engagement with the planning ritual to be effective
  • Limited customization of the daily planning framework compared to more flexible task managers

Pricing, plan by plan

Forest

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Forest review.

Sunsama

$17/month
  • Pro Plan (Annual)$17/month
    • Unlimited usage
    • Unlimited integrations
    • AI + MCP + Zapier support
  • Pro Plan (Monthly)$22/month
    • Unlimited usage
    • Unlimited integrations
    • AI + MCP + Zapier support

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 Sunsama if

  • You need daily planning ritual.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want task timeboxing.
Sunsama review

Questions people ask

Is Forest or Sunsama better?
Neither clearly leads. Forest starts at Free and Sunsama at $17/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Forest or Sunsama?
Forest has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Forest and $17/month for Sunsama.
Does Forest or Sunsama run on more platforms?
Forest runs on iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox. Sunsama runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Forest for free?
Yes. Forest has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sunsama starts at $17/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 Sunsama is typically brought in for.
What can Forest do that Sunsama cannot?
Forest covers Focus timer, Virtual forest building, Real tree planting partnership, Website/app blocking. Sunsama covers Daily planning ritual, Task timeboxing, Workload management, Shutdown routine.

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
Sunsama: What is the pricing for Sunsama and is there a free trial?

Sunsama costs $17 per month when billed yearly or $22 per month when billed monthly. A 14-day free trial is available without requiring a credit card.

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
Sunsama: What task management tools does Sunsama integrate with?

Sunsama integrates with Asana, Todoist, Trello, Jira, Linear, Monday.com, Notion, ClickUp, GitHub, and Google Tasks, allowing you to pull tasks from these services into your daily plan.

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
Sunsama: Can Sunsama sync with my calendar?

Yes, Sunsama is bidirectionally synced with Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and iCloud Calendar, creating a unified view of your schedule and daily commitments.

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
Sunsama: Does Sunsama have a mobile app?

Yes, Sunsama is available as a mobile app on both iOS and Android through the Google Play Store and Apple App Store for managing your daily plan on the go.

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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