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Forest vs Things 3

Forest logo

Forest

All industries

Stay focused, be present

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Things 3 logo

Things 3

Productivity

The award-winning personal task manager

From
$9.99/one-time
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; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Forest covers Focus timer, Things 3 covers Today view.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Forest and Things 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Forest and Things 3 differ
AttributeForestThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, Chrome, FirefoxmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
CategoryAll industriesProductivity
Founded20142004

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 Things 3

  • Today view
  • Projects and areas
  • Quick entry
  • Tags
  • Calendar integration
  • Apple Calendar
  • Siri
  • Shortcuts

Both cover

  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Forest

  • Study sessionsnot Things 3
  • Work focus timenot Things 3
  • Digital detoxnot Things 3
  • Pomodoro techniquenot Things 3
  • Phone addiction managementnot Things 3

Things 3

  • 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

Things 3

  • No team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • Apple ecosystem only, with no Windows, Android, or web version
  • No third-party app integrations beyond Apple's ecosystem
  • Cannot attach files or images to tasks, only text notes
  • No time blocking or calendar integration for scheduling tasks into specific time slots

Pricing, plan by plan

Forest

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Forest review.

Things 3

$9.99/one-time
  • iPhone/Watch$9.99/one-time
  • iPad$19.99/one-time
  • Mac$49.99/one-time

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 Things 3 if

  • You need today view.
  • You work on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
  • You also want projects and areas.
Things 3 review

Questions people ask

Is Forest or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Forest starts at Free and Things 3 at $9.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Forest or Things 3?
Forest has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Forest and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Forest or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Forest runs on iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Forest for free?
Yes. Forest has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
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 Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Forest do that Things 3 cannot?
Forest covers Focus timer, Virtual forest building, Real tree planting partnership, Website/app blocking. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags. Both handle Ios 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
Things 3: Does Things 3 support team collaboration?

No. Things 3 is designed for individual use only with no task sharing, team workspaces, task assignment, or commenting features.

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
Things 3: What platforms does Things 3 run on?

Things 3 is exclusive to Apple devices: macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and visionOS. There is no Windows, Android, or web version.

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
Things 3: How much does Things 3 cost?

Things 3 uses a one-time purchase model: $9.99 for iPhone/Watch, $19.99 for iPad, and $49.99 for Mac. Total cost for all platforms is approximately $80 with no subscription required.

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
Things 3: Does Things 3 sync across devices?

Yes. Things Cloud keeps your to-dos in sync across all your Apple devices automatically. There is no extra cost for cloud synchronization.

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
Things 3: Can you attach files or images to tasks in Things 3?

No. Things 3 does not support attachments. You can only add notes (text) to tasks.

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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Related pages

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