Storey App01 / AT A GLANCE
Storey vs Forest at a glance
20 features, side by side Scroll to compare on smaller screens →
| Feature | Storey | Forest |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A habit tracker | A focus timer |
| Core idea | Each habit becomes a tower in a growing city | A virtual tree grows while you stay focused |
| What it records | Whether each habit happened, day by day | Focused time, session by session |
| Habit list and daily check-ins | Yes | No |
| Weekly goals (e.g. 4 of 7 days) | Yes | No |
| Focus timer | No | Yes |
| App and site blocking | No | Deep Focus; Time Guard (1 app or site free, more with Plus) |
| What grows | Lit windows each day, a new storey each successful week | A tree for each completed session |
| If you slip | That day's window stays dark; nothing built is removed | Leave the app early and the tree withers |
| Long-term view | Your city, calendar views and a yearly activity mosaic | Weekly, monthly and yearly forest views; focus statistics |
| Streaks and milestones | Streaks and milestones | Achievements and challenges |
| In-app currency | None | Coins unlock tree species |
| Real trees planted | No | Yes, with Forest Plus |
| Together with friends | City snapshots; visit neighbors' cities | Plant Together and group sessions |
| Apple Health | No | Syncs focus time |
| iPhone | Yes (iOS 17+) | Yes (iOS 16+) |
| iPad | No iPad-native app | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Browser extensions | No | Chrome and Firefox |
| Best for | Seeing habits add up over weeks and months | Staying off your phone during a work or study session |
Forest protects a block of time. Storey records the habits you keep. Storey is a Forest alternative only if what you wanted from Forest was a habit tracker.
02 / DIFFERENT JOBS
A focus timer and a habit tracker do different jobs
People who search for a “Forest app alternative” usually want one of two things.
Some love the feeling of growing something visible and want that same satisfaction for their habits: reading, running, stretching, practicing a language.
Others are happy with the idea of Forest but unhappy with something about the current app, and want to know what else is out there.
Forest answers: “Can I stay focused right now?”
Forest is built around a single session. You choose a length, start the timer and put your phone down. If you stay out of other apps until the timer ends, your tree finishes growing. If you leave early, it withers.
You can tag sessions, such as Study or Work, and Forest shows statistics for how much time you spent focused. That is genuinely useful, but it measures minutes, not habits.
Forest has no habit list, no daily check-ins and no weekly habit goals. It does not ask whether you stretched today, called a friend or took your vitamins.
Storey answers: “Did the habit happen this week?”
Storey has no timer at all. You create the habits you want to keep, set how many days a week each one should happen, and check them off when they do.
So the real decision is not “Forest or Storey?” It is “Do I need help focusing, help being consistent, or both?”
03 / TREES VS TOWERS
Something you can watch grow
Much of Forest's appeal is visual. A finished session leaves a tree behind, and over time those trees become a forest that represents hours of focused work.
Storey uses the same instinct for a different kind of progress.
1 habit = 1 tower
1 completed day = 1 lit window
1 successful week = 1 new storey
Create a reading habit with a goal of four days a week. Each day you read, one of its windows lights up. Reach four days and the tower gets taller. Keep going for months and that building becomes a visible record of how consistently you read.
Forest rewards each session with a new tree. Storey's daily reward is smaller, a single lit window, and the bigger one arrives at the end of a week. That slower loop is built for habits you want to keep for months, not for the next half hour.
Both apps also give you things to unlock. Forest uses coins earned from focusing to unlock new tree species. Storey has no coins; instead, building styles and landmarks unlock as your city grows, and the city shows real weather and moon phases.
If what you loved about Forest was watching your effort turn into something you could look at, Storey gives habits that same feeling. If what you loved was the timer itself, Storey does not have one.
04 / MISSING A DAY
What happens when you slip?
Forest
Forest's core mechanic is a small, immediate consequence: if you leave the app before the session ends, your tree withers. For many people that is exactly the point. The thought of killing a tree is enough to keep the phone face-down for another ten minutes.
Storey
Storey works on a longer timescale, so the consequence is softer.
Miss a day and that day's window stays dark.
Miss your weekly goal and no new storey is added that week.
That's it. Nothing you have already built is removed, and because goals are weekly, a busy Tuesday doesn't ruin the week. Four out of seven days can still count as a win.
If you have ever given up on a habit after a broken streak, that difference matters. Here's more on starting again after breaking a habit streak.
05 / USING BOTH
Why many people could use both
Because they measure different things, Forest and Storey fit together without overlapping.
Say your goal is to study four evenings a week.
- Forest keeps you off your phone during each study session.
- Storey records that the session happened, lights a window, and adds a storey once you hit four evenings.
Forest makes tonight's hour go better. Storey shows whether those evenings are adding up across weeks and months.
The same pairing works for writing, practicing an instrument or language learning.
If cutting phone time is itself the habit you're working on, our screen time calculator shows what your daily number adds up to over a year, which can be a useful starting point for either app.
06 / WHERE FOREST WINS
Where Forest is the better app
Forest is better at everything it was built for, and Storey doesn't try to compete.
Focus sessions
Forest's timer is the product. Storey has no timer.
App blocking
Forest's free tier includes Deep Focus app blocking and Time Guard for one app or website. Forest Plus adds custom allowlists and Time Guard for multiple apps. Storey cannot block anything on your phone.
Real trees
Forest says it has funded “over 2 million” real trees through Trees for the Future. Real-tree planting is part of Forest Plus. Storey has nothing comparable.
More places to use it
Forest runs on iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision and Android, and has Chrome and Firefox browser extensions for focusing on a computer. Storey is a phone app for iPhone and Android, with no iPad-native version and no browser version.
Focus with friends
Forest's Plant Together and group sessions let several people focus at the same time. Storey's social features are lighter: you can share a snapshot of your city or visit a neighbor's city, but there are no shared sessions.
If you want focus blocking and habit tracking in the same app, Kubbo includes a Focus Mode alongside habits; see Storey vs Kubbo.
07 / LEAVING FOREST?
If you're looking because of Forest's recent changes
Forest has a 4.8 average from 49,514 ratings on the US App Store. Its most recent reviews read differently.
When we read the 150 most recent US App Store reviews (September 8 to October 4, 2026), 104 gave one or two stars. The most common subject was a recent redesign: reviewers said restarting a timer or collecting coins now takes more taps, and that some animations run long.
Other reviewers who had paid for the older version said features had moved behind the subscription. Forest's website says the legacy one-time Forest Pro is no longer sold and that existing owners keep it.
These are reviewers' reports, not our own testing, and apps often change in response to this kind of feedback. Check the latest version yourself before deciding.
Be realistic about what switching gets you. If you mainly used Forest as a timer, Storey will not replace it; you would want another focus app. If you were using Forest's tags as a rough way to track habits, a dedicated habit tracker will likely fit better.
Other habit trackers with a visual twist are worth a look too: Storey vs Finch compares a virtual-pet approach, and Storey vs Habit Skyline compares a free, browser-based city builder.
08 / PRICING
Storey vs Forest pricing
Both apps are free to start and offer an optional subscription. The free plans cover very different things.
US App Store prices as of October 2026. Regional pricing, trials and offers can differ, so check the purchase screen before subscribing.
Last checked: October 5, 2026.
| Plan | Storey | Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Up to 5 habits, with city growth, streaks and reminders | Focus timer, Deep Focus, Time Guard for 1 app or site, Plant Together and basic Mindful Space |
| Monthly | Storey Pro: $5.99/month with a 7-day free trial | Forest Plus “Monthly (Early Bird)”: $5.99 |
| Annual | Storey Pro: $59.99/year on iPhone | Forest Plus “Annual (Early Bird)”: listed at $32.49 and at $35.99 |
| What paying adds | Unlimited habits, premium finishes, the Building Studio and editing check-ins older than yesterday | Custom allowlists, multi-app Time Guard, the full soundscape library, advanced analytics, a 3× coin boost, exclusive and seasonal trees, and real-tree planting |
Forest's legacy one-time Forest Pro purchase is no longer sold; existing owners keep it. Forest also sells optional consumables on the App Store: Crystal from $0.99 to $21.99 and Sunshine Elixir from $0.99 to $1.99.
Forest Plus's annual plan costs less than Storey Pro's annual plan. Forest's prices are labelled “Early Bird”, so they may change.
On Android, Google Play lists Storey Pro as an optional monthly subscription at $5.99. Forest's exact Android Plus price isn't shown on its Play listing, which gives an in-app purchase range of $0.99 to $59.99.
The more useful question is which free plan covers what you need: Forest's for a focus timer with app blocking, Storey's for up to five habits.
See the current prices on the Forest App Store listing and forestapp.cc.
09 / PLATFORMS & PRIVACY
Platforms and privacy labels
Where each app runs
Forest: iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision (iOS 16 or later), Android, and Chrome and Firefox browser extensions. No Apple Watch or Mac app is listed.
Storey: iPhone (iOS 17 or later) and Android through Google Play. There is no iPad-native app, Apple Watch app or web app. Storey requires an account, and your habits sync through it.
What the store labels say
Forest's App Store privacy label includes a “Data Used to Track You” section, listing contact info and usage data, as well as a broader set of data linked to you. Its Google Play listing says the app contains ads.
Storey's App Store label lists data linked to you, including purchases, coarse location, name and email, user content, identifiers, product interaction and diagnostics.
Labels are self-reported and change over time, so read both current labels before installing.
10 / CHOOSE STOREY
Choose Storey if…
Storey may be the better Forest alternative if:
- You want to track habits, not time spent focusing.
- You were using Forest's tags as a workaround for habit tracking.
- You like watching your effort turn into something visible.
- You want each habit to have its own record.
- You want weekly goals, such as four days out of seven.
- You want a missed day to leave a dark window rather than undo your progress.
- You'd rather not manage coins or in-app currency.
- You use an iPhone or Android phone.
11 / CHOOSE FOREST
Choose Forest if…
Forest is the better choice if:
- Your main problem is picking up your phone while you work or study.
- You want a timer for focus sessions.
- You want app or website blocking.
- You like that your focus can help fund real trees.
- You want to focus alongside friends in group sessions.
- You use an iPad, or want browser extensions for Chrome or Firefox.
- You want focus time synced to Apple Health.
12 / THE VERDICT
Storey vs Forest: which should you choose?
Choose Forest for focus.
It is a popular, well-supported way to stay off your phone for a fixed block of time, with app blocking, browser extensions, group sessions and real trees behind it. Storey does none of that.
Choose Storey for habits.
If you want to know whether the habit happened, and see weeks of it stacked into something you can look at, that is what Storey is built for.
Or use both.
Forest for the session, Storey for the week.
Forest grows a tree for an hour of focus.
Storey builds a tower from the weeks you kept going.
13 / FAQS
Frequently asked questions
Is Storey a good Forest app alternative?
It depends on what you used Forest for. If you want the satisfaction of watching something grow but for habits, Storey is a good fit: each habit becomes a tower, each completed day lights a window, and each successful week adds a storey. If you want a focus timer or app blocking, Storey does not replace Forest.
Is Forest a habit tracker?
Not really. Forest is a focus timer: it grows a virtual tree while you stay off your phone and shows statistics for your focused time. It has no habit list, no daily habit check-ins and no weekly habit goals.
Can I use Forest and Storey together?
Yes. They measure different things, so they fit together well. Use Forest to stay focused during a study or work session, and Storey to record that the habit happened and see how your weeks add up.
Does Storey have a focus timer or app blocking?
No. Storey has no focus timer and cannot block apps or websites. Forest includes Deep Focus app blocking and Time Guard in its free tier, with more blocking options in Forest Plus.
What happens if I miss a day in Storey?
That day's window stays dark. If you miss your weekly goal, no new storey is added that week. Nothing you have already built is removed.
How much do Forest and Storey cost?
Both are free to start. As of October 2026 on the US App Store, Forest Plus is listed at $5.99 monthly or from $32.49 a year as an Early Bird price, and Storey Pro is $5.99 a month with a 7-day free trial or $59.99 a year on iPhone. Storey's free plan covers up to 5 habits.
Is Storey available on Android and iPad?
Storey is available on Android through Google Play and on iPhone with iOS 17 or later. It does not have an iPad-native app. Forest supports iPad as well as iPhone and Android.
14 / SOURCES
Sources & review notes
All details were checked on October 5, 2026. Prices are US storefront in USD.
- Forest on the US App Store: platforms, in-app purchase prices, rating, privacy label and recent reviews.
- Forest on Google Play: Android availability, in-app purchase range and data safety notes.
- forestapp.cc: free and Forest Plus features, legacy Forest Pro, browser extensions and real-tree planting.
- Storey on the US App Store: Storey Pro pricing, trial, platforms and privacy label.
- Storey on Google Play: Android availability and subscription.
Review themes are counts from the 150 most recent US App Store reviews of Forest, not statistics. Features and prices may change after publication.