Clockify vs Forest: Comprehensive Comparison
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Overview
In today's fast-paced world, choosing the right productivity tool can make all the difference. This comprehensive comparison between Clockify and Forest will help you understand which tool best fits your workflow and productivity needs.
⚡ Quick Summary
Aspect | Clockify | Forest |
|---|---|---|
Best For | Free time tracking and timesheet app for monitoring work hours, productivity, and billable time across projects | Gamified focus timer that grows virtual trees during focused sessions and dies if you leave the app |
Pricing | Free, from $3.99/user/month | iOS: $3.99 one-time, Android: Free or $1.99 pro |
Platforms | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android | iOS, Android, Web |
What is Clockify?
Clockify is a **time tracking** and **timesheet** app for individuals and teams that lets you track work hours across projects, manage productivity, attendance, billable hours, scheduling, reporting, invoicing, and related time-management workflows. It offers web, desktop, and mobile apps and is free for unlimited users.
🌟 Key Features of Clockify
✦Timer with one-click start/stop, manual entry, and continue previous activities
✦Timesheets with submit/approve functionality and reminders
✦Calendar view to visualize time, block hours, and add Outlook/Google events
✦Auto-tracking of apps, websites, documents with idle detection
✦Reports and analytics with dashboards, profit/cost tracking, and team performance
✦Projects and tasks management with budgets, assignments, and progress tracking
What is Forest?
Forest is a gamified productivity app that uses a focus timer where users plant virtual trees that grow during focused sessions; leaving the app kills the tree. It tracks focus time, provides statistics, and partners with Trees for the Future to plant real trees. Available on iOS, Android, and web with cross-platform sync.
🌟 Key Features of Forest
✦Virtual tree planting with focus timer that kills trees if you leave the app
✦App blocking and allow lists for iOS devices (iOS 16+)
✦Detailed analytics with tagging, weekly/monthly/yearly statistics
✦Social features including multiplayer planting and leaderboards
✦Real tree planting partnership with Trees for the Future
✦Ambient sounds, white noise, and breathing exercises
📊 Feature Comparison
Feature | Clockify | Forest |
|---|---|---|
📅 Calendar Integration | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
✅ Task Management | ✓ Yes | ◐ Limited |
⏰ Time Blocking | ✓ Yes | ◐ Limited |
🗣️ Natural Language Processing | ✗ No | ✗ No |
🔔 Notifications | — | — |
🌍 Time Zones Support | — | — |
📆 Scheduler | ◐ Limited | — |
📈 Analytics | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
🔗 Integrations
Clockify
80+ integrations including Trello, Asana, Google Calendar, Outlook, Jira, Todoist, ClickUp, Monday.com, Slack, GitHub, Salesforce, QuickBooks, Zendesk
Forest
Cross-device sync within Forest ecosystem, Chrome browser extension
💰 Pricing Comparison
Clockify
Free, from $3.99/user/month
Free forever plan with unlimited users and projects. Paid plans: Basic $3.99/user/month annually ($4.99 monthly), Standard $5.49/user/month annually ($6.99 monthly), Pro $7.99/user/month annually ($9.99 monthly), Enterprise $11.99/user/month annually ($14.99 monthly)
Forest
iOS: $3.99 one-time, Android: Free or $1.99 pro
iOS: $3.99 one-time. Android: Free with ads or $1.99 one-time for pro features. Optional in-app purchases $1-$45 for cosmetic items.
💡 Things to Consider
When Choosing Clockify
→Mobile app reliability issues - many users report bugs, slow performance, and timer sync problems, especially on Android
→Key business features locked behind paid tiers - free plan lacks invoicing, advanced scheduling, GPS tracking, and advanced reporting
→Limited customization in reporting and analytics - no custom fields and difficulty saving report templates compared to more advanced tools
When Choosing Forest
→Requires self-discipline to remember starting sessions and relies on personal motivation rather than strict app blocking
→One-time purchase with no free trial available, and purchases don't transfer between iOS and Android platforms
→Limited integrations with other productivity tools like Google Calendar, Slack, Notion, or Todoist
⭐ User Reviews
Clockify
"Strong time-tracking tool with generous free plan but has mobile app reliability issues and limited advanced features on free tier. Good for core time tracking and billing with useful project breakdowns, but reporting is not very customizable and costs rise quickly as teams scale. Mobile apps are often buggy with sync issues, and key business features like invoicing and advanced scheduling are locked behind paid tiers."
Forest
"Users praise Forest for making focus fun and effective against distractions, with 4.8/5 stars on App Store. Positive feedback highlights gamification and real-tree planting. Complaints include UX frustrations, strict tree-death rules, and bugs. Best for gentle nudges over hard blocks."
🎯 Conclusion
Both Clockify and Forest are excellent productivity tools with their own strengths.
Clockify excels in Timer with one-click start/stop, manual entry, and continue previous activities, while Forest shines with Virtual tree planting with focus timer that kills trees if you leave the app. The best choice depends on your specific needs, workflow preferences, and budget.
We recommend trying both tools to see which one fits better with your productivity style.
