How We Feel vs Forest
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
How We Feel is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.3. How We Feel wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Forest on 0, with 2 tied.
Anyone who wants to understand their moods without paying or oversharing
Students and procrastinators who respond to playful, visual rewards
Score by score
The details
| Feature | How We Feel | Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mind & Focus | Mind & Focus |
| Category rank | #2 of 11 | #9 of 11 |
| Developer | The How We Feel Project | Seekrtech Co., Ltd. |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is How We Feel better than Forest?
How We Feel is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.3. How We Feel wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Forest on 0, with 2 tied.
Which is cheaper, How We Feel or Forest?
How We Feel: Free; made by a nonprofit funded by donations. Forest: Free with ads; Forest Plus subscription removes ads and adds allow lists. On value for money, How We Feel scores higher.
Do How We Feel and Forest work on the same devices?
Yes, both run on iPhone & iPad, Android.
Which is more private, How We Feel or Forest?
How We Feel scores higher on privacy (9.2/10). The developer says your data stays on your device unless you opt in to share anonymized check-ins for research. App Store label: contact info, identifiers and other data may be linked to you.
Strengths and weaknesses
How We Feel
- Completely free, from a nonprofit
- Data stays on your device by default
- Strategies take a minute or two
- Android version is rated lower than iOS
- Not a substitute for professional care
How We Feel helps you find the exact word for a feeling, which makes it easier to act on. It was conceived with Yale's Center for Emotional Intelligence, and it links your check-ins to sleep, exercise and other Apple Health trends so patterns show up over time. Short video strategies can shift a bad moment in about a minute, and you can share feelings with close friends. It's free and keeps data on your device by default.
Full How We Feel review
Forest
- Playful motivation that works well for students
- Core timer and blocking are free
- Group sessions keep friends accountable
- Free tier now shows ads
- Allow lists and extra trees need Forest Plus
- Privacy label declares tracking
Forest turns focus into something you can see. Start a timer and a tree grows; leave to scroll and it withers. Over time you build a forest of focused hours, and it can now block distracting apps during sessions and on a schedule. Since December 2025 it has been a free download, with ads and a Forest Plus subscription replacing the old one-time price. It is still charming, but no longer ad-free.
Full Forest review
