Alternative
A free Forest alternative.
Forest is a lovely app, but the iOS version is paid and it leans on a phone game to keep you focused. If you want the focus without the price tag, and a real website blocker on your computer, GoFlow is a free option worth trying.
What people want from a Forest alternative
Most people searching for one of these want some mix of: a way to stay off distractions, a focus timer, a record of their effort, and ideally no cost. Forest delivers the first three through gamification, but the paywall on iOS and the phone-game framing do not fit everyone.
How GoFlow compares
- It is free, with no account. Open it in any browser and start. Nothing to buy, nothing to sign up for.
- It blocks distracting sites for real. The free Focus Guard extension blocks your chosen sites the moment a round starts. Forest nudges you off your phone; GoFlow closes the tabs on your computer.
- It tracks work, not just streaks. Tasks carry across days and GoFlow sums your focus time per task, so you see real progress, not only a growing forest.
- It is private. Your data stays on your device. No server, no tracking.
What you give up
To be straight with you: GoFlow has no gamification, no virtual trees, and no real-world tree planting, which is part of what makes Forest special. It also does not sync across devices, since everything is stored locally, and its blocking targets websites on desktop rather than apps on your phone. If the game or the mobile-first native feel is what keeps you focused, Forest may still be the better fit. Here is the fuller GoFlow vs Forest comparison.
Try the free alternative
A focus timer plus a website blocker, free and private. Open it and start a round.
Open GoFlow free