Lagerland Lagerland

Movement-based · Private · On-device

Looking for a
Forest alternative?

Forest made focus feel good — a tree grows while you stay off your phone, and dies if you leave. We love the idea. But a withering tree is an emotional cost, not an enforced one; nothing actually stops you. EarnLock uses Apple's Family Controls to truly shield the apps until you move. Steps, active minutes, or active calories — measured by Apple Health, not self-reported. The shield shows a live progress ring with the exact count remaining. Free to start; $19.99 lifetime, one-time.

See EarnLock Compare side by side

How does EarnLock compare to Forest?

Compared against Forest's public App Store description and pricing. Re-verify before switching — competitor offerings change frequently.

Feature EarnLock Forest
Core mechanic Hard Family Controls block; unlock by hitting a daily activity goal measured by Apple Health Gamified focus timer — a virtual tree grows while you're off the phone and dies if you leave
Enforced system-level block Yes — apps are shielded across the device until the goal is met Primarily a motivational nudge; the tree withers but doesn't enforce a hard block
Custom shield with live progress ring on the blocked app Yes — ShieldConfiguration extension paints a ring + "X steps until unlock" No shield — Forest runs as an in-app timer
Apple Watch app + complications Yes — Watch reads HealthKit on-wrist, count keeps running without the iPhone Companion Watch timer; not an activity-goal surface
Plants real trees No — that's genuinely Forest's thing Yes — virtual coins fund real tree planting via a partner
Price Free to start; $19.99 lifetime (one-time) or $1.99/mo · $9.99/yr Free to start; ~$3.99 one-time on iOS, optional Plus subscription
Account or sign-up required No — no email, no Apple ID required Account used for sync and group-focus features
Third-party tracking SDKs None — Apple verifies "Data Not Collected" Discloses data collection in its nutrition label — check current label
Platforms iOS + Apple Watch iOS, Android, browser extension
Family Sharing eligible Yes — every paid tier; one purchase covers up to 5 family members Check current App Store terms

Verified 2026-06-14 against Forest's public App Store page and pricing. Mechanism descriptions reflect each app's own published documentation; re-verify before switching.

When should I pick Forest instead?

Honest answer — pick Forest if any of these matter more than an enforced, movement-gated block:

EarnLock is built for a different person: someone who found the tree easy to abandon and wants the unlock cost to be something their body actually pays — enforced by Apple's Family Controls, proven by Apple Health.

About EarnLock

EarnLock icon
EarnLock
Earn your screen time. Move, then scroll.
Lock Instagram, TikTok, X until you hit your daily step goal. Custom shield, Apple Watch, no account, no server. $19.99 lifetime — or free.
lifestyle iOS · watchOS

Questions

FAQ

What is the best alternative to Forest?
EarnLock is a movement-based, privacy-first alternative to Forest. Forest grows a virtual tree that dies if you leave the app — gentle, gamified accountability. EarnLock instead uses Apple's Family Controls to actually shield your chosen apps until you hit a real daily activity goal (steps, active minutes, or active energy) measured by Apple Health. The custom shield paints a live progress ring with the exact count remaining on every blocked app. Free to start; $19.99 lifetime (one-time). No account, no analytics SDK, no server.
How is EarnLock different from Forest?
Forest is a gamified focus timer: a tree grows while you stay off the phone and withers if you leave. The accountability is emotional, not enforced — nothing physically stops you from leaving. EarnLock enforces a real block through Apple's Family Controls and unlocks only when your body hits a daily activity goal measured by Apple Health. EarnLock also makes the Apple Watch a first-class surface so the count runs without the iPhone. Forest plants real trees and works cross-platform; EarnLock is iOS and Apple Watch only.
Is EarnLock cheaper than Forest?
Not on the upfront price — Forest is roughly a $3.99 one-time purchase on iOS and is free to start, which is hard to beat. EarnLock is also free to start, then $19.99 lifetime (one-time) or $1.99/mo / $9.99/yr with a 7-day trial. The reason to pay for EarnLock isn't a lower price than Forest; it's the harder, movement-gated block, the live progress shield, the Apple Watch surface, and zero account or tracking.
Does Forest actually block apps?
Forest's core mechanic is a focus timer with a virtual tree that dies if you leave the app; it is designed as a motivational nudge rather than a hard system-level block. EarnLock uses Apple's Family Controls framework to genuinely shield the apps you pick across the whole device, so they cannot be opened until your daily activity goal is met (or you spend your one math-gated emergency unlock).
Is EarnLock private?
Yes. EarnLock has no account, no server, no analytics SDK, no advertising SDK, and no third-party SDKs of any kind. HealthKit data is read on-device only and never transmitted off the device. Apple's App Privacy nutrition label shows Data Not Collected for every release. Self-restriction only — never parental control.
Can EarnLock block the same apps Forest can?
EarnLock can block any iOS app or category via Apple's Family Controls picker — Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, games, anything you choose, device-wide. Forest's focus sessions encourage you to stay off the phone entirely rather than shielding a specific selection at the system level. If your goal is "these specific apps stay locked until I move," EarnLock is the more direct fit.

Start here

Try EarnLock.

Movement is the unlock. Apple Health is the proof. No account, no server, no analytics SDK.

Learn about EarnLock