The free Forest app alternative that blocks and teaches
Forest grows a virtual tree while you stay focused. Glosso goes further: it hard-blocks your distracting apps at the iOS level and rewards you with something you keep — vocabulary in the language you're learning.
- 100% free, no subscription
- Real reward: words you keep, not a virtual tree
- System-level block via iOS Screen Time
Free · No ads · Uses Apple Screen Time API
9 languages available
Why people look for an alternative to Forest
Forest is a well-loved focus app. The idea is charming: you plant a virtual tree that grows while you stay off your phone, and it withers if you give in and leave the app. That gentle gamification has helped a lot of people build a focus habit, and it pairs nicely with the Pomodoro technique.
But people start hunting for apps like Forest for two recurring reasons. First, Forest motivates rather than enforces — it nudges you to stay focused, but it doesn't truly stop you from opening Instagram or TikTok. If you really want to scroll, nothing physically blocks you, so the willpower is still entirely on you. On iOS, Forest is also a paid app.
Second, the reward is virtual. A growing tree feels good in the moment, but at the end of a session you have a pretty forest on a screen and not much else. Many people want a stronger block they can't easily bypass, and a reward that actually lasts beyond the timer.
Glosso: a free Forest alternative with a real reward
Glosso flips the model. Instead of just growing a virtual tree while you resist your phone, it puts a real wall in front of your distracting apps and turns the time you'd waste into language progress. A little creature named Glosso lives on your phone and eats your screen time — and in exchange, you get fluent.
The block runs on Apple's Screen Time and Family Controls APIs, so it's enforced by iOS itself, not a gentle reminder. And every time you want back in, you do a quick vocabulary session in one of 9 languages. The reward isn't a pixel tree that disappears — it's words and a streak you keep for good.
Free, forever
No subscription, no trial, no premium tier, no ads. Every feature and all 9 languages are included from the start, where Forest is a paid app on iOS.
A block you can't shrug off
Built on iOS Screen Time, Glosso enforces the block at the system level. It doesn't just suggest you stay focused — it actually closes the door on Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube and more.
A reward that lasts
Instead of a virtual tree that withers, you walk away with vocabulary you actually keep and a language streak that grows. Earn your scroll — and learn while you do.
1 minute is enough
To unlock an app, complete a short session — as little as a minute of vocabulary. Quick enough that it never feels like a chore, real enough that it compounds over weeks.
How Glosso works
Pick the apps to block
Choose the apps that pull you in — Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, Facebook. Glosso locks them behind a system-level block using iOS Screen Time.
Earn your scroll
When you reach for a blocked app, Glosso asks for a quick vocabulary session in the language you're learning. One minute is enough to open the door.
Keep the reward
Every session adds words you actually remember and feeds your streak. Over time your screen time turns into a language you can speak — no virtual tree required.
“Honestly, it's genius. It cuts me off cold in my scroll to make me work on my Spanish. Best app to stop wasting time!”
“Finally a useful app. I'd been looking for ages for a blocker that's both useful and fun. It's great!”
“The vocabulary toll… a bit annoying at first but honestly it works, a minute here, a minute there, and I'm learning my Spanish vocab, it's nice.”
Glosso vs Forest
Both apps help you spend less time scrolling, but they take very different paths. Forest motivates you with a virtual tree; Glosso enforces a real block and hands you a reward you keep.
Here's how they compare at a glance.
| Glosso | Forest | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no ads | Paid on iOS |
| Learn a language while blocked | ✓ | ✗ |
| iOS Screen Time enforcement | ✓ System-level block | ✗ Motivation only |
| Type of reward | Real vocabulary + streak | Virtual tree |
| Reward lasts after the session | ✓ | ✗ |
| Platform | iPhone | iPhone & Android |
FAQ
Is Glosso really free?
Yes. Glosso is 100% free with no ads, no subscription, no trial and no paywall. All 9 languages and every feature are included from the start.
Is Glosso a good alternative to Forest?
If you like Forest's idea but want a stronger block and a reward that lasts, yes. Glosso enforces the block at the iOS system level instead of just motivating you, and you walk away with real vocabulary rather than a virtual tree.
What's the difference between Glosso and Forest?
Forest grows a virtual tree while you resist your phone but doesn't truly block your apps, and it's paid on iOS. Glosso hard-blocks distracting apps with iOS Screen Time, is free, and rewards you with words and a language streak you keep.
Does Glosso block the same apps?
Yes. You can block any distracting app you choose — Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, Facebook and more. Because Glosso uses Apple's Screen Time and Family Controls APIs, the block is enforced by iOS itself.
Do I need to learn a language to use it?
That's the whole point, and it's painless. To unlock a blocked app you complete a quick vocabulary session — as short as one minute — in any of 9 languages. You can switch the language you're learning anytime.
Is Glosso available on Android?
Not yet. Glosso is iPhone-only for now because it's built on Apple's Screen Time API to enforce the block at the system level.
Trade the virtual tree for a real reward
Block what distracts you, earn your scroll, and turn wasted minutes into a language you'll actually keep. Free, no ads, on iPhone.
Download freeFree · No ads · Uses Apple Screen Time API