Tree Growing Study App: The Best Alternative To Forest If You Want To Actually Learn Faster, Not Just Grow Cute Trees – Most Students Don’t Know This Trick Yet
So, you’re looking for a tree growing study app – something like Forest that grows a tree while you focus, right? Here’s the thing: if you want to actually.
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So, What’s The Best “Tree Growing Study App” If You Actually Want To Learn?
So, you’re looking for a tree growing study app – something like Forest that grows a tree while you focus, right? Here’s the thing: if you want to actually remember what you study, the best move isn’t just watching a virtual tree grow, it’s using an app like Flashrecall that turns your notes into flashcards and then reminds you exactly when to review them. Instead of only blocking your phone, Flashrecall gives you AI-made flashcards, spaced repetition, active recall, and study reminders so your “focus time” turns into real learning, not just screen-free time. You still get that satisfying progress feeling, but now every session actually sticks in your brain. You can grab it here on iPhone and iPad:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Tree Growing Study Apps: Cool Idea, But There’s A Catch
Alright, let’s talk about what you’re probably searching for.
“Tree growing study app” usually means apps like:
- Forest – you plant a tree, don’t touch your phone, tree grows
- Study Bunny / Flora / Focus To-Do – similar idea, focus = plant/earn something
- Some Pomodoro timers with cute plants or gardens
These are fun and honestly great for stopping distractions. But here’s the problem:
> They help you sit there, not necessarily learn better.
You can stare at your notes for 2 hours, grow a beautiful forest, and still forget everything a week later.
If your goal is:
- passing exams
- learning a language
- memorizing medical terms
- prepping for school/university/business stuff
…then you don’t just need focus. You need a way to remember what you studied long-term.
That’s where Flashrecall comes in and just quietly outclasses the whole “grow a tree while you focus” thing.
Why Flashrecall Beats A Simple Tree Growing Study App
You know what’s cool about Flashrecall? It doesn’t just time your study, it actually turns what you’re studying into something your brain can remember.
Here’s how it’s different (and honestly, better):
1. It Turns Anything Into Flashcards Instantly
Instead of just setting a timer and watching a tree grow, Flashrecall lets you create flashcards from almost anything:
- Photos (lecture slides, textbook pages, handwritten notes)
- Text you paste in
- PDFs
- Audio
- YouTube links
- Or just stuff you type manually
You literally snap a pic of a page → Flashrecall generates flashcards for you.
That’s way more powerful than just “I focused for 25 minutes”.
2. It Uses Spaced Repetition Automatically
Tree growing apps track time.
Flashrecall tracks what your brain actually remembers.
It has built-in spaced repetition with auto reminders, which means:
- Cards you know well show up less often
- Cards you keep forgetting show up more
- You don’t have to manually plan reviews – the app tells you when to study
That’s the real “secret sauce” behind learning fast and remembering for exams.
3. Built-In Active Recall (The Thing That Actually Works)
Active recall = testing yourself instead of just rereading.
Flashrecall is literally built around that idea:
- You see a question
- You try to answer from memory
- Then you reveal the answer and rate how hard it was
This forces your brain to work, which is what actually makes memories stick.
A tree growing app can’t do that – it just keeps your phone quiet.
4. You Can Chat With Your Flashcards
This is a fun one.
If you’re unsure about a concept, you can chat with the flashcard and ask follow-up questions, like:
- “Explain this like I’m 10”
- “Give me another example”
- “Compare this to X”
So instead of zoning out during a focus timer, you’re actually having a mini tutoring session inside your study app.
5. It Still Helps With Consistency (Like A Tree App, But Smarter)
Tree growing apps give you motivation because you don’t want to kill your plant.
Flashrecall gives you:
- Study reminders so you don’t forget to review
- A streak/progress feeling because your due cards change every day
- Sessions you can knock out in small chunks – 10–20 minutes is enough
So you still get that “I’m building something” feeling, but now you’re building long-term knowledge, not just a forest.
Flashrecall vs Forest & Other Tree Growing Study Apps
Let’s compare this in a simple way.
What A Tree Growing Study App Usually Does
Flashrecall automatically keeps track and reminds you of the cards you don't remember well so you remember faster. Like this :
Most of them:
- Block your phone or keep you from switching apps
- Use a countdown timer (Pomodoro style)
- Reward you with:
- A cute tree
- Coins
- A garden
- A pet or something similar
They’re great for:
- Reducing distractions
- Building a habit of sitting down to focus
But they don’t care what you’re actually doing during that time.
You could be:
- Rereading notes passively
- Highlighting everything in yellow
- Watching “study with me” videos and calling it productivity
And your tree still grows.
What Flashrecall Does Instead
Flashrecall focuses on what your brain is doing, not just your phone.
- Creates flashcards from your real study material
- Uses active recall to make you think
- Uses spaced repetition so you remember long-term
- Reminds you automatically when to review
- Works offline, so you can study anywhere (bus, train, bad Wi-Fi spots)
- Works on iPhone and iPad
It’s basically like if Forest + Anki + AI tutor had a baby, but with a much cleaner, modern interface.
Here’s the link again if you want to try it now:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
How To Turn “Tree Time” Into Real Study Time With Flashrecall
If you like the idea of a tree growing app (structure, focus, progress), here’s how to get the same vibe but with way better results.
Step 1: Pick What You’re Studying
Could be:
- Biology chapter
- Language vocab
- Medical terms
- Law cases
- Business definitions
- Lecture slides
Step 2: Dump It Into Flashrecall
You can:
- Take a photo of textbook pages or handwritten notes
- Upload a PDF
- Paste text from your notes
- Add a YouTube link to a lecture
- Or just type your own flashcards manually if you prefer control
Flashrecall then helps you turn that into flashcards automatically. No need to spend an hour formatting cards like in some older apps.
Step 3: Let Spaced Repetition Do Its Thing
Once your cards are in:
- Start a study session
- Try to answer each card from memory
- Rate how easy/hard it was
Flashrecall then schedules the next review for you.
No more “what should I revise today?” – it’s already decided.
Step 4: Use Short Sessions Instead Of Long “Tree Blocks”
Instead of doing a 2-hour “don’t touch your phone” tree session, try:
- 15–25 minutes of focused Flashrecall cards
- Quick break
- Repeat if needed
You’ll still feel productive, but now you’ve actually trained your memory, not just resisted Instagram.
Why This Works So Well For Different Types Of Students
Flashrecall isn’t just for one kind of learner. It works for pretty much anything:
- Languages – vocab, phrases, grammar rules
- School subjects – history dates, formulas, concepts
- University – psychology terms, law, engineering, economics
- Medicine / Nursing – drugs, anatomy, conditions, protocols
- Business / Work – frameworks, definitions, interview prep
And because it:
- Works offline
- Is free to start
- Is fast, modern, and easy to use
…it doesn’t feel like some clunky old flashcard tool you have to fight with.
Can You Still Use A Tree Growing App With Flashrecall?
Totally.
If you really like the tree aesthetic, you can do this:
- Start a Forest (or similar) timer
- Put your phone in focus mode
- Use your iPad with Flashrecall to study
- Or use Flashrecall on your phone as the “allowed app” during focus time
But honestly, a lot of people find that once they switch to Flashrecall, the built-in reminders and progress feeling are enough motivation on their own.
You stop caring about fake trees and start caring about how many cards you’ve mastered.
Quick Comparison: Tree Growing App vs Flashrecall
| Feature | Tree Growing Study App | Flashrecall |
|---|---|---|
| Grows a virtual tree | Yes | Not needed |
| Blocks distractions | Sometimes | You can still use focus mode separately |
| Creates flashcards | No | Yes |
| AI-generated cards from images | No | Yes |
| Spaced repetition | No | Yes |
| Active recall | Not really | Core feature |
| Study reminders | Maybe basic | Yes, built-in |
| Works offline | Depends on app | Yes |
| Chat with your cards | No | Yes |
| Actually improves memory | Only indirectly | Yes, directly |
If You Want More Than Just A Cute Tree…
If your goal is just “touch my phone less”, a tree growing study app is fine.
But if your goal is:
- “I want to ace my exam”
- “I want to actually remember what I read”
- “I want to learn a language faster”
- “I’m tired of forgetting everything a week later”
…then you’ll get way more out of using Flashrecall instead (or alongside it).
You’re not just watching time pass. You’re training your brain in a smart, structured way.
Try it out here:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Turn your study sessions from “I grew a tree” into “I actually remember this stuff now.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the fastest way to create flashcards?
Manually typing cards works but takes time. Many students now use AI generators that turn notes into flashcards instantly. Flashrecall does this automatically from text, images, or PDFs.
Is there a free flashcard app?
Yes. Flashrecall is free and lets you create flashcards from images, text, prompts, audio, PDFs, and YouTube videos.
How do I start spaced repetition?
You can manually schedule your reviews, but most people use apps that automate this. Flashrecall uses built-in spaced repetition so you review cards at the perfect time.
What is active recall and how does it work?
Active recall is the process of actively retrieving information from memory rather than passively reviewing it. Flashrecall forces proper active recall by making you think before revealing answers, then uses spaced repetition to optimize your review schedule.
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Practice This With Free Flashcards
Try our web flashcards right now to test yourself on what you just read. You can click to flip cards, move between questions, and see how much you really remember.
Try Flashcards in Your BrowserInside the FlashRecall app you can also create your own decks from images, PDFs, YouTube, audio, and text, then use spaced repetition to save your progress and study like top students.
Research References
The information in this article is based on peer-reviewed research and established studies in cognitive psychology and learning science.
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354-380
Meta-analysis showing spaced repetition significantly improves long-term retention compared to massed practice
Carpenter, S. K., Cepeda, N. J., Rohrer, D., Kang, S. H., & Pashler, H. (2012). Using spacing to enhance diverse forms of learning: Review of recent research and implications for instruction. Educational Psychology Review, 24(3), 369-378
Review showing spacing effects work across different types of learning materials and contexts
Kang, S. H. (2016). Spaced repetition promotes efficient and effective learning: Policy implications for instruction. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), 12-19
Policy review advocating for spaced repetition in educational settings based on extensive research evidence
Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319(5865), 966-968
Research demonstrating that active recall (retrieval practice) is more effective than re-reading for long-term learning
Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20-27
Review of research showing retrieval practice (active recall) as one of the most effective learning strategies
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58
Comprehensive review ranking learning techniques, with practice testing and distributed practice rated as highly effective

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The FlashRecall Team is a group of working professionals and developers who are passionate about making effective study methods more accessible to students. We believe that evidence-based learning tec...
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