--- title: "Forest Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about Forest Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Integrated Development Environment (IDE) products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/237078/Forest/" page_type: "product" language: "en" --- # Forest Software Review 2026: Features, Reviews, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on September 16, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Forest ## What is Forest? Forest is an idea management solution designed to help businesses drive strategic changes across the organization. With Forest, you can rally employees around important topics and themes, crowdsource and develop new ideas through focused campaigns, communicate key strategies, and streamline decision making. Whether your team is working out of one office or virtually across multiple time zones, Forest removes from these processes, getting you to better outcomes faster and easier. ## What is Forest used for? [Idea Management](https://www.capterra.com/idea-management-software/)[Innovation Management](https://www.capterra.com/innovation-software/)[Decision Support](https://www.capterra.com/decision-support-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 4 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive \- Neutral \- Negative \- Contact vendor for pricing Free trial not available Free version not included Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Forest?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/forest/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Forest 4.8 (4) VS. [4.7 (565)](https://www.capterra.com/p/144020/Aha/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Starting Price $59 Per User, Per Month Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.8 (4) Ease Of Use 4.4 (124) Value For Money 4.5 (4) Value For Money 4.6 (102) Customer Service 5.0 (3) Customer Service 4.8 (98) ## Forest alternatives [airfocus](https://www.capterra.com/p/172674/airfocus/) [4.5 (124)](https://www.capterra.com/p/172674/airfocus/reviews/) Starting price $59.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 96% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/172674/airfocus/) Highest Rated [SharpCloud](https://www.capterra.com/p/144271/SharpCloud/) [5.0 (5)](https://www.capterra.com/p/144271/SharpCloud/#reviews) Starting price $750.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 100% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/144271/SharpCloud/) [Howspace](https://www.capterra.com/p/161180/Howspace/) [4.8 (9)](https://www.capterra.com/p/161180/Howspace/reviews/) Starting price $12.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 100% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/161180/Howspace/) [Mindfuel](https://www.capterra.com/p/10034028/Mindfuel/) [0.0](https://www.capterra.com/p/10034028/Mindfuel/#reviews) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 0% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/10034028/Mindfuel/) ## FAQs about Forest Overview ### What company size and specific industries is Forest built for? Forest is designed for mid to large companies that want to involve their entire organization in the innovation process. The vendor description does not name specific industries, so the product appears aimed at organizations across sectors that need a cloud-based platform for company-wide innovation management. Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Forest? Forest offers ideation and innovation management tools such as brainstorming, idea development, idea ranking, and crowdsourcing, plus collaboration features like commenting, discussions, and feedback management. It also includes approval workflow, portfolio management, strategic planning, reporting and statistics, customizable dashboards, real-time analytics, and role-based permissions. Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does Forest offer? Forest provides live online training, webinars, documentation, and videos to help teams get started. Live online sessions and webinars support guided instruction, while documentation and videos offer self-paced reference materials for setup and product learning. Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Forest offer? Forest provides email/help desk support, an FAQ/forum, and a knowledge base. These channels give users direct help and self-service guidance for common questions. No reviewer feedback on support quality is available, so no claims can be made about response times, helpfulness, or recurring support frustrations. ## Features AI summary Based on 3,180 Integrated Development Environment (IDE) reviews Capterra data shows that buyers of Idea Management software rank the following features as their top priorities: - **Progress Tracking** (**62%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Activity Dashboard** (**56%**) - **Real-Time Updates** (**54%**) Forest includes **Real-Time Updates** and **Activity Dashboard**, giving teams timely visibility into idea activity and a central view of ongoing work. However, it does not include **Progress Tracking**. With **Real-Time Updates** and **Activity Dashboard**, businesses can monitor changes as they happen, keep stakeholders informed, and review idea performance more clearly, helping teams make faster decisions and stay aligned on innovation efforts. Activity Dashboard 4.5 (2) 100.00% of 2 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities Real-Time Updates 5.0 (1) 0.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Receive system updates as soon as any changes are made Data Visualization 4.7 (3) 66.67% of 3 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Graphical representation of data Activity/News Feed 4.5 (2) 100.00% of 2 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Continuous profile-based stream of news and activity Idea Ranking 5.0 (2) 50.00% of 2 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Facilitates users voting on ideas that are presented so the most favorable ones can be highlighted and further pursued Alerts/Notifications 5.0 (1) 0.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges Forest 44 features ### All Features - Activity Dashboard: Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities - Activity/News Feed: Continuous profile-based stream of news and activity - Alerts/Notifications: Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges - API: Application programming interface that allows for integration with other systems/databases - Approval Workflow: Route documents and other data through one or more stakeholders for review and approval - Brainstorming: Group collaboration to solve ideas in a productive and concentrated manner. - Collaboration Tools: Provides a channel for team members to share AI models, media files, communicate, and work together - Commenting/Notes: Leave comments and notes on documents for others to view - Communication Management: Manage and track all internal and external communication conducted via calls, email, text, or chat - Configurable Workflow: Configure existing workflows to meet your organization's needs - Content Management: Handles digital content throughout its lifecycle, from creation and storage to distribution and archiving - Crowdsourcing: Collects information, opinions, or ideas from a group of people - Customizable Branding: Add customized logos and colors to align with company branding - Customizable Dashboard: Alter the layout and content of dashboards - Customizable Reports: Alter the layout and content of reports - Customizable Templates: Pre-designed layouts that can be customized to match preferences and requirements - Dashboard: Assembly of graphs and charts for visualizing and tracking statistics/metrics - Data Analysis Tools: Analyze survey results via statistical testing or crosstabs directly within the software - Data Import/Export: Import and export data to and from software applications - Data Security: Protect sensitive data for digital privacy - Data Visualization: Graphical representation of data - Discussions/Forums: Online forums/groups where users can ask questions, share ideas, best practices, etc. - Evaluation Management: Create, share, and manage the distribution of job descriptions/duties - Feedback Management: Collecting, analyzing, and utilizing feedback from users or customers to improve a product or service - Idea Development: Process of exploring and evaluating new ideas as well as composing solutions and tracking progress in order to bring them to market - Idea Ranking: Facilitates users voting on ideas that are presented so the most favorable ones can be highlighted and further pursued - Ideation: The creation, development, and sharing of potentially innovative new ideas - Innovation Management: Process of developing, planning, managing, and executing new ideas or innovations - Polls/Voting: Enable custom polls/voting to facilitate decision-making or increase engagement - Portfolio Management: Overview of all programs that help compare initiatives, align projects with strategic goals and identify risk - Prioritization: Arrange tasks based on the level of priority or urgency - Real-Time Analytics: Analyze and gain insights into data in real-time - Real-Time Notifications: Notifications that are delivered to users as soon as an event occurs - Real-Time Updates: Receive system updates as soon as any changes are made - Reporting & Statistics: Collection, analysis, and representation of numerical data and generation of reports to understand various patterns - Role-Based Permissions: Set & manage permission levels based on user roles and restrict access to only authorized individuals - Search/Filter: Search and filter data across systems to locate required information by entering keywords or certain criteria - Single Sign On: Allow users to access multiple services after entering their login credentials once - SSL Security: Security protocol that ensures secure, encrypted communication over the internet, safeguarding sensitive data from unauthorized access - Status Tracking: Track the status over time for a request, process, asset, or transaction - Strategic Planning: At a high level, visualize a preferred outcome, define goals and identify specific steps to achieve them - Surveys & Feedback: Gauge satisfaction and receive information for improvement and success - Trend Analysis: Review data from past periods to reveal recurring tendencies and predict future performance - Visual Analytics: Interact with data visualization elements, such as charts and graphs, to drill down into data --- Features 4.0 (4) 4.0 Based on 4 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.5 (4) Value for money 4.5 (4) 4.5 Based on 4 reviews ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 5.0 (3) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 5.0 (3) 5.0 Based on 3 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.8 Based on 4 reviews Filter by rating 5(3) 4(1) 3(0) 2(0) 1(0) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent Cesar C. Computer engineer Computer Hardware ### "For the sake of efficiency, productivity and transparency" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 April 8, 2022 I was able to use this software with a small company of no more than 10 collaborators and I can say that this software can be a great ally for companies, because it helps keep workers motivated and productive, and allows clear and concise communication with all members. of the team, helps to present and keep ideas organized, all of this can help decision-making, which is vital in a company. Pros Forest does a great job with the management of ideas, it is a great collaborative tool where each member of the team or the company can present their idea, which is great. The way the interface is presented is amazing, it's intuitive and easy to use. It serves as a planner of ideas, which helps to maintain a great order in all the options that the company or team makes. In conclusion, it is great software, it is highly recommended to anyone to improve their productivity and decision making. Cons It is a very well designed software and does what it says, however, perhaps it would be good for it to be able to integrate with other programs that allow it to complement what it lacks, or they could expand the range of functions or tools that can be used in the platform, I am sure that with later versions this problem will be fixed. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. LH Linda H. Jr. Business Development Manager Telecommunications ### "Efficient innovative thinking made easy with Forest " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 February 24, 2022 Great software, great team - they make our work so much more efficient. Pros I appreciate the different level of idea sourcing. The software gives you the opportunity to collect ideas and manage them easily. Additional to collect, categorize and grade different ideas you can run different evaluations which can help to make multiple business decisions concerning the idea and your organization goals. The self-explaining usage and helpful support team make the software easily accessible to different departments and people in your organization, also helps the communication of those ideas across different regions where your organization is represented. Cons So far we have not really experienced anything which we did not like or where our expectations were not met. We might wish we could use the software as a project/pipeline management software because we like it so much. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. MR Mike R. Sr Innovation Analyst Building Materials ### "Great software with even better support team" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 December 7, 2021 Pros The software checks most of the boxes for an overall innovation support tool. The main advantage is the team and their drive to see you be successful with the software. They are basically on call to assist when needed. Cons Every issue or con I can think of has been resolved or added to the queue once the team was made aware. This software is constantly evolving to meet the needs of the users and address any issues. Review source Vendor Referred - Incentive Offered: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. MG Mark G. Director of IT Strategy and Planning Higher Education ### "Crowdsourcing Innovation" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 29, 2021 In a word, excellent. Pros Forest provides a nice visual experience that can be customized to the needs of your organization. It was easy to add our branding and then build an innovation process inside the tool. The platform helped our organization get started with innovation. We started with the collection and management of ideas and in a relatively short time progressed some of the best ideas to implementation. Cons Overall the software was easy to integrate and the interface is easy to use. It is helpful to have a basic innovation or idea management process documented before you begin to configure the application for your organization. Review source Vendor Referred - Incentive Offered: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.