IdleForest

Is the tree planting app really free?

Yes. There is no subscription, no donation, no signup, and no paid tier. The app is funded by the revenue from idle bandwidth tasks, not by you.

Does the app slow down my computer or internet?

No. The app uses only the bandwidth you're not using. When you start a video call, open a heavy site, or download a file, IdleForest steps back. You can also pause it at any time from the extension menu.

How does IdleForest plant trees?

The app uses your unused internet bandwidth to power small backend tasks for paying clients. The revenue from those tasks funds tree planting with Trees for the Future, Tree-Nation, and 1ClickImpact.

What is idle bandwidth?

Idle bandwidth is the part of your internet connection that isn't being used. Most home connections sit unused most of the time. IdleForest uses that unused capacity to generate revenue, and routes the revenue to reforestation.

Can I use IdleForest with Ecosia or another browser?

Yes. IdleForest doesn't change how you browse or what search engine you use. It works alongside Ecosia, Brave, Chrome, and Edge. You can stack the impact.

What data does the app collect?

None of your personal browsing data. The traffic that runs through the app is sessionless, meaning it doesn't carry cookies, personal identifiers, or browsing history.

Is the bandwidth used for anything harmful?

No. The tasks routed through your connection are limited to uptime monitoring, market research, and similar passive data collection from public sites. The app doesn't participate in ad fraud, crypto mining, scraping of private data, or any malicious activity.

How many trees has IdleForest planted?

IdleForest has funded 5,364 trees through our partners. We update the monthly total on the transparency report as new partner records are added.