Every year, we take a step back to carefully review how Treeapp works. This includes how and where trees are planted, how projects are maintained, and how the app itself is funded. This regular review is essential to make sure we stay true to what matters most: enabling anyone, anywhere, to plant real trees for free, while being transparent about where and how those trees are planted.

At the heart of this process are two key realities:

- The true, on-the-ground cost of tree planting, including site preparation, maintenance, long-term survivability, and fair wages for the local teams who make these projects possible.

- The revenue that supports free planting, primarily through our advertisers.

Balancing these carefully is what allows Treeapp to remain free for our users, while ensuring that every tree planted is done responsibly and ethically.

Why tree planting costs are rising

Across the world, the cost of planting and maintaining trees has been increasing. This is driven by a number of practical, on-the-ground factors. The price of saplings has risen as nurseries respond to higher demand, stricter quality standards, and climate pressures. Transport costs have also increased, particularly as many of our projects are located in remote and hard-to-reach areas where restoration is most needed.

Planting in these locations often requires longer supply chains, specialist logistics, and local teams who understand the land and conditions. These are not corners we are willing to cut. Investing in the right trees, grown well, and transported responsibly to the right places is essential for long-term survival and impact.

Alongside this, the way free apps are funded has also evolved. Advertising markets fluctuate globally, and revenues per ad can vary year to year depending on broader economic and platform-level changes. While this is a normal part of running a free digital product, it does mean we regularly need to review how funding aligns with the real costs of planting trees on the ground.

Taken together, these factors meant that our internal calculations needed a small update to reflect today’s realities and to ensure Treeapp remains sustainable in the long term.

What this means for you

At the start of this year, our systems automatically made a small update to how contributions from ads are calculated. This change was not about reducing impact. It was about making sure our model continues to reflect the real cost of planting trees responsibly, while keeping Treeapp free for everyone.

Some users may have noticed these updates appearing gradually on the Impact tab in the app. This was due to a temporary display issue, which has now been fully fixed and all numbers are correctly aligned.

We want to be clear and transparent. Your trees continue to be planted as normal, and our goal has always been to ensure that what you see in the app accurately reflects the real work happening on the ground.

What hasn’t changed

Just as importantly, here is what remains exactly the same:

🌳 Trees are still being planted around the world

📺 You can still plant trees for free through the app

🤝 Our commitment to fairness, transparency, and real-world impact remains unchanged

These updates are about protecting what makes Treeapp work, not just today, but for years to come. By regularly reviewing costs and funding responsibly, we can ensure that every action taken in the app continues to result in meaningful, long-lasting impact on the ground.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. 🌱