About your impact, seeds, levels, & collectibles

Your Ecosia level and impact counters help you see the climate impact you are having by using Ecosia. You earn seeds every day you use Ecosia.

What is my “impact” on Ecosia?

When we talk about your impact on Ecosia, we mean:

• How much you’ve contributed to climate action by using Ecosia
• How that contribution fits into:
  • Supporting tree‑planting and restoration projects
  • Funding renewable energy
  • Other environmental work we do

Your impact is shown on your Ecosia profile page as:

• Levels – your long‑term progress
• Seeds – a virtual currency you can earn and spend
• Impact stats – approximate climate outcomes connected to your level

These numbers are based on Ecosia’s overall impact and averaged / scaled by level, not an exact, individualised count of “your own” trees.

What are growth points?

Think of growth points as Ecosia’s version of experience points (XP) in a game.

• You earn growth points by using Ecosia regularly.
• They’re designed to reward habit and long‑term use, not every single search.

In the current system:

• You earn growth points for active days when you use Ecosia.
• Using Ecosia on more than one device (e.g. laptop + phone) can increase how many growth points you earn per day, up to a daily maximum cap.
• Your total growth points determine your level.

Important details:

• Growth points:
  • Can’t be spent
  • Don’t decrease if you take a break
  • Represent your lifetime engagement on Ecosia

You’ll mainly see growth points behind the scenes as your level and progress bar on your profile.

What are levels?

Levels show your overall long‑term contribution on Ecosia.

• Your level is based on the total growth points you’ve collected.
• Each new level requires more growth points than the last (similar to many games).
• There is a maximum level you can reach, but getting there takes time and regular use.

What you should know:

• Your level doesn’t go down if you stop using Ecosia for a while.
• Your profile shows:
  • Your current level
  • How close you are to the next level
  • Which impact stats are unlocked at your level

As we develop the feature, higher levels may unlock richer impact information and potentially new experiences.

What are seeds?

Seeds are a virtual currency inside Ecosia.

They are:

• Separate from growth points and your level
• Something you can earn and then spend on things like collectibles
• Displayed prominently next to your profile picutre in the header

Key points:

• Seeds don’t equal money.
• Seeds do not follow the logic as “one seed = one tree” .
• We can add new ways to earn and spend seeds over time.

How do I earn seeds?

You can earn seeds for doing certain things on Ecosia. The exact list may change as we test and add features, but examples include:

1. Creating an Ecosia account (sign‑up)

• If you’ve never signed up before and you create an Ecosia account:
  • You start with a small number of seeds to get you going.
  • You instantly level up from level 1 to level 2.

This helps you see how the system works right away.

2. Using Ecosia while logged in

• When you open an Ecosia page where the counter is visible (home page, search results, new tab, etc.) while logged in, you can earn:
  • Seeds for your daily activity
  • Growth points that increase your level

In practice, this means:

• Use Ecosia as your regular search engine or browser.
• Make sure you’re logged in so your seeds and growth points are recorded to your account.
• You’ll only earn a limited number of seeds per day, even if you search a lot. This is to reward consistent use.

What are collectibles?

Collectibles are digital items you can unlock and keep as part of your Ecosia account.

• You unlock them by spending seeds.
• Each collectible is usually tied to some aspect of climate or biodiversity impact, often with a short story or explanation.
• Your collectibles are visible on your profile or in a dedicated area of your account.

The purpose of collectibles is to:

• Give you a more tangible way to see your impact
• Let you express yourself on Ecosia (e.g. which projects or themes you care about)
• Make the impact experience more fun and rewarding

As we develop this feature, we may:

• Add new series of collectibles
• Tie collectibles to special campaigns or milestones
• Experiment with how they appear on your profile

How do seeds, levels, and collectibles work together?

Here’s how the pieces fit:

1. Use Ecosia regularly

   → You earn growth points and seeds.

2. Growth points

   → They increase your level over time.

   → Your level shows your long‑term contribution.

3. Seeds

   → You can spend them on collectibles (and potentially other things in the future).

   → They show your short‑term progress and choices.

4. Collectibles

   → They’re a visible, personal record of the impact themes and campaigns you’ve engaged with.

So:

• Levels + growth points = your long‑term track record.
• Seeds + collectibles = your short‑term progress and how you express your impact.

What are the statistics I see on my profile page?

Collecting growth points allows you to level up.  On your profile page, you can see the estimated real-world impact of your searches. These numbers are based on global averages for Ecosia users at your level and give you an idea of how your activity contributes to positive change.

More information about your climate impact stats

On your profile, you’ll see several climate impact stats. These are estimates based on average impact for users at your level, derived from Ecosia’s global data and project monitoring.

They’re meant to give you a realistic picture of the kind of impact you help make possible, not a precise personal ledger.

Seedlings planted

The number of seedlings shown on your profile is an estimate based on the average number planted by Ecosia users at your level.

We work closely with local communities, use the right planting methods, and care for trees long‑term— this helps ensure a high survival rate.

However, not every seedling becomes a tree:

• Conditions in the areas we restore are often harsh.
• We typically plant 6 seedlings for every tree we expect to survive.
• Our global tree counter reflects only the trees that make it.

Want to learn more about how we plant trees? Watch this short video:

🎥 Is everyone getting tree-planting wrong?

Trees planted

The number of trees on your profile reflects the average number planted by Ecosia users at your level — but only trees that are expected to survive long‑term.

When we talk about “planted trees”, we mean those that we’re confident will live beyond three years, reflecting the time it takes for a tree to become robust enough to survive long‑term.

Your tree count is based on survival rates from our on‑the‑ground monitoring across all our projects.

Ecosia plants trees in over 35 countries worldwide. You can explore our projects on our blog.

Area restored

The restored area shown on your profile is an estimate based on the average land restored by Ecosia users at your level.

Ecosia supports a wide range of reforestation and restoration efforts. For example:

• In agroforestry projects, we plant trees that support local farmers by:
  • Providing food and shade
  • Improving soil health and water retention
• In other projects, we focus on restoring natural habitats for wildlife, connecting fragmented forests or regenerating degraded land.

Each project is tailored to the needs of the local environment and communities, ensuring long‑term impact rather than short‑term planting numbers.

Hours of tree care

The number of tree care hours on your profile is based on the average time Ecosia users at your level have helped make possible.

These hours include activities such as:

• Planting
• Watering
• Weeding
• Maintaining nurseries and reforestation sites

We always work with local organizations and communities:

• Ecosia and our partners often provide planning, infrastructure, tools, and saplings.
• Local communities plant and care for the trees:
  • Sometimes through paid work
  • Sometimes as volunteers, especially when planting on their own land

That’s why the tree care hours shown reflect both paid and voluntary contributions.

Watch how one man turned this kind of effort into a thriving forest in just 5 years:

🎥 How one man planted a forest in 5 years

Renewable energy generated

The amount of renewable energy shown on your profile reflects the average clean energy generated by Ecosia users at your level.

Ecosia has built solar installations that produce twice the energy needed to power all Ecosia searches—making us more than 200% renewable.

By investing in solar and other clean technologies, we:

• Reduce reliance on fossil fuels
• Help drive the transition to a greener energy system

Watch how Ecosia built its own solar plants:

🎥 Watch how Ecosia built its own solar plants

FAQ: Seeds, levels, and impact

Do seeds equal trees?

No, seeds do not directly equal trees.

• Seeds are a virtual currency that helps us design better experiences and incentives.
• Your impact stats (like seedlings, trees, or solar energy) are based on Ecosia’s overall financial and project data, not on a simple “1 seed = 1 tree” formula.

Can I lose my level?

No. As long as you keep your account:

• Your total growth points and your level don’t go down.
• If you don’t use Ecosia for a while, your level may stay the same, but you won’t progress further until you come back.

Can I lose my seeds?

You spend seeds when you unlock collectibles or other features. That’s expected.

We try to make it clear whenever:

• You earn seeds (e.g. via a notification or visible increase)
• You spend seeds (e.g. when unlocking a collectible)

If you ever suspect your seed count is wrong, see:

“Troubleshoot common Ecosia account issues” (especially the section on “Seeds don’t go up”).