Time Out
Free Mac break reminder from Dejal with scheduled breaks, rules, themes and scripting.
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About Time Out
Time Out is a break reminder for the Mac made by Dejal, a small developer that has maintained it for many years. By default it alternates a longer Normal break for getting up and moving with a short Micro break for relaxing your eyes, and you can add your own breaks, schedule them at fixed times or around calendar events, and limit them to certain hours. Rules can postpone or skip breaks while particular apps are open, during calendar events, in Focus modes or fullscreen apps, and meeting scripts detect calls in FaceTime, Teams and Zoom. Break screens can show photos, videos, websites or downloadable themes, and break actions can play sounds or run AppleScript, shell, Python or Automator workflows. Optional activity tracking shows breaks taken and apps used. The core features are free; supporter purchases or a lifetime option unlock premium features, and it is also on the Mac App Store and Setapp.
Best for: Mac users who want a free, highly configurable break routine with scripting.
Pros and cons
What works
- Core break features are free to keep using
- Rules for apps, calendar events, Focus and meetings
- Break actions can run AppleScript, shell, Python or Automator
- Supporter purchases are one-off, not auto-renewing
Why people leave
- Mac only
- Current version needs macOS 26; older Macs must use the 2.9.7 release
- The many settings take time to learn
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Time Out: common questions
Is Time Out free?
Time Out has a free plan and paid plans. Free plan: Core features always free (checked on Time Out's own site).
Is Time Out open source?
No, Time Out is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Stretchly.
What platforms does Time Out run on?
Time Out is available for macOS.
What are the best alternatives to Time Out?
The highest-ranked Time Out alternatives right now are LookAway and Stretchly. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.