vs
LookAway knows when you're in a meeting or a video and waits; Time Out fires on the schedule you set, regardless. LookAway can also lock your iPhone when the Mac break starts, and as of 2.4 shows remaining break time under the clock on the Mac lock screen and as a Live Activity on iPhone. Both are Mac apps — here's what changes day to day.
Quick verdict
Keep Time Out if you want free and you like configuring every interval yourself. LookAway if Time Out keeps interrupting you, or you want blink, posture, and the iPhone lock.
| Feature | LookAway | Time Out |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | People who turned Time Out off because it interrupted a call. | People who want a free timer and like configuring every interval themselves. |
| Price | $19 single / $29 personal, pay once. 7-day trial. Also on Setapp. | Free. Optional supporter IAP ($5–$20, does not auto-renew). Also on Setapp. |
| macOS | macOS 13+ | Time Out 3 needs macOS 26. Version 2.9.7 still downloads for macOS 10.15+. |
| Break scheduling | Short and long breaks, heads-up before they start, snooze limits, idle time counted as a natural break. | Normal and micro breaks, plus extra break types you add yourself (lunch, afternoon, etc.). |
| Smart Pause | Pauses on its own during meetings, calls, video, screen recording, deep focus apps, and fullscreen games. | You set app exclusions, Focus/Do Not Disturb, and calendar rules yourself. |
| Planned breaks | Fixed-time breaks (lunch, a walk) that wait during meetings, count time you already spent away, and sync to iPhone and iPad. | You can add a fixed-time break. It runs as another schedule rule. No iPhone sync, no meeting deferral built in. |
| When the screen is locked | 2.4 shows remaining time under the clock on the Mac lock screen (macOS 26+, not in the Mac App Store build) and as a Live Activity on iPhone/iPad. | No lock-screen countdown. |
| iPhone and iPad | LookAway Mirror can lock the phone when the Mac break starts, so you don't just pick up another screen. | Mac only. |
| Posture / blink | Separate posture nudges and blink reminders. | Breaks only. No dedicated posture or blink reminders. |
| Stats | Screen Score, breaks taken, app usage, website usage. | Optional activity tracking: breaks, app usage, time away from the Mac. |
| Automation | AppleScript or Shortcuts when a break starts or ends. | Sounds, speech, Automator, AppleScript, HTML/YouTube break themes. |
Where Time Out is strong
Time Out has been around a long time, and it shows in the good way. You can add extra break types, swap in HTML or YouTube themes, run an AppleScript at the start of a break, exclude apps by hand. If what you want is a timer you can shape into a very specific workflow, it's still a real option, and the core app is free.
The catch is you have to do that shaping. Time Out will fire in a meeting unless you taught it not to. Current Time Out 3 also needs macOS 26. If you're on Ventura, Sonoma, or Sequoia, you're on the older 2.9.7 build or you're looking at something else.
Where they differ
Smart Pause holds the break if you're on a call, watching something, sharing your screen, in a focus app, or in a fullscreen game. You don't maintain an exclusion list for the obvious cases.
When the Mac break starts, LookAway Mirror can lock your iPhone or iPad so the break isn't "switch to the other screen." 2.4 puts a Live Activity on the lock screen and Dynamic Island so you can see how much time is left without opening the app.
If you lock the Mac for the break (LookAway can do that on start), 2.4 shows the remaining time under the clock. That's macOS 26+, and it isn't in the Mac App Store build because it uses unofficial APIs. Direct download and Setapp have it.
Time Out is breaks. LookAway also nags you, gently, to blink and to sit up. Optional. Off if you don't want them.
Planned Breaks are clock-time: lunch, a walk, end of day. They wait if you're in a meeting, count time you already spent away, and follow you to the phone.
If you're coming from Time Out
Start with a short eye break every 20 minutes and a longer one every hour or so. Turn on Smart Pause for meetings, video, and deep focus. Add blink and posture later if you still want them. Optional: lock the Mac on break start, and put Mirror on the phone so you don't just pick that up instead.
How this comparison was made
Feature availability, system requirements, and pricing were checked against official product pages, documentation, release notes, and public downloads. We compare features that are currently available, distinguish automatic behavior from manual configuration, and treat prices as snapshots because store and regional pricing can change.
Depends what you want. LookAway if Time Out interrupts you, or you want the iPhone lock, blink/posture, and the 2.4 lock-screen countdown. Time Out if you want free and you're happy configuring it yourself.
Yes. Same job (remind you to look away from the Mac), different default: Time Out fires on a schedule, LookAway waits during meetings and video unless you tell it not to.
Time Out 3 requires macOS 26. Dejal still offers 2.9.7 for macOS 10.15 and later. LookAway runs on macOS 13 and later.
You can set a short recurring break (20 seconds every 20 minutes is the usual starting point) and a longer one. Timing, snooze, sounds, and backgrounds are all configurable.
Yes. Time Out lets you add a fixed-time break as another schedule rule. LookAway Planned Breaks also sit at a clock time, but they wait during meetings, count time you already spent away, and can continue on iPhone and iPad.
No. Time Out is breaks (and optional activity tracking). LookAway adds separate posture nudges and blink reminders.
In LookAway 2.4, yes: under the clock on the Mac lock screen (macOS 26+, not in the Mac App Store build) and as a Live Activity on a paired iPhone or iPad. Time Out doesn't show a lock-screen countdown.
No. Direct licenses are $19 (one Mac) or $29 (two), pay once, with a 7-day trial. Also on Setapp. Time Out's core app is free; advanced features are an optional supporter purchase that does not auto-renew.
LookAway
LookAway