Time Out, by Dejal, has been reminding Mac users to take breaks for years, and it does the job well.
There are a few reasons you might want something else, though. The current version needs macOS 26, so it won't run on an older Mac. Its extras are paid supporter plans. And its App Store privacy label says it collects your name, email address and diagnostics, linked to you.
We make Meander, a free break reminder for Mac, so we're not neutral. Everything we say about Time Out comes from its App Store listing, linked at the end.
Meander and Time Out compared
| Meander | Time Out | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free, with supporter plans from $1.99 a month or $59.99 for life |
| Needs | macOS 13 Ventura or later | macOS 26 or later for the current version |
| Waits for calls and videos | Yes, on its own | Not listed |
| Counts breaks you take yourself | Yes, when you lock your Mac, let it sleep or step away for 5 minutes | Yes, "natural breaks" |
| Kinds of break | One break rhythm, at the timing and length you choose | Micro breaks and normal breaks |
| Blink and posture reminders | Yes | Not listed |
| Data collected | None | Name, email address and diagnostics, linked to you |
Where Meander is better
Meander won't break into a call. If you're on Zoom, Meet or Teams, watching a video, gaming, sharing your screen or typing, it holds the break and starts it when you're done, with nothing to configure.
It also keeps to itself. There's no account and it collects no data. The checks it makes to avoid interrupting you happen on your Mac and stay there, and our privacy policy takes two minutes to read.
It runs on macOS 13 Ventura or later, so if your Mac can't take macOS 26, Meander still works. It's free with nothing to subscribe to. And between breaks it can remind you to blink or sit up, with a Stats page to show how you're keeping up.
Where Time Out is better
Time Out can run two kinds of break side by side: short micro breaks, usually 15 seconds every 15 minutes, and longer normal breaks, usually 10 minutes every hour. Meander uses one rhythm at a time, so if you want both running together, Time Out handles that better. It's also been around a lot longer.
Switching from Time Out
- Quit Time Out and turn off its open-at-login setting.
- Download Meander and drag it to Applications.
- In Settings, pick your rhythm. For something close to Time Out's normal breaks, keep the default of 5 minutes every hour. For eye breaks, go for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
If you're not sure which, our guide to how often to take breaks from the computer walks through what the research says. For a wider look, see our comparison of the best break reminder apps for Mac.
Sources
- Time Out on the Mac App Store, checked November 2026
- Meander and its privacy policy
