Pausr vs LookAway

These two are the closest match on this page. Both are native macOS apps, both hold the break when you are in a meeting or a fullscreen game, and both keep honest screen-time stats. The choice comes down to how much of the body you want covered, and how you prefer to pay.

Feature by feature

Pausr / LookAway: Feature by feature
Feature	Pausr	LookAway
Native macOS app	Yes	Yes
Windows	No	No
Linux	No	No
Eye breaks (20-20-20)	Yes	Yes
Stand-up and movement breaks	Yes	Partly
Long recovery breaks	Yes	Yes
Holds breaks during meetings, calls, screen sharing and games	Yes	Yes
Screen-time statistics	Yes	Yes
Guided RSI exercises	No	No
Open source	No	No
Free to use	No	No
Works without an account	Yes	Yes

YesPartlyNo

The nuance behind the table5 rows need a caveat

Windows: Pausr: A Windows version is in the works. The waitlist is open on the download page.
Stand-up and movement breaks: LookAway: LookAway sends posture nudges and can schedule planned breaks, but movement is a nudge rather than a dedicated break type.
Holds breaks during meetings, calls, screen sharing and games: LookAway: Genuinely context aware: it pauses during meetings, calls, screen recording, video playback and fullscreen games.
Guided RSI exercises: Pausr: Pausr prompts stand-up and movement breaks, but it does not ship guided RSI exercise routines.
Free to use: Pausr: No permanent free tier: a 7-day free trial, then a subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase.; LookAway: No free tier and no trial. Updates are included for one year, then optional at a reduced price.

Facts checked on August 3, 2026, on the official sites.Latest LookAway release seen: 2.3.0, July 24, 2026.

A glowing sphere held back at the edge of a lit doorway, waiting to enter — A break app is judged on the moments it stays quiet, not on the length of its feature list.

Where the two really differ

How much of the day they cover
LookAway is built around the eyes and does that very well: 20-20-20 timing, blink reminders, posture nudges. Pausr treats stand-up breaks and long recovery breaks as first-class break types alongside the eye break, because a 6 pm slump is rarely only the eyes. If eye strain is genuinely your whole problem, that extra coverage is weight you do not need.
How you pay
LookAway is a one-time purchase from $19 with the first year of updates included, then optional renewals at a reduced price. Pausr is a subscription with a 7-day free trial, or a one-time lifetime purchase if you would rather own it outright. LookAway is the cheaper way in; Pausr is the only one of the two you can try before paying.
Where your breaks live
LookAway syncs with iPhone and iPad, which is genuinely useful if your screen time is not only on the Mac. Pausr stays entirely on the machine, with no account and nothing leaving the device. Neither is better in the abstract: one is reach, the other is a smaller surface.

Microsoft Teams — The difference in one view: the break waits through your meeting or your match, then comes back on its own.

Price

Pausr

Native macOS break app, context aware

Price

Subscription with a 7-day free trial, or a one-time lifetime purchase

LookAway

Native macOS break app, context aware

Price

$19 one-time for 1 seat, $29 for 2 seats, first year of updates included

Official site

Choose Pausr if

Your afternoon slump involves your neck and back, not just your eyes.
You want to try it properly before paying for it.
You want screen-time stats that never leave the Mac and no account anywhere.

Choose LookAway if

Eye strain really is the whole problem, and you want the app most focused on it.
You want the lowest one-time price to get started.
You want your break settings to follow you onto iPhone and iPad.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pausr a good LookAway alternative?

It is the closest one, and the honest difference is scope rather than quality. LookAway is excellent at eye strain and syncs to iOS. Pausr adds stand-up breaks and long recovery breaks as dedicated break types, and offers a 7-day free trial so you can judge it on your own workday.

Which one is cheaper?

LookAway starts lower at $19 one-time for a single seat, with the first year of updates included. Pausr is a subscription with a 7-day free trial, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Over several years the two land closer together than the entry prices suggest, so compare the lifetime figures rather than the first payment.

Do both apps stop interrupting during meetings?

Yes. This is the feature that separates both of them from the older break apps. LookAway pauses during meetings, calls, screen recording, video playback and fullscreen games. Pausr holds the break during meetings, calls, screen sharing and games, then brings it back when the moment passes.