The HazeOver Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about HazeOver in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
HazeOver
The Insider’s Guide
Mac utility that dims every window except the active one
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among focus apps, read from HazeOver’s own pages.
Made by Maxim Ananov · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from HazeOver’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on HazeOver’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 5 of the 65 other focus apps we grade
HazeOver is a Mac utility that dims every window except the one you are working in, so the active window stands out and background clutter recedes. Dimming intensity, color and animation speed are adjustable, it handles multiple displays, and it can be controlled with a keyboard shortcut, the Shortcuts app, Focus filters and AppleScript. It is a one-time purchase with a free trial.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about HazeOver, taken from its own pages and our grades.
One quirk is that the whole screen dims when every window of the current app is closed.
- 1
Best for dimming everything but the window you're in, on a Mac
That's all it does: it won't block a website or time a session.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $4.99 one-time purchase.
- 3
You can try it first
Free trial download from hazeover.com; no length is stated
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 5
Automatic window dimming
HazeOver highlights the frontmost window or app as you switch and fades everything behind it. The desktop is revealed automatically when you use it.
- 6
Adjustable intensity and color
Dimming runs from a light shade to a fully opaque background, with a custom color and a fade lasting up to 5 seconds. Scrolling over the menu bar icon changes the intensity.
- 7
Multiple display modes
It can highlight the front window on each connected screen or dim the displays without keyboard focus, and dimming can be turned off for a specific display.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 5 of 65
That is against the other focus apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
A focus timer at its plainest counts down 25 minutes and keeps a log.
HazeOver at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $4.99 one-time purchase
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free trial download from hazeover.com; no length is stated
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Maxim Ananov
- Category
- Focus Apps
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for dimming everything but the window you're in, on a Mac
HazeOver dims every window on your Mac except the one you're working in, for $4.99 once. That's all it does: it won't block a website or time a session. It's Mac only and the current version needs macOS Ventura 13, there's no free plan, and the site doesn't say how long the trial lasts.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | $4.99 once, from the vendor's store or the US Mac App Store, against a category where a year of a subscription runs to about $48. Tips of $5, $7 or $15 are optional at checkout, and there's a student discount. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. There's a free trial you download from hazeover.com, but the site never says how long it lasts, so you're buying on trust that it's long enough. |
| Features | D | It dims the windows behind the one you're in, with settings for strength, colour, multi-display modes, separate Light and Dark settings, and Shortcuts and AppleScript control. That's the whole of it, though. One trick. No blocking, no timer, nothing tracked. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: it sits in the menu bar, you scroll the icon to change the strength and double-click to switch it off. One quirk is that the whole screen dims when every window of the current app is closed. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac alone, and the current version wants macOS Ventura 13 or later. One operating system. It does hook into Shortcuts, AppleScript, Raycast, Alfred, BetterTouchTool and Keyboard Maestro. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who HazeOver is for
- Fits if you work on a large screen or two and keep losing the active window
- Works for people who want background windows dimmed in Dark Mode or for screen recordings
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're not on a Mac, as it's Mac only, and the current version needs macOS Ventura 13
- Not for you if you need apps or websites blocked, since it only dims windows
- Too light for anyone who wants timed work sessions, as there's no timer in it
- Watch out: there's no free plan, and the site doesn't say how long the free trial lasts
- Watch out: close or minimize every window of the app you're in and the whole screen dims until you switch
Good to know
Good for
- Large or multiple displays, where the active window is easy to lose
- Cutting glare from bright background windows, especially in Dark Mode
- Cleaner screenshots and screen recordings with the background dimmed
- Mac users who automate their setup with Shortcuts or Focus modes
Worth knowing
- Mac only: the current version needs macOS Ventura 13 or later, with older builds offered for earlier systems.
- It only dims background windows; it does not block apps or websites or time work sessions.
- There is no free plan, and the site does not say how long the free trial lasts.
- When every window of the current app is closed or minimized, the whole screen dims until you switch to another app.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$4.99 one-time
To start
HazeOver is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $4.99 one-time purchase.
HazeOver
$4.99
one-time purchase
A license from the vendor's store at $4.99 USD, or the app on the US Mac App Store at the same price. Optional tips of $5, $7 or $15 can be added at checkout.
Trying it first
Free trial download from hazeover.com; no length is stated
Read from hazeover.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Education
Student discount
The buy page says HazeOver is available with a student discount and links to Student App Centre for it. The page does not state the amount.
Stated on hazeover.comOther savings
Also available through Setapp
The buy page says HazeOver is available to Setapp subscribers, and the download page lists a Setapp Subscription option next to the Mac App Store and direct download.
Stated on hazeover.com
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for the app, against $4.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philippines | ₱ 299.00 | $4.76 | about the same |
| Canada | $6.99 | $4.91 | about the same |
| Turkey | ₺249,99 | $5.08 | about the same |
| India | ₹ 499 | $5.16 | about the same |
| Brazil | R$ 29,90 | $5.97 | 20% more |
| South Africa | R99.99 | $6.05 | 21% more |
| United Kingdom | £4.99 | $6.60 | 32% more |
| Germany | 5,99 € | $6.71 | 35% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Mac utility that dims every window except the active one. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, menu bar app.
It does hook into Shortcuts, AppleScript, Raycast, Alfred, BetterTouchTool and Keyboard Maestro.
- Automatic window dimming
- HazeOver highlights the frontmost window or app as you switch and fades everything behind it. The desktop is revealed automatically when you use it.
- Adjustable intensity and color
- Dimming runs from a light shade to a fully opaque background, with a custom color and a fade lasting up to 5 seconds. Scrolling over the menu bar icon changes the intensity.
- Multiple display modes
- It can highlight the front window on each connected screen or dim the displays without keyboard focus, and dimming can be turned off for a specific display.
- Light and Dark appearance settings
- Separate dimming settings are saved for the Light and Dark system appearance, so dimming can switch on, or change strength, along with Dark Mode.
- Shortcuts, Focus filters and AppleScript
- Dimming state and settings can be automated with the Shortcuts app, Focus filters that revert when a Focus mode ends, and AppleScript. A Raycast extension adds quick commands.
- Quick toggles
- A keyboard shortcut or a double-click on the menu bar icon turns dimming on or off, and holding the Fn key pauses it while you drag between apps.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- Apple Shortcuts
- AppleScript
- Raycast
- Alfred
- BetterTouchTool
- Keyboard Maestro
HazeOver is made by Maxim Ananov.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
5/65
Other focus apps it is graded above
HazeOver's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 5 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 12.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 40 of 65) and worst on features (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 66 focus apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. HazeOver’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 40 of 65
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 65
- DFeaturesAbove 0 of 65
- BEase of useAbove 17 of 65
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 65
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Your call
A focus timer at its plainest counts down 25 minutes and keeps a log.
HazeOver sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. At $4.99, paid once, it costs less than the weekend it would take to replace, which is the argument for keeping it.
What you could not
- A native app living in the menu bar.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript and Raycast among them.
- Hooks into the device itself: Shortcuts.
What this rests on. HazeOver’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Focus, SelfControl, Flow, f.lux and BetterDisplay
The 5 tools HazeOver is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Focus
Free trial · from $49 one-time
Mac app that blocks distracting websites and apps on a schedule.
- Focus also covers site & app blocker, Pomodoro timer and time tracking.
- 2.8GPA
SelfControl
Free
Free Mac app that blocks distracting sites until a timer ends.
- SelfControl has a free plan. HazeOver does not, though it has a free trial.
- HazeOver can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- SelfControl is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
Flow
Free plan · from $17.99/yr
Minimal Pomodoro timer for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
- Flow has a free plan. HazeOver does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Flow lists an iOS app.
- Flow also covers site & app blocker and Pomodoro timer.
- 3.0GPA
f.lux
Free plan · from $24 one-time
Warms your screen's color at night to match the time of day.
- f.lux has a free plan. HazeOver does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only f.lux lists Windows and Linux apps.
- HazeOver can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.6GPA
BetterDisplay
Free plan · from $21.99 one-time
Display scaling, brightness and DDC control for Mac.
- BetterDisplay has a free plan. HazeOver does not, though it has a free trial.
- BetterDisplay also covers display control.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is HazeOver free?
No, HazeOver is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free trial download from hazeover.com; no length is stated.
How much does HazeOver cost?
HazeOver lists one plan. HazeOver: $4.99 one-time purchase.
What platforms does HazeOver work on?
HazeOver is available on macOS.
Does HazeOver offer any discounts?
HazeOver publicly lists the following: Student discount; Also available through Setapp.
Does HazeOver have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. HazeOver is listed for macOS.
Does HazeOver have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. HazeOver is listed for macOS.
Is HazeOver open source?
HazeOver is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does HazeOver integrate with?
HazeOver's listing names Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript, Raycast, Alfred, BetterTouchTool and Keyboard Maestro.
Does HazeOver have a student discount?
Student discount. The buy page says HazeOver is available with a student discount and links to Student App Centre for it.
Who makes HazeOver?
HazeOver is made by Maxim Ananov.
What are the alternatives to HazeOver?
The closest alternatives to HazeOver in our directory are Focus, SelfControl, Flow, f.lux and BetterDisplay.
How does HazeOver compare with other focus apps?
HazeOver's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 5 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 12.
Could I make my own version of HazeOver?
A focus timer at its plainest counts down 25 minutes and keeps a log. HazeOver sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from HazeOver’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from HazeOver's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-13.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Maxim Ananov. Prices change, so check hazeover.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- HazeOver, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/hazeover
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "HazeOver: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/hazeover
Know someone choosing between focus apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/hazeover/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded focus apps after HazeOver, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Focus Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 66 focus apps we grade, compared
- ScreenZen Insider's GuideFree app that delays and blocks distracting apps and sites3.6 GPA
- Flora Insider's GuideFree focus timer that grows trees, alone or with friends3.2 GPA
- Flow Insider's GuideMinimal Pomodoro timer for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what HazeOver’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. HazeOver is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Maxim Ananov. Prices and plans change: check hazeover.com before you buy.