The Time Out Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Time Out 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.
Time Out
The Insider’s Guide
Mac break reminder with customizable break screens
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among focus apps, read from Time Out’s own pages.
Made by Dejal Systems, LLC · checked Nov 13, 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 Time Out’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Time Out’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 49 of the 83 other focus apps we grade
Time Out is a Mac app from Dejal that reminds you to step away with Normal and Micro breaks. Breaks can follow fixed times or calendar events, and rules postpone them during calls or fullscreen apps. Core features are free; supporter and premium options add more.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Time Out, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating on record, but it installs and runs with nothing to set up.
- 1
Best for break reminders on a Mac
Time Out is a Mac break reminder with scheduling, rules and break themes, and core features that stay free.
- 2
Paid plans start at $1.66 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $4.99 for 3 months of Supporter, paid once with no renewal.
- 3
There is a free plan
Core features are always free. Supporter terms add premium features released during the term.
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 5
Normal and Micro breaks
Built-in breaks with adjustable length and frequency, plus custom breaks.
- 6
Scheduling
Breaks at fixed times or around calendar events, limited to chosen hours and days.
- 7
Rules
Postpone or skip breaks when certain apps are in use, during Focus or a fullscreen app, or on a recognized call.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 49 of 83
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.
Time Out at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $4.99 for 3 months of Supporter, paid once with no renewal
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Supporter and premium features can be tried for a trial period; length not stated on the page.
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Dejal Systems, LLC
- Category
- Focus Apps
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for break reminders on a Mac
Time Out is a Mac break reminder with scheduling, rules and break themes, and core features that stay free. Version 4.0 needs macOS 26 or later, it runs on Mac only, and newer premium features need a Supporter term or the $59.99 lifetime.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Core features are always free, which counts as free and substantial; paid terms run from $4.99 for 3 months to $59.99 lifetime. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The core features are free for good, but premium features released later need a Supporter term. |
| Features | B | Normal and micro breaks, scheduling, rules, themes and natural breaks, with nothing missing from the break-reminder job. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but it installs and runs with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac only, and version 4.0 requires macOS 26.0 or later. |
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 Time Out is for
- Fits if you work at a Mac and want breaks scheduled by rules
- Works for people who want break screens you can change
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you are not on a Mac, since there is no Windows, Linux or phone version
- Watch out: version 4.0 needs macOS 26.0 or later, and an older 2.9.7 build is for macOS 10.15+
- Watch out: premium features added later need a Supporter term or Lifetime at $59.99
- Watch out: the trial length is not stated, and Mac App Store premium prices were not read
Good to know
Good for
- Mac users who want breaks that fit around meetings
- People who like customizing what the break screen shows
Worth knowing
- Mac only; version 4.0 needs macOS 26.0 or later (an older 2.9.7 build is for macOS 10.15+).
- The Mac App Store edition also offers monthly and yearly Premium subscriptions; their prices were not read.
- Premium features added later need a Supporter term or Lifetime.
- Also included in Setapp.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$1.66
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Time Out has a free plan. Paid plans start at $4.99 for 3 months of Supporter, paid once with no renewal.
The core features are free for good, but premium features released later need a Supporter term.
Free
$0
Core break features, always free.
3-Month Supporter
$4.99
for 3 months, paid once, with no renewal
Adds premium features added during the 3 months.
6-Month Supporter
$9.99
for 6 months, paid once, with no renewal
Adds premium features added during the 6 months.
12-Month Supporter
$19.99
for 12 months, paid once, with no renewal
Adds premium features added during the 12 months.
Lifetime
$59.99
one-time
All current and future premium features.
The free plan
Core features are always free. Supporter terms add premium features released during the term.
Trying it first
Supporter and premium features can be tried for a trial period; length not stated on the page.
Read from dejal.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Lifetime license
Lifetime purchase
Dejal lists a one-time Lifetime option at $59.99 that includes all current and future premium features.
Stated on dejal.com
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 break reminder with customizable break screens. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, menu bar app.
Normal and micro breaks, scheduling, rules, themes and natural breaks, with nothing missing from the break-reminder job.
- Normal and Micro breaks
- Built-in breaks with adjustable length and frequency, plus custom breaks.
- Scheduling
- Breaks at fixed times or around calendar events, limited to chosen hours and days.
- Rules
- Postpone or skip breaks when certain apps are in use, during Focus or a fullscreen app, or on a recognized call.
- Break themes
- Break screens can show scenes, videos, messages, photos, YouTube videos or HTML pages.
- Natural breaks
- Counts time away from the Mac and adjusts the next reminder.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- Setapp
- FaceTime
- Microsoft Teams
- Zoom
Time Out is made by Dejal Systems, LLC.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
49/83
Other focus apps it is graded above
Time Out's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 49 of the 83 other focus apps we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 47 of 83) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $1.66 a month, against a middle price of $2.96 for the category: 5 of the 49 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 8 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 84 focus apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Time Out’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 47 of 83
- BFree plan and trialAbove 44 of 83
- BFeaturesAbove 62 of 83
- BEase of useAbove 22 of 83
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 83
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 70 focus apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Time Out is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
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.
Time Out 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 $19.96 a year 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.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Time Out’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
Stretchly, Workrave, HazeOver, Vitamin-R and Focus Bear
The 5 tools Time Out is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Stretchly
Free
Open-source break reminder for Mac, Windows and Linux.
- Only Stretchly lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Time Out can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Stretchly is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
Workrave
Free
Free RSI-prevention break reminder with daily usage limits.
- Only Time Out lists a macOS app.
- Only Workrave lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Time Out can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.2GPA
HazeOver
Free trial · from $4.99 one-time
Mac utility that dims every window except the active one.
- Time Out has a free plan. HazeOver does not, though it has a free trial.
- 2.4GPA
Vitamin-R
Free trial · from $29.95 one-time
Time-boxing and Pomodoro timer for the Mac.
- Time Out has a free plan. Vitamin-R does not, though it has a free trial.
- Vitamin-R also covers Pomodoro timer, time tracking and focus music.
- 2.4GPA
Focus Bear
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Distraction blocker and guided routines built for ADHD brains.
- Only Focus Bear lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Time Out can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Time Out also covers menu bar app.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
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 Time Out free?
Time Out has a free plan. Core features are always free.
How much does Time Out cost?
Time Out lists 5 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Time Out work on?
Time Out is available on macOS.
Does Time Out offer any discounts?
Time Out publicly lists the following: Lifetime purchase.
Does Time Out have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Time Out is listed for macOS.
Does Time Out have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Time Out is listed for macOS.
Is Time Out open source?
Time Out is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
What does Time Out integrate with?
Time Out's listing names Setapp, FaceTime, Microsoft Teams and Zoom. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Time Out have a free trial?
Yes. Supporter and premium features can be tried for a trial period; length not stated on the page.
Who makes Time Out?
Time Out is made by Dejal Systems, LLC.
What are the alternatives to Time Out?
The closest alternatives to Time Out in our directory are Stretchly, Workrave, HazeOver, Vitamin-R and Focus Bear.
How does Time Out compare with other focus apps?
Time Out's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 49 of the 83 other focus apps we grade, and level with 10.
Is Time Out good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Time Out A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $1.66 a month, against a middle price of $2.96 for the category: 5 of the 49 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Time Out?
A focus timer at its plainest counts down 25 minutes and keeps a log. Time Out 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 Time Out’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Dejal Systems, LLC's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 Dejal Systems, LLC. Prices change, so check dejal.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Time Out, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/time-out
- 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, "Time Out: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/time-out
Know someone choosing between focus apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/time-out/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded focus apps after Time Out, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Focus Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 84 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 Time Out’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. Time Out is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Dejal Systems, LLC. Prices and plans change: check dejal.com before you buy.