Alternative to Stretchly
Stretchly is a well-known free and open-source break reminder for macOS, Windows and Linux. It has mini and long breaks, a strict mode and support for several monitors.
What they have in common
Both are free and open source, run on all three desktop systems and wait in fullscreen and Do Not Disturb.
| Feature | Unslouch | Stretchly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free, donations welcome |
| Source code | Open source, MIT | Open source, BSD-2-Clause |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux, plus free tools in the browser | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Eye breaks | Every 20 min one small exercise, then look more than 6 m (20 ft) away for 20 s | Mini breaks of 20 s every 10 min, long breaks of 5 min every 30 min (defaults, adjustable) |
| Exercises | Animated exercises by body part: eyes, neck, back, hands, legs, breathing. With sources and when to see a doctor | Text break ideas, you can add your own |
| Posture, blink, water | Gentle cues without windows: screen edges darken to blink, a posture banner, a water card | not checked |
| Calls and meetings | Waits while another program uses the camera or microphone | not checked |
| Fullscreen, Do Not Disturb | Waits in fullscreen and Do Not Disturb, outside work hours, during Focus 25/50 | Pauses in fullscreen, in Do Not Disturb and when idle |
| Statistics | Time at the computer, longest sitting stretch, streaks, year heatmap, achievements, time per program. All on your computer | Break Health indicator for skipped breaks |
| Languages | 15 | Many, translated by the community |
| Data collection | Nothing is collected | not checked |
Checked on 27 September 2026 against official sites and app store pages. Prices and features change: if something is out of date, write to us and we'll fix it.
When Stretchly may suit you better
- You want a strict mode that makes skipping breaks harder.
- You like writing your own break ideas, with HTML and pictures.
- You want a mature project with a long history and many translations.
What Unslouch does
- Free
- Open source, MIT
- macOS, Windows, Linux, plus free tools in the browser
- Every 20 min one small exercise, then look more than 6 m (20 ft) away for 20 s
- Animated exercises by body part: eyes, neck, back, hands, legs, breathing. With sources and when to see a doctor
- Gentle cues without windows: screen edges darken to blink, a posture banner, a water card
- Waits while another program uses the camera or microphone
- Waits in fullscreen and Do Not Disturb, outside work hours, during Focus 25/50
- Time at the computer, longest sitting stretch, streaks, year heatmap, achievements, time per program. All on your computer
- Nothing is collected
Alternative to LookAway · Alternative to BreakTimer · Alternative to Time Out · Alternative to DeskBreak