How the two compare
These details are from each product's site on .
LookAway
- Mac only (macOS 13 and later). Windows is listed as coming soon.
- Direct price is $19 once for one seat, with a year of updates. A two-seat personal license is $29 once, also with a year of updates. After that year you can keep the version you have, or renew if you want newer updates.
- 7-day trial.
- Built around posture nudges and blink reminders.
- Its reminders are intrusive. They cut into your work instead of waiting.
- Pauses during meetings and calls, and also during screen recording, video playback, focus apps, and fullscreen games.
- Can sync a break to iPhone or iPad through LookAway Mirror.
CapyBreaks
- Mac and Windows, available on Windows now.
- $14.99 once for up to 3 devices. Team seats are listed at $9.99 each.
- 7-day trial.
- Reminders for eyes, hydration, stretching, and posture, with a capybara character.
- Idle detection, custom schedules, and working hours.
- Skips a reminder that comes due while the microphone is in use, or while a fullscreen app is active, and starts the timers over instead of showing it later. On Windows, reminders also pause when Windows reports presentation mode. On Mac, there is no separate presentation check: a presentation in a window that does not fill the screen does not by itself pause reminders. They still pause while the microphone is in use, and idle detection, which is on by default, skips a due reminder after 5 minutes without keyboard or mouse input and then starts the timers over. A screen share by itself does not pause reminders. An optional lock screen is available.
- A premium break app, not a bare timer.
What is the same
Both are paid, one-time licenses rather than a monthly fee.
What is different
CapyBreaks is on Windows today. LookAway is not. LookAway's reminders are intrusive. CapyBreaks skips a reminder that comes due while the microphone is in use, or while a fullscreen app is active, and starts the timers over instead of showing it later. On Windows, reminders also pause when Windows reports presentation mode. On Mac, there is no separate presentation check: a presentation in a window that does not fill the screen does not by itself pause reminders. They still pause while the microphone is in use, and idle detection, which is on by default, skips a due reminder after 5 minutes without keyboard or mouse input and then starts the timers over. A screen share by itself does not pause reminders. CapyBreaks is the premium product: the capybara, reminders for eyes, hydration, stretching, and posture, idle detection, and one license for up to 3 devices.
Who should pick which
CapyBreaks
Pick CapyBreaks if you are on Windows now, or you want one premium license for a few devices across Mac and Windows.
LookAway
LookAway is still Mac-only. Waiting for its Windows version means waiting. It is not available to install there yet.
CapyBreaks is on Windows today.
CapyBreaks is the premium option. It runs on Windows and Mac, reminds you about your eyes, water, stretching, and posture, and costs $14.99 once for up to 3 devices. There is a 7-day trial. On Windows it installs from the Microsoft Store.