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Best Productivity ResourcesBy Shushant LakhyaniVerified creator

Desktop App

BreakTimer

An open-source desktop app that reminds you to take regular breaks.

Visit BreakTimer4.5

  • Rating

    4.5 / 5

  • Pricing

    Free

  • Difficulty

    Beginner

  • Works on

    Windows, macOS, Linux

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What is BreakTimer?

BreakTimer is a desktop app that reminds you to take breaks, to help reduce RSI and eye strain and keep you focused. You choose how often breaks happen and how long they last, limit reminders to your working hours, and customise the colours and break messages. A notification before each break lets you skip or snooze it. BreakTimer runs on Windows, macOS and Linux and is open source under the GPL v3.0 licence.

Pros: what BreakTimer does well

  • Free and open source
  • Works on Windows, macOS and Linux
  • Breaks can be limited to working hours

Cons: where it falls short

  • Not supported for enterprise or commercial deployments
  • A simple reminder rather than a full wellbeing app

Who BreakTimer is for

People who sit at a computer for hours and forget to take breaks.

Who can skip it

People who already step away from their desk often.

BreakTimer alternatives

Not sold on BreakTimer? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.

All Focus resources

Time Out

Focus: micro breaks and mac. Shares break reminder and eye strain with BreakTimer. A Mac app, not a desktop app. Freemium (BreakTimer: Free). Same 4.5 rating.

Mac AppFree planmacOS
4.5Visit

Stretchly

Focus: healthy habits, desktop app and open source. Shares break reminder and eye strain with BreakTimer. Rated 4.6 (BreakTimer: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.6Visit

Workrave

Focus: rsi prevention, healthy work and open source. Shares break reminder with BreakTimer. Adds Offline. Rated 4.4 (BreakTimer: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreeWindows, Linux
4.4Visit

Insight Timer

Focus: meditation, mindfulness and sleep. Shares wellbeing with BreakTimer. A mobile app, not a desktop app. Freemium (BreakTimer: Free). Adds iOS, Android and Web. Rated 4.7 (BreakTimer: 4.5).

Mobile AppFree planiOS, Android
4.7Visit

Smiling Mind

Focus: meditation, mindfulness and sleep. Shares wellbeing with BreakTimer. A mobile app, not a desktop app. Adds iOS and Android. Rated 4.6 (BreakTimer: 4.5).

Mobile AppFreeiOS, Android
4.6Visit

Pomotroid

Focus: pomodoro, focus timer and desktop app. Also in Focus and Time Management, like BreakTimer. Rated 4.6 (BreakTimer: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.6Visit

Free alternatives to BreakTimer

Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.

Super Productivity

Focus: to-do list, time tracking and timeboxing. Also in Time Management and Focus, like BreakTimer. Adds Android, iOS and Web. Same 4.5 rating.

Desktop AppFreeLinux, macOS
4.5Visit

Timewarrior

Focus: time tracking, timesheets and command line. Also in Time Management and Focus, like BreakTimer. Adds Offline. Same 4.5 rating.

Desktop AppFreemacOS, Linux
4.5Visit

Medito

Focus: meditation, mindfulness and sleep. Also in Habit Building and Focus, like BreakTimer. A mobile app, not a desktop app. Adds iOS and Android. Rated 4.7 (BreakTimer: 4.5).

Mobile AppFreeiOS, Android
4.7Visit

f.lux

Focus: blue light, screen colour and sleep. Shares eye strain with BreakTimer. Rated 4.6 (BreakTimer: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.6Visit

Cuckoo

Focus: pomodoro, focus timer and remote teams. Also in Focus and Time Management, like BreakTimer. A web app, not a desktop app. Adds Web. Same 4.5 rating.

Web AppFreeWeb
4.5Visit
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