Glimt
Glimt
Glimtvs
Glimt vs Time Out

Time Out manages your breaks. Glimt is your breathing practice.

Time Out by Dejal is one of the longest-running break apps on the Mac. It's deeply configurable and free to start. Glimt is narrower on purpose: a guided breathing session that floats over your work, on Mac or Windows.

One-time purchase — no subscription

A break manager vs. a breathing guide

Both live in the menu bar and both stay out of your meetings. They differ in what a break is for.

Time Out

Time away from the screen

Time Out schedules normal and micro breaks, can dim the screen with a full-screen theme or show a lighter reminder, and lets you build rules, scripts and custom break types. It's built for stepping away: moving, resting your eyes, relaxing.

Glimt

A minute with your breath

Glimt floats an orb over your work that paces each inhale, hold and exhale through Box, 4-7-8 or your own pattern. You don't leave your desk. You settle, breathe, and carry on a little calmer.

Feature by feature

Glimt
Time Out
Animated, paced breathing sessionTime Out's micro breaks can prompt you to relax; no paced breathing guide is described
Box, 4-7-8 & custom breathing patterns
Reminder that doesn't cover your whole screenTime Out offers a full-screen overlay or a lighter reminder
Holds reminders during callsGlimt: mic/camera detection. Time Out: rules for FaceTime, Teams, Zoom, calendar events, Focus and fullscreen apps
StatisticsGlimt: sessions, streaks and a daily goal. Time Out: activity timeline and break statistics
AutomationGlimt: macOS Shortcuts on session start/end. Time Out: AppleScript, shell, Python and Automator actions
Movement, eye & custom break types
Full-screen themes (images, video, web)
Calendar-based scheduling
Windows
Free tier

Which one is right for you?

Time Out has had two decades to get break management right. Here's when each makes sense.

Choose Time Out if…

  • You want to get up and move, rest your eyes, or step away from the screen entirely.
  • You want detailed rules, calendar scheduling, themes and scripting.
  • You'd like to start free.
  • You're on a recent Mac and don't need Windows.

Choose Glimt if…

  • You want to be guided through breathing, with patterns like Box or 4-7-8 or your own.
  • You'd rather breathe at your desk than have your screen taken over.
  • You use Windows, or both Mac and Windows.
  • You want one simple purchase instead of choosing between supporter tiers.

Free to start vs. a one-time purchase

Time Out's core is free, with optional paid tiers for extra features. Glimt is a single purchase that includes everything.

GlimtGlimt
$39one time
  • Guided breathing — Box, 4-7-8, custom
  • Everything included, pay once
  • Mac & Windows
Time Out
Freecore features

Supporter $4.99–$19.99, Lifetime $59.99, or $1.99/month · $19.99/year on the Mac App Store. Also in Setapp.

  • Breaks, scheduling, rules & themes
  • Paid tiers unlock extra features
  • Mac only; v3.1 needs macOS 26

Competitor prices and features checked against their official sites and App Store listings in October 2026. They may have changed since. If something here is out of date, let us know and we'll fix it.

Glimt

A break for your breath.

$39, once. No subscription. No account. A breathing practice that fits into your workday without taking over your screen.

One-time purchase — no subscription — mac & windows

Learn more about Glimt