Stretchly is free, open-source, and cross-platform, a genuinely useful tool with a loyal following. Choose it if you're happy with a simple, functional break overlay. Choose Eye Rest if you're on a Mac and you want the break to be a calm, beautiful moment you actually look forward to, the thing that makes the habit stick, and you'd rather pay once than fight to keep using a plain reminder.
Side by side
| Eye Rest | Stretchly | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $14.99 one-time | Free (open-source) |
| Platforms | macOS 14+ | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| The break itself | Hand-painted scenes (6, by time of day) | Simple functional overlay |
| Auto-pause: meetings + video | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Blink / posture nudges | Yes, free | No |
| Look & feel | Native SwiftUI, storybook | Electron, utilitarian |
| Best for | People who quit plain break apps | Tinkerers, multi-OS, free-first |
The honest bottom line
Stretchly is free and it works, hard to argue with that if a plain reminder is enough for you. But "free" isn't why people stop resting their eyes; "I turned it off because it was annoying" is. Eye Rest costs $14.99 once because the whole point is a break so pleasant you keep taking it. If free reminders haven't stuck for you before, that's the difference you're paying for. Not sure yet? The full rundown of Mac break apps lays out every option, and the 20-20-20 rule explains why adherence is the thing that matters.
Questions
Is there a free alternative to Eye Rest?
Yes. Stretchly is the best free, open-source break reminder, and it runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. If a simple, functional break overlay is enough for you, it's an excellent no-cost choice.
Why pay for Eye Rest when Stretchly is free?
Because free isn't why people stop resting their eyes; annoyance is. Eye Rest costs $14.99 once because it makes each break a hand-painted scene you look forward to, which is what makes the habit stick if plain reminders haven't worked for you.