TouchGrass vs Stretchly
Best Mac Break Reminder?
Stretchly is one of the best-known open-source break reminder apps. It runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux and offers extensive configuration for people who want precise control over mini breaks and longer breaks.
TouchGrass is a native Mac app that emphasizes automatic context: calls, media, idle time, sustained typing, office hours, and wellness reminders.
Both can enforce fullscreen breaks, but they are built for different users.
We make TouchGrass. This comparison was checked against current official documentation and release information on July 18, 2026.
Quick Answer
Choose TouchGrass if you want a Mac-specific app with automatic meeting and media detection, planned breaks, typing-health reminders, local statistics, and a simpler graphical setup.
Choose Stretchly if you want a free, open-source, cross-platform app with strict modes, custom break ideas, and extensive JSON configuration.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | TouchGrass | Stretchly |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS | macOS, Windows, and Linux |
| Mini/short breaks | Yes | Yes |
| Long breaks | Yes | Yes |
| Fixed-time planned breaks | Yes | Not listed in standard documentation |
| Fullscreen and multi-display breaks | Yes | Yes |
| Strict enforcement | Casual, balanced, and hardcore | Separate strict modes |
| Idle awareness | Proportional rest credit | Natural breaks pause while idle |
| Do Not Disturb awareness | Through configured runtime behavior | Yes |
| Dedicated meeting/media detection | Yes | Not listed |
| App exclusions | No general exclusion list | Available through advanced JSON rules |
| Posture, blink, and typing reminders | Yes | Break ideas, but no dedicated engines listed |
| Statistics | Local 30-day summaries | Not listed |
| Open source | No | Yes, BSD-2-Clause |
| macOS requirement | macOS 14+ | macOS 12+ |
| macOS signing | Signed Developer ID distribution | Current build is unsigned |
| Price | $3.99 | Free |
How Stretchly Works
Stretchly defaults to a 20-second Mini break every 10 minutes and a five-minute Long break after two Mini breaks. Both schedules can be changed or disabled.
Its documented features include advance notifications for Mini and Long breaks, postpone and skip controls, strict mode for each break type, fullscreen breaks on one or all displays, custom break ideas colors sounds and transparency, idle monitoring through Natural breaks, Do Not Disturb monitoring, menu-bar countdown and progress styles, and global shortcuts and command-line control.
Advanced users can edit a JSON preferences file to change values that are not available in the interface. That includes postpone limits, custom HTML break ideas, manual-finish mode, window sizing, sound behavior, and app/process exclusion rules.
Stretchly is unusually configurable for a free app.
How TouchGrass Works
TouchGrass provides short, long, manual, and fixed-time planned breaks. It offers three enforcement levels and separate sensitivity settings, allowing the app to either interrupt immediately or wait briefly for active input to stop.
Instead of requiring app-exclusion rules for common situations, TouchGrass classifies supported calls, recordings, and media playback locally. Break pausing and notification suppression can be controlled independently.
TouchGrass also includes office-hours schedules for each day, proportional credit for natural time away, posture reminders based on active work time, optional blink reminders, sustained-typing and wrist-rest reminders, fixed-time planned breaks, local break and wellness statistics, and automatic skip rules for locked sleeping disconnected or low-battery conditions.
These features are exposed through the settings interface rather than a configuration file.
Automation vs Automatic Detection
Stretchly can pause based on specific running commands through advanced appExclusions rules. It also exposes shortcuts and command-line actions. That is useful when you are comfortable defining and maintaining your own conditions.
TouchGrass has no general app-exclusion editor. Instead, it has purpose-built detection for calls, recordings, and media families. It does not inspect browser tabs, URLs, window titles, microphone samples, or screen contents.
Choose Stretchly for programmable control. Choose TouchGrass for automatic handling of common Mac work contexts.
Installation and macOS Support
Stretchly supports macOS 12 or later, as well as Windows and Linux. The current macOS build is unsigned. Its official instructions explain how to use Open Anyway or remove the quarantine attribute before first launch.
TouchGrass supports macOS 14 or later and is distributed specifically as a Mac product.
The Stretchly setup is reasonable for technical users, but people who do not want to work around Gatekeeper may prefer a conventional signed Mac download.
Privacy and Open Source
Stretchly's source code is public under the BSD-2-Clause license. Users can inspect the implementation, build it themselves, and modify its configuration in detail.
TouchGrass is not open source. Its documented privacy boundary keeps break, idle, meeting, media, typing, and wellness processing local. It does not upload behavioral statistics or require Accessibility permission.
Open source and privacy are related considerations, but they are not the same claim. Stretchly offers code transparency; TouchGrass makes an explicit product commitment about which behavioral data stays on the Mac.
Pricing
Stretchly is free and open source. The developer accepts optional sponsorships.
TouchGrass includes a seven-day free trial and currently costs $3.99 for one Mac. No subscription is required.
Choose TouchGrass if you want
- ✓ Automatic call, recording, and media handling
- ✓ Planned breaks at fixed times
- ✓ Dedicated posture, blink, and sustained-typing reminders
- ✓ Local statistics
- ✓ A conventional Mac installation
- ✓ Settings that do not require JSON editing
Choose Stretchly if you want
- ✓ Free and open-source software
- ✓ Windows, macOS, and Linux support
- ✓ Deep JSON-level customization
- ✓ Strict Mini and Long break modes
- ✓ Custom break ideas and HTML content
- ✓ App/process exclusions and command-line control
Final Verdict
Stretchly is a strong choice for technically comfortable users who value open source, cross-platform support, and detailed configuration.
TouchGrass may fit better when you want a Mac app to handle meetings, media, typing load, planned breaks, and local wellness statistics without maintaining advanced rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stretchly free?
Yes. Stretchly is free and open source under the BSD-2-Clause license.
Is Stretchly safe to install on a Mac?
Stretchly publishes its source and official installers, but its current macOS build is unsigned. macOS will therefore show a Gatekeeper warning. Follow only the installation steps in Stretchly's official documentation.
Does Stretchly detect meetings?
Stretchly supports advanced app/process exclusion rules, but its standard documentation does not list automatic call or media classification. TouchGrass provides dedicated detection for supported calls, recordings, and media.
Which app supports more operating systems?
Stretchly supports macOS, Windows, and Linux. TouchGrass is macOS-only.