June 17, 2026
The Best LazyWork Alternatives in 2026 (Honest Comparison)
Looking for a LazyWork alternative? We tested the real options — StayAway, Idle Pilot, Still Here, Move Mouse and Amphetamine — on price, free tier, integrations and honesty. Here's the straight version.
LazyWork popularised the idea of a polished "activity simulator" — software that keeps your status active by moving the mouse, tapping keys and switching windows like a person would. It works. But it has no free tier, no integrations, no account or sync, and a price ladder that climbs from $7.99 to $49.99 a month.
If that combination bothers you, you have options. We build one of them (StayAway), so treat this as informed but interested — and notice that we point out where the others genuinely win.
What actually matters in a presence tool
Before the list, the criteria that separate a good tool from a gimmick:
- A real engine, not a twitch. Realistic mouse motion, varied timing, safe keystrokes that never type into your documents.
- It yields to you. The moment you touch the mouse or keyboard, it should stop fighting you.
- Honesty about detection. Monitors like Hubstaff and Time Doctor now use AI to flag jigglers. Any tool promising guaranteed undetectability is overselling.
- Fair pricing and a way to try it. A free tier beats a countdown trial.
The shortlist
| Tool | Free tier | Price | Integrations | Open-core |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StayAway | Yes | $4.99/mo · $79.99 once | Slack/Teams (coming soon) | Yes |
| LazyWork | No | $7.99–$49.99/mo | No | No |
| Idle Pilot | Limited | Subscription | Slack only | No |
| Still Here | Limited | One-off / freemium | No | No |
| Move Mouse / Amphetamine | Yes | Free | No | Partly |
1. StayAway — the best all-rounder
StayAway pairs a genuine activity engine (Bézier-curve mouse paths, Gaussian-jittered timing, non-destructive "safe keys") with a free account, cross-device settings sync, and open-core code you can actually read. Slack, Teams and calendar awareness are on the roadmap (see what's shipped vs coming soon). Free to start; $4.99/mo or $79.99 once.
2. Idle Pilot — if you only care about Slack
Idle Pilot keeps your Slack dot green from the cloud, even with your laptop closed. That cloud trick is a real advantage. The catch: it only does Slack, and it can't simulate the input that input-based monitors watch. Full StayAway vs Idle Pilot comparison.
3. Still Here — the privacy purist
Still Here is the closest engine-level rival: local, cross-platform, no network traffic. If you want strictly-local and nothing else, it's a clean choice. StayAway shares the local engine but adds an account, sync, integrations and open-core transparency. StayAway vs Still Here.
4. Move Mouse & Amphetamine — free and basic
Move Mouse (Windows) and Amphetamine (macOS) are free and fine for keeping a screen awake. They're mechanical, single-platform, and easy to spot as jigglers. Good for "don't dim my display," weak for realistic presence.
So which should you pick?
- Want the most complete tool with a free tier: StayAway.
- Only need Slack, laptop often closed: Idle Pilot.
- Strictly local, nothing else: Still Here.
- Just keep the screen awake, free: Move Mouse or Amphetamine.
A closing note in keeping with how we talk about this: no tool can promise it will never be detected, and we explain exactly why in Do mouse jigglers get detected?. Pick the one that's honest with you — and try ours free before you pay anyone.