CaretakerCompare
Caretaker vs App Tamer
App Tamer slows the apps you aren't using. Caretaker's Boost gives one app your whole Mac for a render, an export or a live set, then puts it all back.
| Feature | Caretaker | App Tamer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, or Pro from $5.99 a month | $14.95 |
| Pauses background apps | Yes, while Boost is on | Yes, when you switch away |
| Keeps the Mac awake | — | |
| Pauses cloud sync | — | |
| Pauses Spotlight | Slows Spotlight | |
| Never pauses calls, music or show apps | — | |
| Ends when the export is done | — | |
| Cleanup, card offload, drive speed | — |
App Tamer as its maker's site describes it, October 2026, in US dollars. A dash means it isn't offered there.
Why people switch to Caretaker.
One click
Start Boost for the app you're in. No rules to set up.
Safe for a show
Calls, music players, NDI, Syphon, OBS, QLab and lighting control keep running.
It lets go
Boost ends when the export is done or the app quits, and every app runs again.
More than a tamer
Cleanup, card offload and drive speed in the same app.
Questions
Is Boost like App Tamer?
Both pause apps. App Tamer does it all the time, app by app. Boost does it for the length of one job, for one app, and also keeps the Mac awake and pauses sync and Spotlight.
Try Caretaker.
Free to download. Pro free for 7 days, from inside the app.