The short answer
Choose a polished Mac app or an open-source tool.
Both apps process posture locally on a Mac. Plumb is a finished app with three-position setup and quiet reminders. Dorso is open source and can track through a camera or compatible AirPods.
Show Plumb how you sit, receive a quiet alert after you remain slouched, and keep your posture history on your Mac.
A more technical product path with less documented habit analytics.
Your free trial starts with the first monitoring session, not the download.
At a glance
Plumb vs Dorso at a glance
Compare what each product asks you to install, wear, permit, notice, and pay for.
| What changes for you | Plumb | Dorso |
|---|---|---|
| How it notices posture | On-device Mac camera model, calibrated to three personal positions | Mac camera or AirPods motion sensors |
| How it responds | A quiet reminder after posture drift persists | A progressive screen blur or configurable on-screen overlay that clears after correction |
| Personal setup | Learns upright, natural slump, and looking-down positions | User-configured posture tracking with camera or motion-sensor input |
| What progress looks like | Local posture time, recoveries, and longer-term trends | Daily posture score, weekly and monthly trends, monitoring time, and slouch statistics |
| Where it works | macOS | macOS |
| What you need | A Mac and a useful camera angle | Webcam or compatible AirPods; no dedicated wearable |
| Before you pay | Complete 3-day trial with no card or account | Source release can be built or downloaded; App Store availability is linked from the project |
| Price checked 23 July 2026 | $3.99 monthly, $34.99 annually, or $45 founding lifetime | Open-source release; storefront pricing can vary |
The daily routine
Choose a finished Mac app or a configurable open-source tool.
Plumb is designed to work out of the box with personal calibration and recovery trends. Dorso gives technical users source access, camera or AirPods input, and a progressive blur.
Dorso requires webcam or compatible AirPods; no dedicated wearable. It supports macOS. Check whether that hardware and platform setup works at the desk where you need reminders.
Show it upright, your natural slump, and the position you use when looking down.
Plumb processes the camera view on your Mac and ignores brief reaches and shifts.
A quiet cue appears after you remain slouched and clears when you return to the upright position you recorded.
The first week
How each product sends posture feedback
Plumb begins by asking for three examples from your real desk setup: upright, your natural slump, and the position you use when looking down. That gives the app a personal reference before it starts coaching. You then begin a monitoring session and continue working while classification stays on the Mac.
Plumb ignores brief movements. A quiet reminder appears after your posture stays outside the calibrated range. The reminder clears after you return, and Plumb records the recovery.
Dorso uses user-configured posture tracking with camera or motion-sensor input. During use, it relies on mac camera or AirPods motion sensors and responds with a progressive screen blur or configurable on-screen overlay that clears after correction.
Plumb records posture time, recoveries, and longer-term patterns on your Mac. Dorso offers daily posture score, weekly and monthly trends, monitoring time, and slouch statistics. Compare the reports and decide which measurements you would use.
Plumb waits, reminds you, and records recovery
A quiet cue appears after sustained slouching and clears after you return to your calibrated range.
Open source, hackable, and supports AirPods tracking
Main drawback: A more technical product path with less documented habit analytics.
The coaching experience
Compare quiet prompts with screen blur and overlays.
Plumb waits to see whether a posture change lasts, then shows one quiet cue. The delay prevents brief reaches, reading positions, and normal movement from triggering alerts.
Dorso responds with a progressive screen blur or configurable on-screen overlay that clears after correction. Its main advantage is open source, hackable, and supports AirPods tracking. Its main drawback is a more technical product path with less documented habit analytics.
After a Plumb reminder, returning to your calibrated range clears the cue. Plumb stores posture time, recoveries, and longer-term patterns on the Mac.
Record three positions, start monitoring, and receive a cue after you remain slouched for the delay you selected.
Pick your trade-off
Compare the daily setup and maintenance
- Want a polished setup and three-pose calibration.
- Prefer a quiet reminder over screen blur.
- Want local recovery and trend reporting.
- Do not want to manage an open-source utility.
- Want source code you can inspect or modify.
- Prefer AirPods motion tracking to a webcam.
- Respond to progressive screen blur.
- Enjoy configuring a Mac utility around your workflow.
Plumb only works on Mac and needs a clear camera angle. Dorso has this drawback: a more technical product path with less documented habit analytics.
Privacy and setup
Compare camera, device, and account privacy
Plumb uses the Mac camera to compare your current head and shoulder position with the three positions you recorded. It processes frames on the device, discards them during use, and keeps posture history on the Mac. Camera images and posture history are excluded from diagnostics. No account is required for the three-day trial.
That model still has a clear requirement: you must be comfortable granting camera access and have an angle that can see your working position. If your camera is closed, obstructed, or pointed away while using an external display, Plumb cannot coach the session properly.
Dorso has this setup requirement: Webcam or compatible AirPods; no dedicated wearable. Its documented privacy position is local Mac processing with source code available for inspection. For some buyers, that removes the permission they care about most. For others, it adds hardware, account, sync, or platform requirements that make everyday use less convenient.
Read the privacy policy, check the required hardware or account, and test whether you can pause the product during calls and other unsuitable tasks.
Try before you commit
Compare trial terms and prices before paying
You can use Plumb’s complete coaching loop for three days without a card or account. The trial begins when monitoring starts, so downloading it early does not waste any of the trial.
For Dorso, the documented trial is: Source release can be built or downloaded; App Store availability is linked from the project. The price when checked was: Open-source release; storefront pricing can vary. Pricing can move, so confirm the current offer before buying.
No card. No account. No cloud posture history.
Common questions
Plumb vs Dorso FAQ
Is Plumb better than Dorso?
Plumb is the stronger fit for Mac users who want three-pose personal calibration, reminders after sustained drift, and local recovery trends. Dorso is the stronger fit for people who prioritise open source, hackable, and supports airpods tracking.
What is the biggest difference between Plumb and Dorso?
Plumb uses a quiet reminder after sustained posture drift. Dorso provides a progressive screen blur or configurable on-screen overlay that clears after correction.
What equipment does Dorso require?
Webcam or compatible AirPods; no dedicated wearable
How does Dorso handle privacy?
Local Mac processing with source code available for inspection
How much does Dorso cost?
Open-source release; storefront pricing can vary. Pricing was checked on 23 July 2026; verify the current official offer before purchasing.