Stop Letting a $25 Battery Vampire Hijack Your Mac
NotchNook charges $25 for a web shell that constantly consumes 10% to 15% CPU in the background, causing MacBook Airs and Pros to run hot. Notchy is built natively in SwiftUI, consumes less than 0.1% CPU, and is 100% free.
Why switch from NotchNook to Notchy?
- Zero battery drain
Reddit and GitHub are full of users complaining about NotchNook's high CPU usage and battery drain (with reports of idle drain as high as 5% an hour and users recommending a rollback to 1.4.6). Notchy is written in pure SwiftUI with zero web overhead. It uses ~0.1% CPU in the background. Your battery won't even notice it.
- Multi-monitor & fullscreen friendly
Users report that NotchNook becomes laggy during playback on multi-monitor setups and often overlaps fullscreen apps. Notchy is heavily optimized for multi-display workflows, external cameras, and respects your fullscreen windows, remaining fast and unobtrusive.
- Free forever — stop paying subscriptions
NotchNook charges $25 for a lifetime license or $3/month. And users report it's incredibly hard to get a refund. Notchy is 100% free, forever, supported entirely by donations.
- Runs on more Macs
NotchNook requires macOS 14 Sonoma. Notchy runs natively on macOS 13 Ventura and later.
How Notchy stacks up
Honest, feature-by-feature comparison of every major macOS notch app — no affiliates.
| Feature | Notchy | Alcove | NotchNook | Boring Notch | DynamicLake | MediaMate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 100% Free | $17 one-time | $25 (or $3/mo) | Free (Open Source) | Paid | Paid |
| Minimum macOS | macOS 13 Ventura+ | macOS 14 Sonoma+ | macOS 14 Sonoma+ | macOS 14 Sonoma+ | macOS 14 Sonoma+ | macOS 14 Sonoma+ |
| Architecture | Pure SwiftUI (Native) | Swift (Native) | Swift (Native) | Swift (Open Source) | Swift (Native) | Swift (Native) |
| Now Playing Controls | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI Usage Tracker (Claude / Codex / Cursor) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Command Palette (⌃⌥K) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Localized (134 languages) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Clipboard History | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pomodoro Focus Timer | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| File Stash / Drop Shelf | Yes | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| System HUDs (Volume/Brightness) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AirPods Connected Reveal | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | — | — |
| Lock Screen Widgets | Yes | Yes | — | — | — | — |
| Quick Notes | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Calendar Widget | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| Caffeine Toggle | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Synced Lyrics | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Image Converter (HEIC/JPG/PDF) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Apple Reminders Capture | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Audio Output Switcher | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Device Battery (Mouse/Keyboard) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Download Finished Alerts | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Run Apple Shortcuts | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Zip & Unzip Files | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hide the Notch | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
Everything Notchy does, for free
- Fluid Dynamic Island animations on the Mac notch
- Command palette (⌃⌥K) — every action one keystroke away
- Knock — double-tap a modifier key to open the notch
- AI usage tracker (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Copilot)
- Detach any tab into a menu-bar popover
- Now Playing music controls (Apple Music & Spotify)
- Time-synced karaoke lyrics under the notch
- Mac clipboard history shelf (password-manager safe)
- Drag-and-drop file drop shelf — persists across relaunches
- Zip & unzip files right from the shelf
- Image converter (HEIC, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, PDF) + video → GIF
- Run Apple Shortcuts with one tap
- Screenshots auto-staged on the shelf, ready to drag
- Download finished alerts with Reveal in Finder
- USB drive mount island with one-tap Eject
- Apple Reminders quick capture & due list
- macOS Pomodoro notch timer & stopwatch — streaks + 7-day chart
- Resizable expanded panel (width & height, live preview)
- System HUDs (volume, brightness, battery)
- Audio output switcher (speakers, AirPods, monitor)
- AirPods connection manager & battery
- Magic Mouse, Keyboard & Trackpad battery + low-battery alerts
- Quick notes & Calendar widgets
- Camera Mirror (check your appearance)
- Keep Awake (caffeine toggle)
- Teleprompter (Cuely) for Zoom calls
- Focus-aware alerts & native haptic feedback
- Lock screen widgets & hide-the-notch mode
- 133 languages, fully localized
- Native SwiftUI, tuned for Apple Silicon
NotchNook alternative — FAQ
Is there a free NotchNook alternative for Mac?
Yes — Notchy. NotchNook costs $25 one-time (or $3/month), while Notchy delivers a fluid Dynamic Island, clipboard shelf, file drop and more on your MacBook notch for $0.
How much does NotchNook cost vs Notchy?
NotchNook is a paid app — a $25 one-time license or a $3/month subscription. Notchy is completely free, funded only by optional donations, with no license, trial, or subscription.
Is Notchy lighter on Mac resources than NotchNook?
Notchy is built in pure SwiftUI and idles around 0.1% CPU, so it stays light on battery and memory. If NotchNook feels heavy on your Mac, Notchy is a native, efficient replacement.
Does Notchy run on older Macs than NotchNook?
Yes. NotchNook requires macOS 14 Sonoma. Notchy supports macOS 13 Ventura and later, so it runs on more Macs.