By the NotchPop team · Updated
Short answer
The best Mac notch app depends on the job you give it. For free and open source, pick The Boring Notch or Atoll. For media and live activities alone, Alcove. For the most tools for the least money, NotchPop covers media, files, clipboard, focus, calendar and more for $3.99 once. We make NotchPop, so we say where others are the better choice.
How we picked
We compared 14 notch apps against each app's own website, App Store listing or repository, feature by feature. Every claim is in the full side-by-side comparison, with the date we last checked it. We make NotchPop, so read our picks knowing that. Where another app is the better choice, we say so.
A notch app draws a small, expandable panel around the camera notch on a MacBook. You hover or click it to open music controls, a file tray, timers and other tools, much like the Dynamic Island on an iPhone. Most notch apps also work on Macs without a notch by showing a floating island at the top of the screen.
Quick picks
| If you want | Pick | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The most tools for the lowest one-time price | NotchPop | $3.99 once, 7-day free trial |
| Free and open source | The Boring Notch | free (open source, GPL-3.0) |
| Free, with the newest features | Atoll | free (open source, GPL-3.0) |
| Media controls and live activities only | Alcove | $14.99 (one-time) |
| The largest extension library | Droppy | $9.99 (one-time, 2 Macs) |
| A polished file shelf, and money is no object | NotchNook | $25 (one-time or $3/mo) |
1. NotchPop: the most tools for the money
NotchPop turns the notch into a full productivity island. Beyond music controls and a file shelf, it has opt-in clipboard history, a Pomodoro focus timer with hydration reminders, a calendar with one-click meeting joins, weather and system stats, and iMessage and WhatsApp replies.
It is the only app in our comparison with a native audio output switcher in the notch, and one of two with a revenue dashboard for Stripe, Polar, Dodo Payments and AdSense. For developers, it shows Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and Grok activity.
- Price: $3.99 once for one Mac, $6.99 for two, $14.99 for five. No subscription.
- Free trial: 7 days, every feature.
- Works without a notch: yes, as a floating island on iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio and external displays.
- Requires: macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple Silicon or Intel.
Skip it if you only want free, open-source software, or if you need a large library of third-party extensions.
2. The Boring Notch: the best free option
The Boring Notch is free and open source under GPL-3.0. It covers the basics well: now playing controls, a file shelf, calendar and a volume and brightness HUD. It's free (open source, GPL-3.0). If you don't want to pay anything, start here. See NotchPop vs The Boring Notch for the feature-by-feature differences.
3. Atoll: free, and moving fast
Atoll is another free, open-source notch app, still in beta. It adds features quickly, including clipboard history, so expect changes between versions. It's free (open source, GPL-3.0). Compare it in NotchPop vs Atoll.
4. Alcove: the closest to the iPhone's Dynamic Island
Alcove focuses on doing the Dynamic Island look well: media controls, live activities and system HUDs. It doesn't try to be a file tray or a productivity hub. It's $14.99 (one-time). See NotchPop vs Alcove.
5. Droppy: the biggest extension library
Droppy covers files, clipboard, media and notifications, and has the largest extension library of the apps we compared. It's $9.99 (one-time, 2 Macs). See NotchPop vs Droppy.
6. NotchNook: the original
NotchNook made notch apps popular. It has a drag-and-drop file tray, media controls, calendar and timers. It is also one of the priciest, at $25 (one-time or $3/mo). See NotchPop vs NotchNook.
Every notch app we compared
| App | Price | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| NotchPop | $3.99 | One-time, lifetime updates |
| Droppy | $9.99 | One-time, 2 Macs |
| Alcove | $14.99 | One-time |
| NotchNook | $25 | One-time or $3/mo |
| The Boring Notch | Free | Open source, GPL-3.0 |
| Atoll | Free | Open source, GPL-3.0 |
| DynamicLake Pro | $13.99+ | One-time, pay what you want |
| NotchBuddy | $19.99 | One-time |
| NotchFlow | $20 | Lifetime or $3/mo |
| Canopy | €15 | One-time |
| Seam | $19.90 | One-time |
| NotchDrop | Free | Open source |
| Perch | $24.99–49.99 | Lifetime |
| MewNotch | Free | Open source |
The full feature matrix, with 30 rows across files, media, productivity, developer tools and platform support, is on the compare page.
What to look for in a notch app
- Works without a notch. If you use an external display or a desktop Mac, check that the app shows a floating island there too.
- One-time price or subscription. Most notch apps are one-time purchases. A few charge monthly.
- Signed and notarized. Apps notarized by Apple open without security warnings. Some free builds are unsigned.
- Privacy. Clipboard and file features should stay on your Mac. Check whether clipboard history is opt-in.
- Permissions. A good notch app only asks for a permission, such as Calendar or Accessibility, when you turn on the feature that needs it.
