NotchBuddyNotchNook Alternatives for Mac (2026)
NotchNook is not discontinued. It went offline in September 2026 and is back at getnotchnook.com. If you still want another app, here is the comparison.
If you searched for a NotchNook alternative because the old page stopped loading, that outage was real. The app came back. The dated timeline is in Is NotchNook discontinued?. This page is for when you still want a different app. We make one of these apps, NotchBuddy. Facts about the others come from their own sites or from October 2026 notes, and prices can change.
What NotchNook lists now
On 1 November 2026 getnotchnook.com sold Pro and Classic editions, with a 48-hour trial, a licence for up to two Macs, and version 1.6.17. Its pages showed more than one price that day, so check getnotchnook.com before you buy. Music, a file tray with AirDrop, Shortcuts, a calendar and volume and brightness HUDs are from October 2026 notes and were not re-checked on 1 November.
The alternatives at a glance
| App | Price | Closest to NotchNook for |
|---|---|---|
| Alcove | $14.99 once | Polished music, pop-ups and calendar |
| The Boring Notch | Free | Music and a file shelf, open source |
| Atoll | Free | Widgets and power-user extras on notched MacBooks |
| OmniNotch | $14.99 once | Lots of tools, a file shelf and AirDrop |
| MacNotch | $22.99 once or $3.99/mo | A dashboard with a free trial, also in Setapp |
| Notchy | Free | Many features, works on any display |
| NotchBuddy | $10 once | File shelf, music and calendar, plus sales alerts and a pet |
| Droppy | $9.99 once, 2 devices | File tray, clipboard, extensions and HUDs |
| Notchy | $24.99 once in Oct 2026 notes | Island, shelf, Pomodoro and Face Unlock |
| DynamicLake Pro | $13.99 once, 3 devices | Notifications, calls, file drop and plugins |
| NotchStack | €4.99 early bird, then €9.99 | 19 tools, Stripe and Dodo revenue |
| Revenotch | $9.90 once, or $49 lifetime | Revenue alerts, including Stripe and Dodo |
If you mostly used music and the file tray
The Boring Notch covers both for free, with AirDrop and replacement volume and brightness pop-ups. Alcove does music and pop-ups with more polish, but its file tray is only announced, for version 1.8.
If you want more tools than NotchNook had
OmniNotch, Notchy and NotchBuddy each add a clipboard history and timers. OmniNotch adds on-device AI, weather and stocks; Notchy adds dozens of extras for free; NotchBuddy adds a Pomodoro timer, spoken reminders, sales alerts and five pets.
If you had it on several Macs
getnotchnook.com said on 1 November 2026 that one licence covers up to two Macs. Alcove, OmniNotch and MacNotch cover three. Droppy's October 2026 price covers two devices. A NotchBuddy licence covers one Mac, so it's the more expensive choice for a household with several.
Switching
- Quit NotchNook
Quit it and remove it from System Settings → General → Login Items, so two apps don't compete for the notch.
- Install the replacement
Download it from its own website. Unsigned apps show a warning the first time you open them; signed ones, like NotchBuddy, don't.
- Set up what you used
Put music, the file shelf and the calendar where you can reach them first. In NotchBuddy they're all under More, and you can put two favourites in the dock.
Questions, answered.
Is NotchNook discontinued?
No. NotchNook went offline in September 2026 during a dispute at its maker and has been back on sale at getnotchnook.com since late September, in Pro and Classic editions. Check the current price there.
Will my old NotchNook licence still work?
It may not activate automatically. Use the Recover your license page on getnotchnook.com, or email support@getnotchnook.com. It will not unlock NotchBuddy.
What's the closest free alternative to NotchNook?
The Boring Notch: music, a file shelf with AirDrop, a calendar and a camera mirror, free and open source.
Do any alternatives have a file tray like NotchNook's?
Yes. The Boring Notch, Atoll, OmniNotch, MacNotch, Notchy and NotchBuddy all list a file shelf with AirDrop. Alcove's tray is announced for version 1.8.