NotchBuddyNotchBuddy vs The Boring Notch: free or $20 once
The Boring Notch is the best-known free notch app: open source under GPL-3.0, music first, with a file shelf, a calendar and replacement volume and brightness pop-ups. NotchBuddy costs $20 once. Here's what the money buys, and when you shouldn't spend it.
Checked on . We make NotchBuddy, so we’ve marked where it falls short too.
At a glance
| Feature | NotchBuddy | The Boring Notch |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $20 once | Free (GPL-3.0, donations) |
| Source code | Closed | Open source on GitHub |
| Signed and notarized by Apple | Yes | No, per its README |
| Minimum macOS | 14 Sonoma | 14 Sonoma |
| Macs without a notch | Yes, as a pill | Not listed |
| Music controls | Yes | Yes |
| File shelf + AirDrop | Yes | Yes |
| Volume & brightness pop-ups | No | Yes |
| Calendar and reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Clipboard history | Yes | Not listed |
| Pomodoro and timers | Yes | Not listed |
| Sticky notes | Yes | Not listed |
| Sales alerts | 8 platforms | Not listed |
| Desk pet | 5 pets | Not listed |
| Latest stable release | 1.0.1 (Sep 2026) | 2.7.3 (Nov 2025) |
The short version
If you want music, a file shelf and nicer pop-ups for free, and you don't mind opening an app macOS warns you about, use The Boring Notch. If you want a signed app with a timer, clipboard history, notes, reminders, sales alerts and a pet, from a maker you can email, NotchBuddy is $20 once.
Why the free one is so popular
- It's free and open source. You can read the code, build it yourself and send fixes.
- A big community. Around 10,800 stars on GitHub at the time of writing.
- Music first. Artwork, controls and a visualiser are its best part.
- It replaces the system pop-ups. Volume and brightness show in the notch. NotchBuddy doesn't do this.
What $20 gets you
- An app that opens like any other. NotchBuddy is signed and notarized by Apple, so there's no warning to click past. See Download.
- Tools for the working day. Focus, Clipboard, Reminders, Notes, Scratchpad and a dozen more.
- Your sales in the notch. Revenue for Stripe, RevenueCat, Lemon Squeezy, Polar, Paddle, Dodo Payments, Gumroad and App Store Connect.
- Any Mac. On a Mac without a notch, or on an external display, it sits as a small pill at the top of the screen.
- Someone to email. Support by email and a 14-day refund.
Before you choose
- The Boring Notch's latest stable release on GitHub is 2.7.3, from November 2025.
- NotchBuddy is new: version 1.0.1 shipped in September 2026.
- Neither has weather today. It's on The Boring Notch's roadmap.
Questions, answered.
Is The Boring Notch safe to use?
It's open source, so anyone can read its code. Its builds aren't signed with an Apple Developer ID (its README says so), so macOS shows a warning the first time you open it. NotchBuddy is signed and notarized by Apple.
Can I switch from The Boring Notch to NotchBuddy?
Yes. Quit The Boring Notch and remove it from Login Items so the two don't compete for the notch, then install NotchBuddy from the download page.
Is there a free version of NotchBuddy?
No. It's $20 once with a 14-day refund. If free matters most, The Boring Notch is a good choice.