Alcove focuses on notifications and lock screen widgets. NotchNook puts your whole day in the notch: music, calendar, notes, a to-do list, timers, a mirror and a file Tray, on Apple silicon and Intel Macs.
48-hour free trial·No card needed·macOS 14.6 or later·Apple silicon and Intel
Music, calendar, notes, a to-do list, timers, a mirror and a file Tray, with live activities for battery, Bluetooth and calendar events.
All built into NotchNook.
Relaunch: US$2/month, for as long as your subscription stays active, or US$15 lifetime. Offer ends October 13. Regular price: US$3/month or US$25.
Alcove is a polished Dynamic Island-style app for the notch, with live activities, notifications, lock screen widgets and customizable HUDs, sold as a one-time purchase.
US$14.99 one-time
"Not listed" means Alcove's official sources don't mention it.
| Feature |  NotchNook | Alcove |
|---|---|---|
| In the notch | ||
| Notes | Yes, with bold, italic and underline | Not listed |
| To-do list | Yes, with favorites and auto-archive | Not listed |
| Timer | Yes, with haptic wheels and 1m–1h presets | Not listed |
| Mirror (camera) | Yes | Not listed |
| File shelf and AirDrop | Yes: multi-file drops, paste, AirDrop, kept across restarts | Not listed |
| Music controls | Yes, with source picker and scrubber | Yes |
| Calendar | Yes, with an upcoming-event live activity | Yes |
| Live activities | Yes: battery, Bluetooth and upcoming events | Yes, including AirPods |
| Volume and brightness HUD | Yes | Yes |
| Your Mac | ||
| Requires | macOS 14.6 or later, including macOS 26 | macOS 15 or later |
| Intel Macs | Yes | Not listed |
| Macs without a notch | Yes, via a slim handle at the top of the screen | Yes |
| Multiple displays | Yes, on every connected display | Yes |
| Price and trial | ||
| Free trial | 48 hours, no card | 72 hours |
| Price | Relaunch: US$2/month, for as long as your subscription stays active, or US$15 lifetime. Offer ends October 13. Regular price: US$3/month or US$25. | US$14.99 one-time |
| Open source | No | No |
NotchNook 1.6.3 · recorded on macOS · click to pause
Alcove facts checked on October 6, 2026 against its official website, FAQ and changelog. Latest release: 1.7.9 (June 2026). Spotted something out of date? Write to support@getnotchnook.com and we'll fix it.
Every feature free for 48 hours. No card needed.
Welcome-back prices until October 13. US$2/month, for as long as your subscription stays active, or US$15 for a lifetime license.