Compare · Updated October 6, 2026

NotchNook vs Boring Notch.

Boring Notch is a free community project. 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 trialNo card neededmacOS 14.6 or laterApple silicon and Intel

At a glance

Boring Notch

Free, open source and community-built.

Boring Notch is a free, open-source notch app (GPL-3.0) built by the community, with music controls, a calendar, a file shelf with AirDrop, a mirror and volume and brightness HUD replacements.

Free (donations welcome)

Side by side

Feature by feature.

"Not listed" means Boring Notch's official sources don't mention it.

NotchNook and Boring Notch compared
FeatureNotchNookBoring Notch
In the notch
NotesYes, with bold, italic and underlineNot listed
To-do listYes, with favorites and auto-archiveUses Apple Reminders
TimerYes, with haptic wheels and 1m–1h presetsNot listed
Mirror (camera)YesYes
File shelf and AirDropYes: multi-file drops, paste, AirDrop, kept across restartsYes, shelf with AirDrop
Music controlsYes, with source picker and scrubberYes, with visualizer and synced lyrics
CalendarYes, with an upcoming-event live activityYes
Live activitiesYes: battery, Bluetooth and upcoming eventsBattery yes; Bluetooth on the roadmap
Volume and brightness HUDYesYes
Your Mac
RequiresmacOS 14.6 or later, including macOS 26macOS 14 or later
Intel MacsYesYes
Macs without a notchYes, via a slim handle at the top of the screenYes
Multiple displaysYes, on every connected displayYes
Price and trial
Free trial48 hours, no cardNot needed: it is free
PriceRelaunch: 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.Free (donations welcome)
Open sourceNoYes, GPL-3.0
The verdict

Why people pick NotchNook.

Boring Notch may suit you if…
  • You want a free, open-source app.
  • You use Apple Reminders for tasks and like synced lyrics in the notch.
In action

See NotchNook at work.

NotchNook 1.6.3 · recorded on macOS · click to pause

Boring Notch facts checked on October 6, 2026 against its official website and GitHub page. Latest stable release: 2.7.3 (November 2025); 2.8 in release candidate (September 2026). Spotted something out of date? Write to support@getnotchnook.com and we'll fix it.

Try it free

Your Mac’s notch, actually useful.

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.