Comparison
NotchDodo vs Boring Notch
Boring Notch is a popular free, open source notch app, and a good one. Here is where the two overlap, where they differ, and which one suits you.
Facts checked 28 September 2026. We make NotchDodo, so read this knowing that.
Pick Boring Notch if
- You want a free, open source app you can read and build yourself.
- You have an Intel Mac.
- You want the volume and brightness pop-ups moved into the notch.
- You listen on YouTube Music.
Pick NotchDodo if
- You want productivity tools in the notch: Pomodoro, tasks, notes, a calculator and screen time.
- You use Claude Code, Codex or Gemini CLI and want your usage in view.
- You want one-click join for Zoom, Meet and Teams in a stable release today.
- You're happy to pay once for an app with direct support from its maker.
Side by side
| NotchDodo | Boring Notch | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 launch price, then $14.99, one-time | Free, open source (GPL-3.0) |
| Macs per licence | 2 | Any |
| macOS | 14 Sonoma or later | 14 Sonoma or later |
| Apple silicon | Yes | Yes |
| Intel Macs | No | Yes |
| Macs without a notch | Yes | Handled in its code, not advertised |
| Notarised by Apple | Not yet | No |
| Music controls | Apple Music and Spotify | Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music |
| File shelf with AirDrop | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar and reminders | Yes | Yes |
| One-click meeting join | Zoom, Meet, Teams | In the 2.8 release candidate |
| Battery alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Volume and brightness in the notch | No | Yes |
| Webcam mirror | Yes | Yes |
| Pomodoro and timers | Yes | Not listed |
| Tasks and notes | Yes | Not listed |
| Screen time and system stats | Yes | Not listed |
| Quick toggles | Dark mode, keep awake, lock and more | Not listed |
| Claude Code, Codex and Gemini CLI usage | Yes | Not listed |
“Not listed” means we could not find it on Boring Notch's own pages. Tell us if that is wrong and we will fix it.
Why Boring Notch is a great choice
It is free, it is open source, and it is actively developed, with thousands of stars and new release candidates this month. It runs on Intel Macs as well as Apple silicon, replaces the volume and brightness pop-ups, and has some of the best music controls of any notch app, including YouTube Music and lyrics in its latest builds.
Where NotchDodo is different
Boring Notch is built around media and the system. NotchDodo is built around your working day: a Pomodoro timer tied to what you're working on, tasks, notes, reminders, a calculator, screen time and live system stats, all one hover away.
NotchDodo also tracks Claude Code, Codex and Gemini CLI usage, showing tokens, estimated cost and your Claude Code 5-hour window from logs on your Mac. As far as we know no other notch app does.
Installing either one
Neither app is notarised by Apple yet, so macOS asks you to confirm the first time you open it. Boring Notch explains this in its README, and NotchDodo walks you through it on its install page.
Questions
Is Boring Notch really free?
Yes. It is open source under the GPL-3.0 licence and accepts donations. There is no paid tier.
Why pay for NotchDodo when Boring Notch is free?
Pay for NotchDodo if you want its productivity tools and Claude Code usage tracking. If you mainly want music controls and a volume pop-up in the notch, Boring Notch does that well for free.
Can I run both?
You could install both, but they compete for the same notch. Run one at a time.
Does NotchDodo run on Intel Macs?
No. NotchDodo needs an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 14 Sonoma or later. Boring Notch supports Intel Macs.
Try NotchDodo and decide for yourself.
One-time $4.99 for 2 Macs, 14-day refund. macOS 14 Sonoma or later on Apple silicon. Macs without a notch get a simulated one.
Sources for Boring Notch: GitHub repository and README, Releases, Homebrew tap.