The best Mac notch app for $5 or less
For $5 or less, NotchStar is the cheapest notch app you pay for once that has more than one job. It costs $4 once for up to 3 Macs and includes ten tools: clipboard history, a file shelf with AirDrop, timers, a teleprompter, a camera mirror, a Screenshot Tray, now playing, calendar, system stats and disk tools. If you only need music controls, Tuneful is $4.99 once. If you want to pay nothing, Boring Notch and Atoll are free. Prices as of 4 November 2026.
Pay once, $5 or less
| App | Price | What you get | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| NotchStar | $4 once, up to 3 Macs, 7 day trial, 7 day refund | Ten tools in one app, no account | macOS 14 |
| Tuneful | $4.99 once, Mac App Store | Music control from the notch, the menu bar or a floating control | macOS 15 |
| NotchBox | Free, with a $4.99 Pro purchase | Clipboard, a file shelf, timers and a camera mirror | macOS 13 |
NotchBox’s Mac App Store listing shows one purchase, NotchBox Pro, at $4.99. It does not say which features are free and which need Pro, so read the listing before you buy. Tuneful lists no in app purchases and allows Family Sharing for up to six people.
Free
- Boring Notch is free and open source under GPL 3.0. It needs macOS 14 and covers music, a calendar and a file shelf with AirDrop.
- Atoll is open source under GPL 3.0 and needs macOS 14. Its page states no price. It lists a clipboard, a shelf and timers.
- NotchPop is free under an MIT license and needs macOS 14.
- TopNotch is a free download that hides the notch by making the menu bar black. It adds no tools.
- Brow has a free tier and a paid Pro plan, covered below.
Open source apps let you read the code, which a closed source app such as NotchStar does not offer. The trade is that you choose between free and a smaller, supported product that costs $4.
Small monthly plans
| App | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brow | Free tier, Pro $4.99 a month or $49 a year | Needs macOS 14 |
| NotchNest | Free, then $2.99 a month or $14.99 once | Mac App Store, macOS 14 |
| NotchNook | Classic $2 a month, Pro $3 a month | One time prices also exist: $15 and $19 |
A monthly price looks small and then repeats. At $3 a month, NotchNook Pro costs $36 over twelve months, and Brow Pro at $4.99 a month costs $59.88. A $4 one time price is less than two months of either.
A little over $5, for comparison
MediaMate is 6.99 euros. Droppy and Notchet are $9.99 once. Korinotch is $11.50 for a lifetime license. Alcove shows $12.99. NotchNook Classic is $15 once. These apps do more in some areas, for example Droppy lists live activities and extensions, so the extra money can be worth it if you need those.
How to choose
- You want one app for several small jobs and a low price: NotchStar at $4.
- You only need music in the notch: Tuneful at $4.99, if you are on macOS 15 or later.
- You want to pay nothing: Boring Notch or Atoll, and accept that updates and support depend on volunteers.
- You want the largest feature list and do not mind paying more: read the one time price guide.
NotchStar’s limits are real: it needs macOS 14, it is closed source, its teleprompter scrolls at a set speed, and it has no live activities or window management. See the free options in full and the comparisons with NotchBox and Tuneful.
What to check before you buy any cheap notch app
A low price still deserves a test. Trials differ a lot: NotchStar gives 7 days and a 7 day refund, Droppy gives 3 days and a 14 day refund, and NotchNook gives 48 hours. Check three things before you pay. First, your macOS version against the Needs column, because several of these apps stop at macOS 14 or 15. Second, whether the app needs an account: NotchStar does not, and Korinotch does. Third, how many Macs one license covers: NotchStar covers up to 3, Droppy and NotchNook cover 2.
How we checked
Every price and requirement here comes from each app’s own website, Mac App Store listing or GitHub page, read on 4 November 2026. “Not stated” means the page does not say. Prices change, so confirm on the app’s page before you buy.
Sources
- NotchStar pricing for the $4 price, the 3 Mac license and the 7 day trial and refund.
- Tuneful on the Mac App Store and Tuneful.
- NotchBox on the Mac App Store and NotchNest on the Mac App Store.
- Boring Notch, Atoll and NotchPop.
- Brow, NotchNook, MediaMate and Droppy.
