Best Mac notch apps with timers, stopwatch and Pomodoro
At a glance
| App | Price | Requirements | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|
| NotchStar | $4 once, up to 3 Macs, 7 day trial | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon or Intel | Timer, stopwatch and Pomodoro with session tracking. It keeps counting while the notch is closed. |
| NotchPop | Free, MIT license | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel | Stopwatch, countdown and Pomodoro, with a pill beside the notch during a Pomodoro. |
| NotchThings | Free download, $6.99 lifetime in app purchase, 7 day trial | macOS 15.6 or later | Stopwatch, countdown timer and Pomodoro, with live status in the notch. |
| OmniNotch | $5 flash sale, then $19.99 once, up to 3 Macs, 7 day refund | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel | Pomodoro sessions count down in the closed notch, among twenty tools. |
| Brow | Free; Pro $4.99 a month or $49 a year | macOS 14 or later | A focus timer that blocks apps and sites, and several timers at once, shown in the closed notch. |
| NotchNest | Free; Premium $2.99 a month or $14.99 once | macOS 14 or later | Pomodoro with sessions, breaks and a daily streak. Limited on the free tier. |
| MacNotch | From $4.99 a month via Setapp | macOS 14 or later | A Pomodoro timer with visual progress and a countdown in the collapsed notch. |
| Notch Buddy | $5.99 for the first 100 customers, then $19.99 | macOS 14, Apple silicon and Intel | Pomodoro, countdown, stopwatch and hydration reminders. |
| Seam | $19.90 once, 2 Macs, 48 hour trial, 14 day refund | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon only | Flow, a focus timer you start as a sprint from the notch, with live activities around it. |
| DynamicNotch | No price stated, GPL 3.0; donation links only | macOS 14.6 or later | A timer live activity among media, downloads, AirDrop and Focus activities. |
Prices and availability were checked on 4 November 2026. Verify the linked product page before buying.
NotchStar has a timer from 5 to 60 minutes, a stopwatch and Pomodoro with session tracking for $4 once. NotchPop, NotchThings, OmniNotch and Brow also show timer status in the closed notch. Checked 4 November 2026.
How we checked
The timer wording on each official page was read on 4 November 2026. The main difference between these apps is not whether a timer exists but where you see it: inside the opened notch, or as a live countdown beside the closed one. Nothing is ranked and no timer was tested for accuracy. Prices as of 4 November 2026.
Quiet timers
NotchStar: best for a timer you start and forget
The Timers tab has a timer from 5 to 60 minutes, a stopwatch with a ring that completes every minute, and Pomodoro presets of 25 and 5, 50 and 10, or 15 and 3 minutes, with dots for four sessions. Timers follow the real clock, so they stay accurate while the notch is closed. You pick the finish sound from Glass, Ping, Hero, Submarine or Funk, or turn it off. The limits: timers reset when NotchStar quits, the alert is a sound with no banner, the presets are fixed, and it shows no live countdown beside the closed notch. $4 once for up to 3 Macs.
Timers with a live display
NotchPop: best for free, with a pill beside the notch
Stopwatch, countdown and Pomodoro, with a pill beside the notch during a Pomodoro. Free, MIT, macOS 14 or later. The last release was May 2026.
NotchThings: best for a countdown and a stopwatch with live status
It lists stopwatch, countdown timer and Pomodoro, with live status in the notch and several activities you can switch between. It needs macOS 15.6 and costs $6.99 lifetime, with a 7 day trial.
OmniNotch: best for a Pomodoro countdown in the closed notch
Pomodoro sessions count down in the closed notch. The price is $19.99, shown against a $5 flash sale, and there is no free trial, only a 7 day refund.
Brow: best for blocking distractions while you focus
Its focus timer blocks apps and sites, and several timers can run at once. Timers appear in the closed notch. Free, with every release labelled beta.
MacNotch: best for a visual Pomodoro on Setapp
Visual progress and a countdown in the collapsed notch. It is a subscription from $4.99 a month, or inside a Setapp membership, and its page names no developer.
Seam: best for focus sprints
Flow lets you set a sprint from the notch, with live activities around it. $19.90 once, Apple silicon only.
DynamicNotch: best for a free timer live activity
A timer sits among its live activities for media, downloads, AirDrop, Focus and Hotspot. Free under GPL 3.0, macOS 14.6, very active with v1.6.4 on 3 November 2026.
Tracking sessions and streaks
NotchNest: best for streaks
Pomodoro sessions, breaks and a daily streak, but limited on the free tier. Premium is $14.99 once.
Notch Buddy: best for hydration reminders as well
Pomodoro, countdown, stopwatch and hydration, at $5.99 for the first 100 customers and then $19.99.
The timer features side by side
| App | Timer | Stopwatch | Pomodoro | Shown with the notch closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NotchStar | Yes, 5 to 60 minutes | Yes | Yes, three fixed pairs | No |
| NotchPop | Countdown | Yes | Yes | Yes, a pill during a Pomodoro |
| NotchThings | Countdown | Yes | Yes | Yes, live status |
| OmniNotch | Not stated | Not stated | Yes | Yes, Pomodoro countdown |
| Brow | Several at once | Not stated | Not stated | Yes |
| NotchNest | Not stated | Not stated | Yes, with streak | Not stated |
| MacNotch | Not stated | Not stated | Yes | Yes, countdown |
| Notch Buddy | Countdown | Yes | Yes | Not stated |
| Seam | Focus sprints | Not stated | Not stated | Live activities |
| DynamicNotch | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Live activity |
“Not stated” means the page read on 4 November 2026 did not say.
What decides it
If you start a timer and carry on, a quiet timer that plays a sound is enough, and that is what NotchStar offers, at the lowest price among the paid apps here. If you glance up to see how long is left, you need a live display, and that means NotchPop (free), Brow (free) or a paid app. Keep one more point in mind: a timer that resets when the app quits, as NotchStar’s does, is fine for a 25 minute session and a poor fit for an all day countdown. Prices as of 4 November 2026.
How to choose
- You want a timer that stays out of sight: NotchStar.
- You want to see the countdown with the notch closed: NotchPop for free, NotchThings or OmniNotch if you pay.
- You want focus time that blocks distractions: Brow.
- You want a streak: NotchNest.
The Timers feature page has the exact behavior of NotchStar’s timers, and the Pomodoro guide explains the method. To compare the full toolboxes, read NotchStar compared with NotchThings.
Sources
All read on 4 November 2026.
