# Best Mac timer apps for countdowns and stopwatches

> Seven Mac timer and stopwatch apps compared by price, macOS support and how they show time, from official pages checked 4 November 2026.

Canonical: https://www.notchstar.com/best/best-mac-timer-apps/
Last updated: 2026-11-04

Published 2026-11-04.

## At a glance

| App | Price | Requirements | Good fit for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [NotchPop](https://notchpop.pages.dev) | Free, MIT open source, no login | macOS 14, Apple silicon and Intel | Free notch app with stopwatch, countdown and Pomodoro and a pill beside the notch. |
| [NotchThings](https://notchthings.yigitcicekci.com) | Free download with 7 day trial; Lifetime purchase $6.99 | macOS 15.6 or later; chip support not stated | Stopwatch, countdown and Pomodoro with live status in the notch. |
| [NotchBox](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/notchbox-easier-drag-drop/id6737410946) | Free; NotchBox Pro $4.99 in app purchase | macOS 13.0 or later | Pomodoro, countdown and stopwatch in a notch app with a clipboard manager and shelf. |
| [Notch Buddy](https://notchbuddy.com/) | $5.99 for the first 100 customers, then $19.99; 14 day money back | macOS 14, Apple silicon and Intel | Pomodoro, countdown, stopwatch and hydration timers beside a seven day agenda. |
| [DynamicNotch](https://github.com/jackson-storm/dynamicnotch) | No price stated; README lists donation links only; GPL 3.0 | macOS 14.6 | Open source notch app with a timer live activity, downloads, Focus and AirDrop activities. |
| [Brow](https://brow-app.com/) | Free forever with 40 or more tools; Pro $4.99 a month or $49 a year | macOS 14 or later; Intel support not stated | A broad Mac toolkit whose focus timer blocks apps and sites and runs several timers at once. |
| [NotchStar](https://www.notchstar.com/) | $4 once for ten tools, up to 3 Macs, 7 day trial, 7 day refund | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel | Timer from 5 to 60 minutes, stopwatch and Pomodoro; keeps time while the notch is closed. |

Prices and availability were checked on 4 November 2026. Verify the linked product page before buying.

There is no single best Mac timer app. NotchPop is the free notch pick with stopwatch, countdown and Pomodoro. NotchThings and NotchBox show timers in the notch for a few dollars. Brow suits several timers at once. NotchStar offers one timer, a stopwatch and Pomodoro for $4. Prices as of 4 November 2026.

## How we checked

Each entry comes from the maker's own pages, read on 4 November 2026: websites, pricing pages, GitHub pages and Mac App Store listings. Nothing was tested by hand for this list, so it says what each maker states and no more. Where a page did not state a price or a macOS version, this list says so instead of guessing. Prices as of 4 November 2026.

## At a glance

| App | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| NotchPop | a free notch timer set | Free, MIT open source, no login |
| NotchThings | live timer status in the notch | Free download with 7 day trial; Lifetime purchase $6.99 |
| NotchBox | a low cost option on macOS 13 | Free; NotchBox Pro $4.99 in app purchase |
| Notch Buddy | timers plus a hydration reminder | $5.99 for the first 100 customers, then $19.99; 14 day money back |
| DynamicNotch | a free timer live activity | No price stated; README lists donation links only; GPL 3.0 |
| Brow | several timers and a focus timer | Free forever with 40 or more tools; Pro $4.99 a month or $49 a year |
| NotchStar | one timer tab with three modes | $4 once for ten tools, up to 3 Macs, 7 day trial, 7 day refund |

## Seven timer apps, one entry each

### NotchPop

**Best for:** a free notch timer set.

NotchPop covers stopwatch, countdown and Pomodoro, and shows a pill beside the notch during Pomodoro or music. It adds clipboard, shelf, calendar and system stats. The maker is not named, no privacy policy is linked, and the last release was 13 May 2026.

**Price:** Free, MIT open source, no login. **Requires:** macOS 14, Apple silicon and Intel.

### NotchThings

**Best for:** live timer status in the notch.

NotchThings shows a live status in the notch while a timer runs, which NotchStar does not. It needs macOS 15.6, higher than many peers. See the [NotchThings comparison](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchthings/).

**Price:** Free download with 7 day trial; Lifetime purchase $6.99. **Requires:** macOS 15.6 or later; chip support not stated.

### NotchBox

**Best for:** a low cost option on macOS 13.

NotchBox runs on an older macOS than most notch apps and bundles a shelf, camera mirror, clipboard manager and system monitor. Its teleprompter was not stated. See the [NotchBox comparison](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchbox/).

**Price:** Free; NotchBox Pro $4.99 in app purchase. **Requires:** macOS 13.0 or later.

### Notch Buddy

**Best for:** timers plus a hydration reminder.

Notch Buddy has no trial but a 14 day money back guarantee, and it is closed source. Its page highlights Stripe and visitor numbers in the notch. The price rises after the first 100 customers, and 89 of 100 had sold when read.

**Price:** $5.99 for the first 100 customers, then $19.99; 14 day money back. **Requires:** macOS 14, Apple silicon and Intel.

### DynamicNotch

**Best for:** a free timer live activity.

DynamicNotch is active, with version 1.6.4 on 3 November 2026. It shows timer, media, downloads and Focus as live activities and a floating capsule on Macs without a notch. It lists no clipboard, shelf or calendar, and its price is not stated in words.

**Price:** No price stated; README lists donation links only; GPL 3.0. **Requires:** macOS 14.6.

### Brow

**Best for:** several timers and a focus timer.

Brow is a toolkit rather than a timer, with a launcher and window management. Pro adds the AI features. See the [Brow comparison](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/brow/).

**Price:** Free forever with 40 or more tools; Pro $4.99 a month or $49 a year. **Requires:** macOS 14 or later; Intel support not stated.

### NotchStar

**Best for:** one timer tab with three modes.

NotchStar has a timer from 5 to 60 minutes, a stopwatch with a ring that completes every minute, and Pomodoro. You can pick a finish sound. It runs one countdown at a time, because the Timer and Pomodoro share one finish alert. The alert is a sound with no banner, it cannot sleep or shut down your Mac, and timers reset when you quit. See [running more than one timer](https://www.notchstar.com/help/run-two-timers-notchstar/).

**Price:** $4 once for ten tools, up to 3 Macs, 7 day trial, 7 day refund. **Requires:** macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel.

## How to choose

- Want free: NotchPop or DynamicNotch.
- Want live timer status in the notch: NotchThings or DynamicNotch.
- Run macOS 13: NotchBox is the one here that supports it.
- Want several timers at once: Brow. NotchStar runs one countdown at a time.
- Want a hydration reminder too: Notch Buddy.
- Just need a timer now: the macOS Clock app may do it. See [how to set a timer on a Mac](https://www.notchstar.com/tips/how-to-set-a-timer-on-mac/).

## Left out

Focus apps with blocking and tasks are on the [Pomodoro list](https://www.notchstar.com/best/best-mac-pomodoro-apps/). Droppy, Crest and OmniNotch also have timers; read the [Timers feature page](https://www.notchstar.com/features/timers/) for NotchStar's full limits.

## Sources

Official pages, read on 4 November 2026. Prices as of 4 November 2026.

- [NotchPop](https://notchpop.pages.dev)
- [NotchThings](https://notchthings.yigitcicekci.com)
- [NotchBox](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/notchbox-easier-drag-drop/id6737410946)
- [Notch Buddy](https://notchbuddy.com/)
- [DynamicNotch](https://github.com/jackson-storm/dynamicnotch)
- [Brow](https://brow-app.com/)
- [NotchStar](https://www.notchstar.com/)

## Quick answers.

### Can a Mac run several timers at once?

Brow says it supports several timers at once. NotchStar does not: it has one Timer, one Stopwatch and one Pomodoro, and only one countdown should run at a time.

### Does the NotchStar timer survive quitting the app?

No. NotchStar timers reset when the app quits. While the app runs, they keep counting with the notch closed and finish with a sound.

### Which timer app is free?

NotchPop is free with MIT source. NotchBox is free with a $4.99 Pro purchase, and DynamicNotch is a free GPL 3.0 project.

## Keep reading.

- [Timer, stopwatch and Pomodoro in the notch](https://www.notchstar.com/features/timers/): A timer, stopwatch and Pomodoro with session tracking, always one hover away in the Mac notch. It keeps counting while the notch is closed.
- [How to set a timer on a Mac](https://www.notchstar.com/tips/how-to-set-a-timer-on-mac/): Open the Clock app, click Timers, set the time and click Start. Steps for pausing, naming and repeating timers, and what happens when your Mac sleeps.
- [How to run more than one timer on a Mac](https://www.notchstar.com/tips/run-several-timers-on-mac/): Add timers in the Clock app with Custom Timer or Presets, name each one, give it a sound, and see all of them at once. Steps and limits.
- [Can you run more than one timer in NotchStar](https://www.notchstar.com/help/run-two-timers-notchstar/): NotchStar has one Timer, one Stopwatch and one Pomodoro, each with its own state. Only one countdown should run at a time. Here are the limits.
- [NotchStar vs NotchThings](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchthings/): NotchThings is a Mac App Store notch app with 16 modules, AI usage tracking and a $6.99 lifetime unlock. Compare it with NotchStar on price and tools.
- [NotchStar vs NotchBox](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchbox/): NotchBox is a free Mac App Store notch app with a drop shelf, music and Pomodoro. Compare its Pro price, release history and macOS floor with NotchStar.
- [Best Mac Pomodoro apps, compared by need](https://www.notchstar.com/best/best-mac-pomodoro-apps/): Eight Mac Pomodoro and focus timer apps compared by price, blocking and sync, from official pages checked 4 November 2026.

## More in Mac apps by job.

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- [Best free Mac clipboard managers, compared](https://www.notchstar.com/best/best-free-mac-clipboard-managers/): Free Mac clipboard managers compared by what stays free, history limits and macOS support, from official pages checked 4 November 2026.
- [Best Mac file shelf apps for drag and drop](https://www.notchstar.com/best/best-mac-file-shelf-apps/): Eight Mac file shelf and drag and drop apps compared by price, macOS support and AirDrop, from official pages checked 4 November 2026.
- [Best Mac screenshot apps, compared by need](https://www.notchstar.com/best/best-mac-screenshot-apps/): Seven Mac screenshot apps compared by price, recording and sharing, from official pages checked 4 November 2026, with honest limits.
- [Best Mac teleprompter apps, compared by need](https://www.notchstar.com/best/best-mac-teleprompter-apps/): Ten Mac teleprompter apps compared by price, voice scrolling and screen share hiding, from official pages checked 4 November 2026.
- [Best Mac Pomodoro apps, compared by need](https://www.notchstar.com/best/best-mac-pomodoro-apps/): Eight Mac Pomodoro and focus timer apps compared by price, blocking and sync, from official pages checked 4 November 2026.