# The safest Mac notch apps: what each one states about itself

> Ten Mac notch apps compared on what their own pages state: open or closed source, signing, accounts, data collected and permissions. Checked 5 November 2026.

Canonical: https://www.notchstar.com/best/safest-mac-notch-apps/
Last updated: 2026-11-05

Published 2026-11-05.

## At a glance

| App | Price | Requirements | Good fit for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [NotchStar](https://www.notchstar.com/privacy/) | $4 once, up to 3 Macs, 7 day trial | macOS 14 or later | Closed source, signed with a Developer ID and notarized since 1.0.3. No account. Sends nothing unless you opt in to anonymous version info. |
| [Boring Notch](https://github.com/TheBoredTeam/boring.notch) | Free | macOS 14 or later | GPL 3.0 source. The README says the team has no Apple Developer account yet. Privacy and permissions are not stated. |
| [Atoll](https://github.com/Ebullioscopic/Atoll) | Not stated | macOS 14 or later | GPL 3.0 source. The README lists Accessibility, Camera, Calendar, Screen Recording and Music permissions. Signing and privacy are not stated. |
| [Notchi](https://github.com/sk-ruban/notchi) | Free | macOS 15 or later | GPL 3.0 source. The README says sponsorship pays for an Apple Developer account that keeps builds signed and notarized. Prompt analysis through Anthropic or OpenAI needs a key you add. |
| [Vibe Notch](https://github.com/farouqaldori/vibe-notch) | Not stated | macOS 15.6 or later | Apache 2.0 source. The README says it uses Mixpanel for anonymous usage data and installs hooks in a folder under your home directory. |
| [Droppy](https://getdroppy.app/docs/privacy) | $9.99 once | macOS 14 or later | Its privacy page says clipboard contents, files and captures are not collected. Its permissions page lists eleven optional permissions. |
| [Tuneful](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tuneful/id6739804295?mt=12) | $4.99 once | macOS 15.0 or later | The Mac App Store label says Data Not Collected. The source is on GitHub with no license stated. |
| [NotchBox](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/notchbox-easier-drag-drop/id6737410946) | Free, NotchBox Pro $4.99 in app | macOS 13.0 or later | The listing says the developer does not collect any data from the app, which Apple says it has not verified. |
| [NotchPop](https://notchpop.pages.dev) | Free | macOS 14 or later | MIT source, no login. The page says the app is unsigned and macOS shows a warning on first open. |
| [NotchNest](https://notchnest.app/privacy-policy.html) | Free, then $2.99 a month or $14.99 once | macOS 14 or later | Its privacy policy says no analytics SDKs and no tracking, and names Firebase Crashlytics for crash reports. |

Prices and availability were checked on 5 November 2026. Verify the linked product page before buying.

No page can prove that a Mac notch app is safe, including this one. What a page can do is say what each app states about itself, so you can compare the same questions across apps. This guide covers ten apps and five questions: open or closed source, signing, accounts, what the app says it collects, and the permissions it states. Everything below comes from each app's own README, privacy page or Mac App Store listing, read on 5 November 2026. "Not stated" means the page I read is silent, which is not the same as no.

## The comparison

| App | Source | Signed or notarized, as stated | Account | What it says it collects | Permissions it states |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NotchStar | Closed | Developer ID and notarized since 1.0.3 | None | Nothing unless you opt in to anonymous version info | Calendars, Reminders, Camera, Automation |
| Boring Notch | GPL 3.0 | README: no Apple Developer account yet | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated in the README |
| Atoll | GPL 3.0 | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Accessibility, Camera, Calendar, Screen Recording, Music |
| Notchi | GPL 3.0 | README: sponsorship pays for signed and notarized builds | Not stated | Not stated. Prompt analysis uses Anthropic or OpenAI if you add a key | Not stated. A keychain prompt appears |
| Vibe Notch | Apache 2.0 | Not stated | Not stated | Anonymous usage data to Mixpanel | Not stated. Installs hooks in your home folder |
| Droppy | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Clipboard, files and captures not collected | Eleven optional permissions listed |
| Tuneful | Source on GitHub, no license stated | Not stated | Not stated | Store label: Data Not Collected | Not stated |
| NotchBox | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Listing: developer collects no data | Not stated |
| NotchPop | MIT | Page: unsigned, macOS warns on first open | No login | Not stated | Not stated |
| NotchNest | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | No analytics SDKs, Crashlytics for crashes | Not stated |

A few cells need a sentence more. Boring Notch's README says "We don't have an Apple Developer account (yet)" and points to a Terminal command for the first launch. Notchi's README says its optional sentiment feature sends prompts to Anthropic or OpenAI, and only after you paste a key in Settings. Vibe Notch's README says "No personal data or conversation content is collected" next to its Mixpanel line, and that it installs hooks into `~/.claude/hooks/`. Droppy's privacy page says its on device features upload nothing for processing, and describes Droppy Cloud, which sends only files you choose to share. Tuneful's website says Spotify and Last.fm features need your own accounts with those services. NotchBox's listing is a developer statement that Apple says it has not verified.

## What the two kinds of trust give you

Open source and notarization answer different questions.

- **Open source lets you read the code.** You, or someone you trust, can check what the app does. The cost is time, and you still need to know the download you run was built from that code.
- **A signed and notarized app lets macOS verify who built it.** Apple's support page says macOS checks an app before it opens the first time to be certain it has not been modified since the developer shipped it. That says who made it and that the file is intact. It does not say the code is harmless.
- **An unsigned app asks more of you.** Both Boring Notch and NotchPop state that macOS will warn you on first open. That is honest, and it means you decide to override the warning.

NotchStar is closed source. You cannot read its code, so the proof it offers is different: a Developer ID signature, Apple notarization since version 1.0.3 on 9 October 2026, no account, four named permissions, and a privacy page that lists what leaves your Mac. Versions 1.0.0 to 1.0.2 were signed ad hoc, so use the current download. If reading the code matters more to you than signing, Boring Notch is [the free open source option](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/boring-notch/).

## A checklist before you install any notch app

1. **Find the privacy statement.** If the app's own pages do not say what it collects, treat that as unknown. A store label is the developer's own claim.
2. **Check where the download comes from.** Use the developer's site, the Mac App Store or the GitHub releases page of the repository you read.
3. **Check signing.** After installing, run `spctl -a -vv /Applications/AppName.app` in Terminal. A notarized app reports `accepted` and `Notarized Developer ID`.
4. **Read the permission prompts.** Say no to anything the feature in front of you does not need. A clipboard tool has no reason to want your camera.
5. **Watch for network use.** A network monitor such as Little Snitch shows what the app contacts.
6. **Look for optional keys.** Apps that send data to an AI service, such as Notchi, say it only starts after you add a key. Check that is true on your Mac.
7. **Review permissions later.** [See which permissions each app states](https://www.notchstar.com/best/what-permissions-mac-notch-apps-ask-for/), and revoke any you no longer use in Privacy & Security.

The longer version is in [the notch app privacy checklist](https://www.notchstar.com/guides/notch-app-privacy-checklist/) and [the NotchStar safety guide](https://www.notchstar.com/guides/is-notchstar-safe/). For a view on low priced apps, see [are cheap Mac notch apps safe](https://www.notchstar.com/best/are-cheap-mac-notch-apps-safe/).

## What this table cannot tell you

It cannot tell you whether an app does what it says. It reads each app's pages, not its code or its network traffic, and a README or a store label can be out of date. Some pages are old: NotchNest's policy is dated 30 July 2025, and MediaMate's policy shows no date. Apps update, so confirm on the page before you rely on a cell. If a fact here is wrong, tell me and I will correct it.

## Sources

All read on 5 November 2026.

- [NotchStar privacy page](https://www.notchstar.com/privacy/) and [Is NotchStar safe](https://www.notchstar.com/guides/is-notchstar-safe/).
- [Boring Notch README](https://github.com/TheBoredTeam/boring.notch), [Atoll README](https://github.com/Ebullioscopic/Atoll), [Notchi README](https://github.com/sk-ruban/notchi) and [Vibe Notch README](https://github.com/farouqaldori/vibe-notch).
- [Droppy privacy and data](https://getdroppy.app/docs/privacy) and [Droppy permissions](https://getdroppy.app/docs/permissions) and the [Droppy home page](https://getdroppy.app/) for the price and macOS floor.
- [Tuneful on the Mac App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tuneful/id6739804295?mt=12), [Tuneful](https://tuneful.app) and [Tuneful on GitHub](https://github.com/martinfekete10/Tuneful).
- [NotchBox on the Mac App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/notchbox-easier-drag-drop/id6737410946), [NotchPop](https://notchpop.pages.dev) and [NotchNest privacy policy](https://notchnest.app/privacy-policy.html).
- Apple: [Control access to your Mac's privacy settings](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/mchl2b29231a/mac) and [Apple security settings for opening apps](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/mh40596/mac). The pages list macOS 27, Tahoe 26 and Sequoia 15 in their version selector.

## Quick answers.

### Which Mac notch app is the safest?

No page can prove that. This guide compares what ten apps state about themselves, as read on 5 November 2026. Open source apps let you read the code. Signed and notarized apps let macOS verify who built them. Pick the trade you can check.

### Is an open source notch app safer than a closed source one?

Not automatically. Open source means anyone can read the code, but you still need to know that the download matches that code. A signed and notarized build lets macOS confirm the developer and that the file was not changed.

### Is NotchStar safe?

NotchStar is signed with a Developer ID and notarized, has no account and sends nothing unless you opt in. It is closed source, so you cannot read its code. See the full guide and the checks you can run yourself.

## Keep reading.

- [Is NotchStar safe? Signing, permissions and what it sends](https://www.notchstar.com/guides/is-notchstar-safe/): NotchStar is signed and notarized by Apple, needs no account and sends nothing unless you opt in. See every permission it asks for and how to check it yourself.
- [A privacy checklist for any Mac notch app](https://www.notchstar.com/guides/notch-app-privacy-checklist/): Seven checks to make before you install a notch app: permissions, notarization, network use, data storage and what to do if something looks off.
- [Are Mac notch apps safe?](https://www.notchstar.com/tips/are-notch-apps-safe/): Notch apps are ordinary Mac apps with ordinary risks. What to check before installing one: source, notarization, permissions, network use and account needs.
- [Are cheap or free Mac notch apps safe? What each app states](https://www.notchstar.com/best/are-cheap-mac-notch-apps-safe/): Price does not decide safety. What free and cheap Mac notch apps state about signing, source and data, plus a checklist. Checked 4 November 2026.
- [NotchStar vs Boring Notch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/boring-notch/): An evidence based comparison of NotchStar and Boring Notch, the free GPL 3.0 notch app: price, signing, HUDs, release history, features and who each one suits.

## More in Safety.

- [Is Boring Notch safe? What its README states](https://www.notchstar.com/best/is-boring-notch-safe/): Is Boring Notch safe? Its README says it is unsigned, GPL 3.0 and free, and states no permissions or data policy. What to check yourself, with sources.
- [Mac notch apps that collect no data: what each one states](https://www.notchstar.com/best/mac-notch-apps-that-collect-no-data/): Which Mac notch apps state on their own pages that they collect no data, which state analytics, and which say nothing. Read from each app on 5 November 2026.
- [Is NotchNook safe? What its pages state](https://www.notchstar.com/best/is-notchnook-safe/): Is NotchNook safe? Its terms say it is Developer ID signed and notarized, closed, paid and licensed per Mac. See its privacy page, permissions and refund terms.
- [Is Droppy safe? Its permissions, privacy page and signing](https://www.notchstar.com/best/is-droppy-safe/): Is the Droppy notch app safe? Its docs say it is signed and notarized and list eleven permissions. Read what its privacy page states and how to check it.
- [What permissions Mac notch apps ask for, and how to review them](https://www.notchstar.com/best/what-permissions-mac-notch-apps-ask-for/): Which macOS permissions Mac notch apps say they need, from Accessibility to Camera, what each allows, and how to review or revoke them. Read 5 November 2026.