# NotchStar vs AgentNotch

> AgentNotch is an MIT licensed app that shows Claude Code and Codex tool calls, tokens and cost in the notch; NotchStar has no agent monitoring.

Canonical: https://www.notchstar.com/vs/agentnotch/
Last updated: 2026-11-04

Checked 4 November 2026.

|  | NotchStar | AgentNotch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Main job | Ten everyday tools in the notch, plus a Screenshot Tray | Tracks Claude Code and Codex tool calls, tokens and cost |
| Price | $4 once, with a 7 day trial, up to 3 Macs and a 7 day refund | Price not stated; MIT license |
| Minimum macOS | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel | macOS 14.0 Sonoma; Apple silicon and Intel support is not stated |
| License | Closed source | MIT |
| Account | No account | No account required |
| Privacy | No analytics unless you opt in to anonymous version info | Its README says it runs 100% locally |
| AI coding agent monitoring | Not listed. NotchStar has no agent monitoring | Included. Claude Code in orange and Codex in blue |
| Token use and estimated cost | Not listed | Included |
| Clipboard history | Included. 50 items, kept in memory only, skips concealed copies | Not listed. Not mentioned on the page we read |
| File shelf and AirDrop | Included | Not listed. Not mentioned on the page we read |
| Now playing and calendar | Included. Calendar shows today and tomorrow, read only | Not listed. Not mentioned on the page we read |
| Timers, teleprompter, camera mirror | Included | Not listed. Not mentioned on the page we read |
| System stats and screenshots | Included. Stats for CPU, memory, disk, battery and network; a tray that holds the latest 12 screenshots | Not listed. Not mentioned on the page we read |

Sources: [AgentNotch on GitHub](https://github.com/AppGram/agentnotch) (checked 4 November 2026), [AgentNotch releases](https://github.com/AppGram/agentnotch/releases) (checked 4 November 2026). “Not listed” means the source does not mention it, which is not proof the feature is missing. Prices and features change, so check before you buy.

## AgentNotch at a glance.

- **Made by:** AppGram, a GitHub organization
- **Who it suits:** A developer who wants local only Claude Code and Codex monitoring in the notch.
- **Price:** Free. Price not stated. Its repository is MIT licensed and its README says it runs 100% locally.
- **Needs:** macOS 14 or later. Not stated.
- **License:** MIT
- **Release history:** Not stated. The main page pointed to v1.0.0 while its releases page shows v1.1.2. Latest listed: v1.1.2, 19 January, year not shown. [Source](https://github.com/AppGram/agentnotch/releases)

AgentNotch is one of the 62 apps counted in our [pricing statistics](https://www.notchstar.com/research/mac-notch-app-pricing/) and [requirements statistics](https://www.notchstar.com/research/mac-notch-app-requirements/).

### Strengths

- It runs 100% locally, per its README.
- It color codes Claude Code in orange and Codex in blue.
- It shows token use and estimated cost, under an MIT license, with a notarized app per the v1.0.0 notes.

### Limits

- It does AI agent monitoring only.
- Its page does not say whether it runs on Intel Macs.
- Its releases section showed no assets list when we read it.

## Choose AgentNotch if…

- You use Claude Code or Codex and want tool calls, tokens and estimated cost in the notch.
- You want a local only app under the MIT license.
- You are on macOS 14 and want an agent monitor, which AgentNotch supports.

## Choose NotchStar if…

- You want general tools in the notch: clipboard history, a file shelf with AirDrop, music, calendar, timers and more.
- You want more than one job from the notch, with tools for files, music, calendar and screen capture.
- You want a 7 day trial, a 7 day refund and a license for up to 3 Macs.

## The verdict.

AgentNotch does one job: it shows Claude Code and Codex tool calls, tokens and cost in the notch, under an MIT license. NotchStar does not monitor agents. Choose AgentNotch for that, and NotchStar for general notch tools. The two do different jobs.

## What AgentNotch is

AgentNotch is an app from AppGram that shows Claude Code and Codex activity in the notch. Claude Code is color coded orange and Codex blue, and it shows tool calls, tokens and an estimated cost. The README says it runs 100% locally. The code is MIT licensed, and the v1.0.0 notes describe a notarized app.

It asks for macOS 14.0 Sonoma. The latest release on its releases page is v1.1.2, dated 19 January, with no year shown.

## Who it suits

A developer who wants to watch Claude Code and Codex without leaving the editor, and who prefers a local only tool. If that is your reason to want a notch app, AgentNotch does it and NotchStar does not.

## What AgentNotch does that NotchStar does not

Agent monitoring, token use and estimated cost. NotchStar has no agent monitoring. AgentNotch lists no price and is open source, where NotchStar is $4 and closed source. Prices as of 4 November 2026.

## What NotchStar does that AgentNotch does not list

The page we read does not mention clipboard history, a file shelf, now playing, calendar, timers, a teleprompter, a camera mirror, system stats or screenshots. NotchStar has ten tools plus the Screenshot Tray, with no account and no analytics unless you opt in. That shows what the page lists, not what AgentNotch cannot do.

## Switching from AgentNotch to NotchStar

This is not a like for like swap. Removing AgentNotch means you lose agent tracking, so many people will keep both.

## What we could not verify

We have not tested AgentNotch ourselves. Everything here comes from its GitHub page and releases page, read on 4 November 2026. We could not confirm its price, Intel support, release cadence or the year of the latest release. Features not mentioned on the page we read are marked unknown rather than no.

## Questions.

### Is AgentNotch free?

Its page does not state a price. The repository is MIT licensed and the README says it runs 100% locally.

### Does NotchStar track Claude Code or Codex?

No. NotchStar has no agent monitoring. AgentNotch tracks tool calls, tokens and cost for both.

## Related

- [NotchStar vs Alcove](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/alcove/): Alcove is a $12.99 one time purchase for macOS 15 or later built around live activities, lock screen widgets and HUDs; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten utilities with none of those three.
- [NotchStar vs Alfred](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/alfred/): Alfred is a launcher whose clipboard history needs the Powerpack at 34 GBP and keeps up to 3 months; NotchStar is a $4 once app where clipboard history is one of ten notch tools.
- [NotchStar vs Atoll](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/atoll/): Atoll is an open source GPL 3.0 notch app with live activities, lock screen widgets and a very wide feature list; NotchStar is a $4 signed toolbox with neither, and with tools Atoll does not list.
- [NotchStar vs Avocado](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/avocado/): Avocado is a teleprompter with a free tier and a Pro tier for voice scrolling, AI access and a Recording Studio; NotchStar's teleprompter scrolls at a set speed inside a $4 toolbox.
- [NotchStar vs Bartender](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/bartender/): Bartender is a dedicated menu bar manager that handles items the notch hides; NotchStar does not organize menu bar icons and instead puts ten tools in the notch for $4 once.
- [NotchStar vs Be Focused](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/be-focused/): Be Focused pairs a Pomodoro timer with tasks, reports, sync and blocking behind a Pro tier; NotchStar has simpler Pomodoro timers in a $4 once toolbox.
- [NotchStar vs Boring Notch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/boring-notch/): Boring Notch is free, open source and replaces the volume and brightness HUDs; NotchStar is a $4 signed and notarized app with more utility tools, such as clipboard history, timers, a teleprompter and disk tools.
- [NotchStar vs Brow](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/brow/): Brow is a broad Mac toolkit with a launcher and window management, free with a Pro tier at $4.99 a month for AI features; NotchStar is a smaller notch app at $4 once.
- [NotchStar vs ChocolateBar](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/chocolatebar/): ChocolateBar is a $15 menu bar manager that hides crowded icons or shows them in a second row under the bar, on macOS 12 to 15. NotchStar is a $4 notch toolbox that does not manage menu bar icons.
- [NotchStar vs CleanShot X](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/cleanshot-x/): CleanShot X captures, annotates and records, from $35 with a year of updates; NotchStar does not capture, and its $4 Screenshot Tray only holds screenshots macOS already took.
- [NotchStar vs Crest](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/crest/): Crest is a larger notch control room at $14.99 once, with Claude Code and Codex approvals, passwords, a 2FA authenticator and encrypted file sending; NotchStar is $4 once and sticks to everyday utilities.
- [NotchStar vs CueNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/cuenotch/): CueNotch is a feature rich notch teleprompter with voice following and Ghost Mode, free with a $29.99 lifetime or $7.99 weekly Pro; NotchStar's teleprompter scrolls at a set speed inside a $4 toolbox.
- [NotchStar vs DaisyDisk](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/daisydisk/): DaisyDisk is the dedicated visual disk analyzer at $9.99 once with a 30 day money back guarantee; NotchStar's Disk tool finds large files, duplicates and leftovers inside a $4 toolbox.
- [NotchStar vs DropNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/dropnotch/): DropNotch is a free notch file shelf with live status displays and a $15 one time Pro upgrade for clipboard history; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools.
- [NotchStar vs Dropover](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/dropover/): Dropover is a dedicated drag and drop shelf that opens on a shake, with cloud uploads and actions, free with a $7.99 Pro; NotchStar is a $4 app whose shelf is one of ten tools.
- [NotchStar vs Droppy](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/droppy/): Droppy is a larger modular suite with 41 free extensions, live activities, window snapping and a teleprompter at $9.99 once; NotchStar is a smaller $4 toolbox of ten tools.
- [NotchStar vs Dropzone](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/dropzone/): Dropzone 5 is a $35 action launcher with grids, scripting and a Drop Bar; NotchStar is a $4 app whose file shelf overlaps only with that Drop Bar.
- [NotchStar vs Dynamic Notch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/dynamic-notch/): Dynamic Notch is a free GPL 3.0 app that brings iPhone style live activities to the Mac notch, with a release on 3 November 2026; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools with no live activities.
- [NotchStar vs DynamicHorizon](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/dynamichorizon/): DynamicHorizon sells 20 or more notch modules with lock screen media and lyrics for $11.99 lifetime; NotchStar is $4 once with ten tools and a clear Mac count.
- [NotchStar vs DynamicLake](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/dynamiclake/): DynamicLake adds a Dynamic Island style layer with message and call notifications, plugins, weather and file conversion for $13.99, with 89 changelog entries since June 2024; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten utilities that stays quiet until you open it.
- [NotchStar vs Gojo](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/gojo/): Gojo sells clipboard, shelf, window snapping, camera mirror and on device dictation from $9.99 lifetime for one Mac, or $19.99 for up to three; NotchStar is $4 once for up to three Macs.
- [NotchStar vs Hidden Bar](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/hidden-bar/): Hidden Bar is a free, open source app that tucks menu bar icons behind an arrow; NotchStar does not organize menu bar icons and offers ten notch tools for $4 once.
- [NotchStar vs Ice](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/ice/): Ice is a free, open source menu bar manager with an Ice Bar, profiles and hotkeys; NotchStar does not organize menu bar icons and is a $4 toolbox of ten notch tools.
- [NotchStar vs iStat Menus](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/istat-menus/): iStat Menus is the deeper dedicated monitor, with sensors, fan control, clocks and weather; NotchStar shows five basic readouts as one of ten tools for $4 once.
- [NotchStar vs Korinotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/korinotch/): Korinotch lists $11.50 lifetime, a 14 day trial and a required account; NotchStar is $4 once with no account, a 7 day trial and ten tools.
- [NotchStar vs Maccy](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/maccy/): Maccy is a free MIT clipboard manager you search by typing; NotchStar's clipboard history is one of ten notch tools for $4 and keeps 50 items in memory only.
- [NotchStar vs MacNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/macnotch/): MacNotch, sold through Setapp, does more: a widget grid, device batteries, file actions and live activities in the closed notch. NotchStar is smaller and costs $4 once, where MacNotch is a subscription from $4.99 a month.
- [NotchStar vs MediaMate](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/mediamate/): MediaMate replaces the volume, brightness and keyboard backlight HUDs and adds a now playing view for 6.99 euros on 5 devices; NotchStar adds ten utilities in the notch for $4 on 3 Macs.
- [NotchStar vs MewNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/mewnotch/): MewNotch is a free GPL 3.0 app that replaces volume and brightness HUDs and adds a shelf with AirDrop, now playing and a mirror; NotchStar is $4 once, signed and notarized, with ten tools.
- [NotchStar vs Notch Buddy](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notch-buddy/): Notch Buddy adds live revenue and visitor numbers to a notch toolbox at $5.99 for the first 100 customers, then $19.99; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools.
- [NotchStar vs NotchBar](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchbar/): NotchBar is a pre release AGPL 3.0 widget bar with media playback, system monitor and active app widgets; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools.
- [NotchStar vs NotchBox](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchbox/): NotchBox is free with a $4.99 Pro purchase, runs on macOS 13 and has shipped 25 listed updates since October 2025; NotchStar is $4 once with a 7 day trial and needs macOS 14, with a similar set of notch tools.
- [NotchStar vs NotchDrop](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchdrop/): NotchDrop does one job, a temporary file shelf with AirDrop in the notch, and is open source under the MIT license; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools that includes a shelf with an AirDrop zone.
- [NotchStar vs Notchet](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchet/): Notchet is a notch clipboard manager with search, text inside images and a shelf for $9.99 once; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox where clipboard history is one of ten tools.
- [NotchStar vs Notchi](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchi/): Notchi is a free GPL 3.0 app that shows Claude Code and Codex sessions, usage and cost in the notch; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox with no agent monitoring.
- [NotchStar vs Notchie](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchie/): Notchie is a teleprompter in the notch for $29.99 once that hides during screen sharing in supported apps and pauses when you hover; NotchStar's teleprompter is one tool in a $4 toolbox.
- [NotchStar vs Notchmeister](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchmeister/): Notchmeister is a free Mac App Store app from The Iconfactory that adds decorative effects around the notch; NotchStar adds ten working tools instead.
- [NotchStar vs NotchNest](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchnest/): NotchNest is a free Mac App Store download with capped free use, $2.99 a month or $14.99 once, and on device AI helpers; NotchStar is a $4 one time toolbox of ten tools with no caps.
- [NotchStar vs NotchNook](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchnook/): NotchNook Pro (28 October 2026) adds live activities, AI agent approvals, clipboard and a teleprompter for $19 lifetime or $3 a month on Apple silicon; NotchStar is a $4 one time toolbox with none of the live features.
- [NotchStar vs NotchPop](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchpop/): NotchPop is a free, open source notch app covering clipboard, shelf, music, calendar, timers and system stats; NotchStar costs $4 once and adds a teleprompter, camera mirror, quick notes, disk tools and a screenshot tray.
- [NotchStar vs NotchPrompter](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchprompter/): NotchPrompter is a single purpose open source teleprompter that follows your voice and hides from screen sharing; NotchStar's teleprompter scrolls at a set speed inside a $4 toolbox.
- [NotchStar vs NotchSpace](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchspace/): NotchSpace is a free notch shelf, app launch bar and menu bar manager on the Mac App Store, and it says it is not a clipboard tool; NotchStar does not manage menu bar icons but adds ten tools for $4.
- [NotchStar vs NotchThings](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/notchthings/): NotchThings has more modules, live indicators in the notch and AI usage tracking, and needs macOS 15.6 and a $6.99 unlock; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools for macOS 14.
- [NotchStar vs OmniNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/omninotch/): OmniNotch ships twenty tools, including on device AI chat, AI usage meters and live sales totals, and has a timer countdown in the closed notch. NotchStar is narrower, with ten tools, and costs $4 once against OmniNotch's $5 flash sale and $19.99 regular price.
- [NotchStar vs OneNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/onenotch/): OneNotch is a free to start notch app with deep clipboard boards, capture tools and window snapping for Apple silicon on macOS 15; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox that runs on macOS 14 and Intel.
- [NotchStar vs Paste](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/paste/): Paste is a subscription clipboard manager with unlimited history, pinboards and iCloud sync; NotchStar's clipboard keeps 50 items in memory for a $4 one time price.
- [NotchStar vs PastePal](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/pastepal/): PastePal is a dedicated clipboard manager with iCloud sync and 75+ text transforms, free with a $14.99 Pro; NotchStar is a $4 app where clipboard history is one of ten tools.
- [NotchStar vs PromptSmart](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/promptsmart/): PromptSmart Pro is a full window teleprompter that follows your voice and imports many file types for $29.99; NotchStar's Teleprompter is a fixed speed scroll in the notch within a $4 toolbox.
- [NotchStar vs QuackScreen](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/quackscreen/): QuackScreen is a capture app for the notch with screen recording, screenshots and an annotation editor, for EUR 20 on macOS 26; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox that catches screenshots but does not capture.
- [NotchStar vs Raycast](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/raycast/): Raycast is a launcher whose clipboard history keeps 3 months on the free plan and is unlimited on Pro at $10 a month; NotchStar is a $4 once app where clipboard history is one of ten notch tools.
- [NotchStar vs Sapphire](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/sapphire/): Sapphire is a free, AGPL licensed notch app with Face ID, window snapping, a lock screen and a big free feature set, plus monthly AI and live data plans from $15.99; NotchStar is a $4 one time toolbox with none of those.
- [NotchStar vs Seam](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/seam/): Seam is a Dynamic Island style surface with live activities, a lock screen display, coding agent progress and on device voice dictation for $19.90 on Apple silicon; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools you open on purpose.
- [NotchStar vs Session](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/session/): Session is the dedicated focus timer, with website and app blocking, calendar sync and AppleScript, on a $4.99 monthly or $39.99 yearly plan; NotchStar has simpler Pomodoro timers for $4 once.
- [NotchStar vs Shottr](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/shottr/): Shottr captures and annotates screenshots with OCR and scrolling capture at a pay what you want price; NotchStar does not capture, and its $4 Screenshot Tray only holds macOS screenshots.
- [NotchStar vs Stats](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/stats/): Stats is a free, open source menu bar monitor with sensors, GPU, Bluetooth and a clock; NotchStar is a $4 closed source toolbox where system stats is one of ten tools.
- [NotchStar vs SuperIsland](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/superisland/): SuperIsland is a free app with live activities, a JavaScript extension SDK and store, and meeting join links, but it needs a physical notch and has had no release since June 2026; NotchStar is $4 once with ten tools.
- [NotchStar vs TopNotch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/topnotch/): TopNotch, a free app from the CleanShot team, makes the camera housing blend into a black menu bar; its last release was June 2023. NotchStar keeps the notch visible and puts ten tools around it.
- [NotchStar vs Tuneful](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/tuneful/): Tuneful is a focused $4.99 music controller for Spotify and Apple Music that needs macOS 15; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools with Now Playing as one of them.
- [NotchStar vs Vibe Notch](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/vibe-notch/): Vibe Notch, formerly Claude Island, is an Apache 2.0 open source app for monitoring Claude Code and approving permissions from the notch; NotchStar has no agent monitoring.
- [NotchStar vs Xnapper](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/xnapper/): Xnapper beautifies and redacts screenshots from $29.99 with a year of updates; NotchStar does not capture, and its $4 Screenshot Tray only holds screenshots macOS already took.
- [NotchStar vs Yoink](https://www.notchstar.com/vs/yoink/): Yoink is a long established drag shelf with clipboard history and an iOS companion at $8.99 once with a 28 day trial; NotchStar is a $4 app whose shelf is one of ten tools.
- [AgentNotch alternatives](https://www.notchstar.com/alternatives/agentnotch/): Every option next to AgentNotch, with price and macOS support.
- [Best Mac notch apps](https://www.notchstar.com/guides/best-mac-notch-apps/): A neutral roundup of the options.
