Light, with personality.
Five light styles, from Classic to Bioluminescence. Neon and Velvet for bright backgrounds. Charging and AirDrop get their own glow, and Lumi brings a little company.
Your notch. Your kind of light.MAC NOTCH APPS, COMPARED
Same notch.
Different possibilities.
The lights. The shortcuts. The little things you do all day.
Find the Mac notch app that feels like you.
SIDE BY SIDE
Little details.
Big differences.
Compare everything, or pick one app to see it alongside Glance.
Five apps. One view.
✓ Documented featureNot specified means unconfirmed in the reviewed sources.
Swipe across to explore all five apps, or choose one above.
| The things you do. The details that matter. | Glance sources$12 once | Droppy sources$9.99 once | Alcove sources$12.99 listed | NotchNook Pro sourcesSee current plans | Boring Notch sourcesFree · open source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light & everyday actions | |||||
| Notch appearance | 5 light styles + Home themes | Glass styles + customization | Customizable HUDs | Liquid Glass or Classic | Notch customization |
| Distinct shortcut light reactionsCopy, paste, cut, undo, save and more. | A light reaction for each action | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Volume & brightness feedback | Light gauges at the notch | Notch HUDs | Customizable HUDs | Not specified | System HUD replacement |
| Battery & charging feedback | Charging light animations | Battery & charging HUDs | Not specified | Battery live activities | Not specified |
| Music, files & your day | |||||
| Music controls | Spotify & Apple Music | Now Playing controls | Not specified | Now Playing controls | Controls + visualizer |
| Song lyrics | Synced lyrics | Synced lyrics | Not specified | Pro edition | Not specified |
| File shelf / tray | Shelf + drag and drop | File trays | Not specified | Tray + Pocket | File shelf |
| AirDrop | From the Shelf + light feedback | Included | Not specified | From the Tray | From the shelf |
| Clipboard history | Search & paste | Included | Not specified | Pro edition | Not specified |
| Calendar | Events + reminders | Calendar + reminders | Not specified | Via macOS Calendar | Calendar integration |
| Weather | Forecast + Home widgets | Weather Droplet | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Focus timer / Pomodoro | Included | Pomodoro Droplet | Not specified | Pro edition | Not specified |
| Keep Awake | Included | Stay Awake Droplet | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| A few more things within reach | |||||
| Voice tools | Murmure dictation + history | Voice Transcribe Droplet | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Screenshot workflow | Screenshot cord + Shelf | Screen capture tools | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Teleprompter | Included | Teleprompter Droplet | Not specified | Pro edition | Not specified |
| Notifications | Alerts in the notch | Notifications Droplet | Included | Not specified | Not specified |
| AI coding agents | Status, questions & approvals | Agents Droplet | Not specified | Pro: Claude Code & Codex | Not specified |
| Before you download | |||||
| Minimum macOS | macOS 14 | macOS 14 | macOS 15 | macOS 14.6 · Pro needs Apple silicon | macOS 14 |
| Macs & displays without a notch | Dynamic Island mode | Dynamic Island mode | Not specified | Handle at the top of each display | Not specified |
| Price | $12 one-time | $9.99 one-time | $12.99 listed | Monthly / lifetime plans | Free & open source |
| Trial | 3 days · 2 Macs per license | 3 days | Not specified | 48 hours | Free to use |
USD prices as listed at review; taxes and regional pricing may vary. NotchNook’s column covers Pro; Classic differs. Droppy features can be delivered by optional Droplets. Voice tools and screenshot tools differ in scope between apps.
THE GLANCE FEELING
A little light.
A lot of everyday.
The things that make Glance feel like Glance.
A reply to every move.
Copy, paste, undo, save and screenshots each get a distinct light reaction. Volume and brightness become light gauges. Small actions, with a response you can see.
That little “yes, it worked.”A Home for your day.
Music, lyrics, files, AirDrop, clipboard history, calendar and weather. Arrange your widgets and tabs, choose a texture, or use your own photo. Your day, kept close.
Everything within reach.And there is more to make room for.
- Murmure dictation
- Teleprompter
- Screenshot cord
- Focus & Pomodoro
- Keep Awake
- Notifications
- AI agent tools
- Dynamic Island mode
FIND YOUR FIT
Different apps.
Your kind of notch.
A closer look at what each app brings to your everyday.
Glance
Light that answers your everyday actions.
Shortcut reactions, five light styles and a customizable Home, alongside music, files, dictation and the tools you use throughout your day.
Find your GlanceDroppy
An extensive collection of utilities.
File trays, clipboard history, cloud sharing, iPhone sync and an extension ecosystem. A useful option if you want to add tools beyond the notch.
Explore DroppyAlcove
A Dynamic Island with fluid transitions.
Its published presentation emphasizes live activities, notifications, gestures, customizable HUDs and Lock Screen widgets.
Explore AlcoveNotchNook Pro
A broad toolkit, with Pro and Classic editions.
Pro brings music, lyrics, files, calendar, a teleprompter and agent approvals together. Classic has a smaller feature set and also supports Intel Macs.
Explore NotchNook ProBoring Notch
A free option you can build on.
Music controls, a visualizer, calendar, a file shelf with AirDrop and system HUDs. Its public source is a good starting point if open source matters to you.
Explore Boring NotchQuestions
Which Mac notch app should I choose?
Start with what you will use every day. Glance focuses on light styles and visible shortcut feedback alongside music, files and daily tools. Droppy offers a wide utility and extension ecosystem. Alcove emphasizes a Dynamic Island with gestures and HUDs. NotchNook Pro combines media, productivity tools and agent approvals. Boring Notch is a free, open-source option. Try your shortlist on your own Mac.
What makes Glance different?
Light is part of the interaction: copy, paste, undo, save and other actions have distinct reactions, while volume and brightness appear as light gauges. Five light styles, Home widgets, themes and textures let you choose how Glance looks. Music, files, AirDrop, clipboard history, weather, dictation and more sit alongside those lights.
Is there a free alternative to paid notch apps?
Yes. Boring Notch is free and open source, and its README describes music controls, calendar integration, a file shelf with AirDrop and system HUDs. Glance is a paid app with a free trial.
Does Glance work on a Mac without a notch?
Yes. Glance has a Dynamic Island mode for Macs and external displays without a camera notch. Choose Original Notch, Dynamic Island or Automatic in Appearance.
What else is included with Glance?
Alongside lights and keyboard shortcut feedback, Glance includes music controls, files, AirDrop, clipboard history, calendar, weather, timers, dictation and a teleprompter. You can also follow coding agents and respond to their questions and permission requests.
How much does Glance cost?
Glance costs $12 once for up to 2 Macs, with a 3-day free trial. No subscription. See the license terms for purchase and refund details.
SOURCES & METHOD
A comparison you can check.
We make Glance. This is our comparison of published feature lists, official websites, release notes and the Boring Notch README, reviewed on . It is not a hands-on test of every competing app or a performance benchmark.
“Not specified” means we could not confirm that particular feature from the linked sources. We do not treat a roadmap as a released feature. Alcove’s public page gives fewer details, so more entries are unconfirmed. Prices and features can change; check the developer’s site before buying.
- Glance
- Droppy
- Alcove
- NotchNook Pro
- Boring Notch
Found something that needs updating? Send a correction. Product names belong to their respective owners.
Glance for macOSMore to love.
Right on your Mac.
Your music, files, day, and AI agents come alive in the notch.
$12 once · 3-day free trial · 2 Macs
