Ledge vs Alcove

By Ege Mert Balçık · Last updated 22 October 2026 · Disclosure: I make Ledge

Short answer: Alcove is the more polished and more widely usable app: US$13.99 once, macOS 15 or later, any display, with notifications, lock-screen widgets, customizable HUDs and a live audio waveform. Ledge is free and open source, needs a notched MacBook on macOS 26, and covers things Alcove does not list yet: a file shelf, notes, a camera mirror before meetings, and Keep Awake with the lid closed. It also captures no audio.

Side by side

	Alcove	Ledge
Price	US$13.99 one-time, up to 3 Macs, 72-hour trial, 14-day refund	Free
Source	Closed	Open, GPL-3.0
macOS	15 or later	26 or later
Displays	Notch, notchless pill shape, "show notch on all displays"	Notched MacBook screen only
Notarized	Yes (1.7.7)	Yes (1.2.2)
Install	DMG, or `brew install --cask alcove`	DMG; Sparkle updates
Now playing	All media sources via the system player, extra Spotify and Apple Music features, AirPlay and output volume	Music, Spotify, browser tabs; scrub; AirPlay output
Visualizer	Live waveform from an audio tap, or a simulated one	Animation seeded from the track; reads no audio
Notifications	Yes	No
Lock-screen widgets	Yes	No
Calendar	Live activity, expanded calendar, time-to-leave alerts, click to join, opens Fantastical or Notion Calendar	Day and month; Join with a camera mirror
Weather	Widget; shown on empty days	Card with the next few hours
AirPods / Bluetooth	Yes, with low-battery warnings	Yes, with battery and low-battery alert
Volume / brightness HUD	Customizable HUDs	Readout that turns into a slider
Keep awake	Yes (lid-closed use not stated)	Yes, opt-in; lid open or closed
File shelf	Announced for version 1.8; not in the changelog through 1.7.9	Yes; screenshots land there
Notes	Not listed	Yes, plain files; send to Apple Notes
Latest release listed	1.7.9, 30 June 2026	1.2.2, 21 October 2026

Where Alcove is better

It runs on more setups: macOS 15 Sequoia as well as 26, external monitors, and Macs without a notch, where it draws a pill instead.
Notifications and the lock screen. Alcove shows notifications and has lock-screen widgets; Ledge has neither.
Polish and depth on the basics. Its changelog is long and detailed: customizable HUDs, third-party calendar support, Focus modes, iCloud settings sync, a "hide while gaming" option.
A paid developer to answer to. A purchase comes with a refund window and someone whose job it is to fix things.

Where Ledge is better

Free and open source. You can read every line, including the parts that use private APIs. Alcove's FAQ says it "relies on private APIs" and is sold "as is"; Ledge's README lists exactly which ones it uses.
No audio capture. Alcove's live waveform comes from an audio tap. Ledge's equalizer is an animation, so it never needs to hear what you are playing.
Files and notes. Drop files on the notch and drag them out later; keep short notes on a card. Alcove's tray is still announced, not shipped.
Keep Awake with the lid closed, released automatically when the time you set runs out or if Ledge quits.
A mirror before meetings. The Join button opens your camera in the card so you can check yourself first.

Which to choose

Choose Alcove if you are on macOS 15, use an external monitor, want notifications or lock-screen widgets, or simply want the most refined paid app and do not mind US$13.99. Choose Ledge if you have a notched MacBook on macOS 26 and want a free, open app that keeps files and notes at the notch and never listens to your audio.

FAQ

Is there a free alternative to Alcove?

Yes. Ledge, boring.notch and Atoll are free and open source. Ledge needs macOS 26 and a notched MacBook; boring.notch and Atoll run on macOS 14 or 14.6 and later.

How much does Alcove cost?

US$13.99 as a one-time purchase covering up to three Macs, with a 72-hour trial, according to its site in October 2026.

Does Alcove work on macOS 26 Tahoe?

Yes. Its changelog includes "Reworked Alcove to fully match Tahoe style" in version 1.5.0 and several later Tahoe fixes. It requires macOS 15 or later.

Does Alcove have a file shelf?

Not yet, as far as its changelog shows: the 1.7.3 notes mention an "upcoming 1.8 tray update". Ledge, NotchNook, boring.notch, Atoll and Droppy have one.

Sources

Alcove: tryalcove.com, FAQ, its changelog feed (api.tryalcove.com/changelog), Homebrew cask
Ledge README and release notes, version 1.2.2
Notarization and minimum macOS: my own Gatekeeper (spctl) checks of each official download and the app bundles' LSMinimumSystemVersion, October 2026 (details)