Ledge vs Atoll
Short answer: they are closer than any other pair of notch apps: both are free, GPL-3.0, notarized, and built for the MacBook notch. Atoll does much more (system stats, clipboard history, lyrics, lock-screen widgets, a terminal tab, a live audio waveform), runs on macOS 14.6 and later, and has settings for external displays. Ledge does less, needs macOS 26, and is built around asking for little: no Screen Recording permission, no audio capture, no telemetry, plus Keep Awake and notes that Atoll does not list.
Side by side
"Not in README" means Atoll's README does not list it; the app may still have it.
| Atoll | Ledge | |
|---|---|---|
| Price, license | Free, GPL-3.0 | Free, GPL-3.0 |
| macOS | 14.6+ (app minimum; README says 14.0) | 26+ |
| Displays | Built for the notch; has settings for all displays and non-notch screens | Notched MacBooks only |
| Notarized | Yes (2.3.3) | Yes (1.2.2) |
| Install | DMG or brew install --cask atoll | DMG; Sparkle updates |
| Origin | Built on boring.notch's codebase | Written from scratch |
| GitHub stars | ~5,000 | 9 |
| Media | Apple Music, Spotify, Cider and more; AirPlay picker; lyrics; live audio waveform | Music, Spotify, browser tabs; AirPlay output; equalizer is an animation |
| Calendar | Event list with Join Meeting buttons; camera | Day and month; Join with a camera mirror |
| Timers | Yes | Yes, countdown beside the notch |
| System stats (CPU, GPU, RAM, network, disk) | Yes | No |
| Clipboard history, colour picker | Yes | No |
| Lock-screen widgets | Yes (media, timers, charging, Bluetooth, weather) | No |
| File shelf | Yes, with AirDrop | Yes; screenshots land there |
| Terminal tab, LLM usage tracking | Yes | No |
| Weather in the notch | Lock-screen widget | Yes, card with hourly forecast |
| AirPods / Bluetooth | Bluetooth lock-screen widget | Yes, connection with battery |
| Notes | Not in README | Yes, plain files; send to Apple Notes |
| Keep Awake | In alpha builds (2.3.3-alpha.4): a power assertion, lid open | Yes, opt-in; lid open or closed |
| Volume / brightness pop-up | Yes | Yes |
| Permissions listed | Accessibility, Camera, Calendar, Screen Recording, Music; audio capture for the waveform | Each asked only by the feature that needs it; no Screen Recording, no audio capture |
Where Atoll is better
- Breadth. If you want your notch to be a dashboard (system stats, clipboard, colour picker, terminal), Atoll is the richest free option.
- Older macOS and more screens. It runs on macOS 14.6 Sonoma and later and has settings for external displays; Ledge needs macOS 26 and a notched MacBook screen.
- Lock screen. Widgets for media, timers, charging and weather on the lock screen; Ledge has nothing there.
- Community. About 5,000 stars, many contributors and a Homebrew cask, against Ledge's handful of users.
Where Ledge is better
- What it asks for. Atoll's README lists Screen Recording among its permissions, and its release notes say the live waveform is built on CoreAudio process taps and needs audio capture permission. Ledge never asks for Screen Recording, captures no audio, and its equalizer is an animation seeded from the track. Each permission is requested only when you switch on the feature that needs it, and the app keeps working if you say no.
- Keep Awake with the lid closed. Atoll's keep-awake button (alpha builds) holds a power assertion, and its notes do not claim it survives closing the lid; assertion-based tools such as KeepingYouAwake say plainly that a closed MacBook still sleeps. Ledge's lid-closed stop keeps the Mac running with the lid shut, released automatically at a time you set, or when its 90-second lease runs out if Ledge quits or crashes. See keeping a MacBook awake with the lid closed.
- Notes, weather and meetings in the notch. A notes card, an hourly weather card, and a camera mirror on the Join button before a call.
- Quiet by design. Fewer things competing for the notch, every feature switchable off, and a feature that is off does no work at all.
Which to choose
Choose Atoll if you are on macOS 14.6 or 15, or want the most capable free notch app. Choose Ledge if you are on macOS 26 and value a small set of features that ask for as little access as possible. Both are free and open source, so trying both costs nothing.
FAQ
Is Atoll or Ledge better?
Atoll has more features and runs on macOS 14.6 and later. Ledge needs macOS 26 but asks for fewer permissions (no Screen Recording, no audio capture) and adds Keep Awake and notes. Both are free, GPL-3.0 and notarized.
Is Atoll based on boring.notch?
Yes. Atoll's README credits boring.notch as its "foundational codebase" for the media player, AirDrop, file dock and calendar. Ledge was written from scratch.
Do Atoll and Ledge work on an external monitor?
Atoll has settings for showing on all displays and for external and non-notch screens. Ledge does not: it draws only on the built-in display of a MacBook with a notch.
Which macOS versions do Atoll and Ledge support?
Atoll 2.3.3 sets macOS 14.6 as its minimum (its README says 14.0). Ledge requires macOS 26.
Related
- boring.notch alternatives that are signed and notarized
- Ledge vs boring.notch
- Best notch apps for MacBook in 2026
- Free, open-source alternatives to Alcove and NotchNook (2026)
- Ledge: a free, open-source notch app for MacBook
Sources
- Atoll README (features, requirements, permissions, acknowledgments), release notes (2.0.0 notarization, 2.2.0 waveform and notchless updates, 2.3.3-alpha.4 keep awake), display settings in its source (
showOnAllDisplays,externalDisplayStyle), Homebrew cask; minimum macOS read from the 2.3.3 app bundle - Ledge README at version 1.2.2
- Notarization: my own Gatekeeper (
spctl) check of both apps' official downloads, October 2026