Ledge vs NotchNook
Short answer: NotchNook reaches far more Macs (macOS 14.6+, Intel and Apple silicon, every display) and has a file Tray with AirDrop, to-dos, Shortcuts and join buttons for Meet, Zoom, Teams and Webex. It costs US$15 lifetime or US$2 a month at its current special price. Ledge is free and open source, needs a notched MacBook on macOS 26, and adds weather, AirPods battery, lid-closed Keep Awake and a stricter stance on privacy.
Side by side
| NotchNook | Ledge | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | US$15 lifetime or US$2/month "special price" (regular US$25 / US$3), 2 Macs, 48-hour trial | Free |
| Source | Closed | Open, GPL-3.0 |
| macOS | 14.6 or later, including 26 Tahoe | 26 or later |
| Macs | Apple silicon and Intel | Notched MacBooks (Apple silicon) |
| Displays | Every display; a slim handle where there is no notch | Notched MacBook screen only |
| Notarized | Yes (1.6.11) | Yes (1.2.2) |
| Music | Spotify, Apple Music and any Now Playing app; choose the source; draggable scrubber | Music, Spotify, browser tabs; scrub; AirPlay output |
| Calendar | Join buttons for Meet, Zoom, Teams and Webex | Join for Zoom, Meet, Teams, Webex, Whereby and FaceTime links, with a camera mirror |
| Camera mirror | Yes | Yes, on the Join button |
| Files | Tray: keep files, send with AirDrop | Shelf: keep files; screenshots land there |
| Notes, to-dos | Notes and to-dos | Notes (no to-dos) |
| Timers | Yes | Yes |
| Shortcuts | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth | Connected devices | AirPods and devices, with battery |
| Weather | Not listed | Yes |
| Keep Awake | Not listed | Yes, opt-in; lid open or closed |
| Volume / brightness | Yes (what it uses Accessibility for) | Yes |
| Permissions | Calendar, Camera, Bluetooth, Automation, Accessibility | The same kinds, each asked only when you turn its feature on |
A note on where NotchNook lives now
Many guides still link to lo.cafe/notchnook, which was unreachable when I checked in October 2026, and the NotchNook Homebrew cask was removed on 17 October 2026. NotchNook is sold from getnotchnook.com, which says "NotchNook is back" and that copies of the app on other sites "may be outdated or modified". Download it from there.
Where NotchNook is better
- Reach. Intel Macs, macOS 14.6 and 15, external displays and Macs without a notch. Ledge covers none of those.
- Getting things done. To-dos, Shortcuts, and AirDrop from the Tray.
- Track record. It has been one of the best-known notch apps for years; its site quotes coverage from The Verge, Macworld and Lifehacker.
Where Ledge is better
- Free and open source, with no trial clock and no subscription option to weigh.
- More of your day in one place: weather with the next few hours, AirPods battery and a low-battery alert, and Keep Awake that works with the lid closed.
- Privacy you can check. No telemetry, no audio or screen capture, four kinds of network request listed in the README, and source code to confirm it.
- More meeting links recognized: Whereby and FaceTime as well as the big four.
Which to choose
Choose NotchNook if you are on an Intel Mac, macOS 14.6 or 15, or an external monitor, or you want to-dos, Shortcuts and AirDrop in the notch. Choose Ledge if you have a notched MacBook on macOS 26 and want a free, open-source app with weather, AirPods and Keep Awake built in.
FAQ
Is NotchNook free?
No. It has a 48-hour free trial with every feature, then costs US$15 lifetime or US$2 a month at its special price (regularly US$25 or US$3), per getnotchnook.com in October 2026.
Does NotchNook work on macOS 26 Tahoe and Intel Macs?
Yes. Its FAQ says it runs on macOS 14.6 or later, including macOS 26 Tahoe, and is a universal app for Apple silicon and Intel Macs.
Where do I download NotchNook now?
From getnotchnook.com. Its former page at lo.cafe was unreachable in October 2026, and its Homebrew cask was removed on 17 October 2026.
What is a free, open-source alternative to NotchNook?
Ledge (macOS 26, notched MacBooks), Atoll (macOS 14.6+, notarized) and boring.notch (macOS 14+, unsigned, Intel and external displays). See the full comparison for details.
Related
- Ledge vs Alcove
- Free, open-source alternatives to Alcove and NotchNook (2026)
- Join meetings from the MacBook notch
- Best notch apps for MacBook in 2026
- Ledge: a free, open-source notch app for MacBook
Sources
- NotchNook: getnotchnook.com (pricing, FAQ, permissions), what's new
- NotchNook Homebrew cask removal, 17 October 2026 (homebrew-cask history)
- Ledge README and release notes, version 1.2.2
- Ledge's meeting-link hosts:
CalendarSource.swiftin the Ledge repository - Notarization and minimum macOS: my own Gatekeeper (
spctl) checks of each official download and the app bundles'LSMinimumSystemVersion, October 2026 (details)