FavTray vs NotchNook
NotchNook made the Mac notch famous: a polished paid island for media and files. In September 2026 it went offline during a dispute at its developer, and in October it went back on sale at a new site. FavTray's FavShelf is a notch island with a free glance and Pro tools.
FavShelf's notch moments
Feature comparison
| Feature | FavTray | NotchNook |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Glance free; full island with FavTray Pro, a one-time Lifetime licence ($4.99) | Regularly $25 once or $3 a month; relaunch prices until 13 Oct 2026 (getnotchnook.com) |
| Free tier | Yes: media, weather, AI usage bars, volume and power HUDs | No free tier |
| Trial | 7-day full trial, no card | 48 hours, no card (getnotchnook.com) |
| Open source | No | No |
| macOS support | macOS 14 Sonoma and later | macOS 14.6 or later (getnotchnook.com) |
| Latest version | 2.0.8 (1 October 2026) | Homebrew's last listed version is 1.6.2 (cask now disabled) |
| Status on 7 Oct 2026 | favtray.com up; licences checked by FavTray's own server | Offline from mid-September during an ownership dispute at lo.cafe; back on sale at getnotchnook.com; lo.cafe still doesn't resolve |
| What it does | Now playing, weather and AI usage free; day calendar with Join, clipboard, file shelf + AirDrop, camera check, moments and Claude Code approvals with Pro | Turns the space around the notch into a workspace with a widget dock and status bar extensions (MacUpdate's description) |
| Coding agents | Watch Claude Code and Codex; approve or deny Claude Code from the notch (Pro) | Not listed |
| AI usage | Claude and Codex usage bars in the free glance | Not listed |
| Beyond the notch | Eye rest, AI usage, system stats, ports, window snapping, meetings and more | Notch only |
| Apple Silicon and Intel | Universal app; tested on Apple Silicon | Both (MacUpdate) |
Checked on 2026-10-07: lo.cafe did not resolve, Homebrew's notchnook cask is disabled, and getnotchnook.com was live. NotchNook details are from getnotchnook.com, MacUpdate's listing and MacMagazine's 16 September report. FavTray details reflect version 2.0.8.
What happened to NotchNook?
In September 2026 NotchNook went offline during an ownership dispute at its developer, lo.cafe. MacMagazine reported on 16 September that Stripe suspended payments, Setapp removed the app (from 22 September), co-founder Jorge Henrique issued more than 3,000 refunds before his access was blocked again, and lo.cafe advised users not to buy, renew or use NotchNook while it was unresolved. Homebrew has disabled its NotchNook cask, and lo.cafe still didn't resolve on 7 October.
On 7 October getnotchnook.com said “NotchNook is back”, credited lo.cafe, and listed relaunch prices it says end on 13 October (regularly $25 once or $3 a month), a 48-hour trial with no card, macOS 14.6 or later, and refunds within 7 days of buying through its current checkout. We couldn't confirm who runs the new site or whether licences bought before September still work.
The verdict
NotchNook is a well-made app and, for most of its life, the default paid notch app. Today the question is whether the relaunch is stable: read the status above before you buy, and keep your receipt.
Pick FavTray if you want an island you can use for free today (media, weather, AI usage bars, HUDs) and, with FavTray Pro, a calendar with join buttons, clipboard history, a shelf with AirDrop, a camera check and Claude Code approvals, next to the rest of FavTray.
Want free instead? FavTray vs Boring Notch and free notch apps cover the $0 options.
Frequently asked questions
Is NotchNook down?
It was. NotchNook went offline in September 2026 during an ownership dispute at its developer, lo.cafe, and Homebrew has disabled its cask. On 7 October 2026 it was back on sale at getnotchnook.com, while lo.cafe still didn't resolve. We couldn't confirm who runs the new site or whether licences bought before September still work.
Is NotchNook free?
No. It has no free tier: regularly $25 once or $3 a month, with a 48-hour trial, per getnotchnook.com on 7 October 2026. For a free notch app, look at Boring Notch, Notchy or FavTray's FavShelf glance (media, weather, AI usage bars, HUDs).
Is NotchNook worth it in 2026?
It's a polished app, but read its status first: it went offline in September during a dispute at lo.cafe and went back on sale at a new site in October. We couldn't confirm whether licences bought before September still work, so if you buy, keep the receipt; getnotchnook.com offers refunds within 7 days of buying through its current checkout.
What's a good NotchNook alternative?
Boring Notch if you want free and open source (media, calendar, AirDrop shelf, camera mirror, HUDs). Notchy if you want the broadest free island. Alcove ($14.99 once) or DynamicLake Pro (a one-time purchase on Gumroad) for a paid one-time app. FavTray's FavShelf if you want a free glance plus Pro developer tools.
Does FavShelf do what NotchNook does?
The core, yes: now playing, a file shelf with AirDrop, a calendar and a camera check in the notch. FavShelf adds clipboard history, weather for several places, Claude and Codex usage bars, moments from FavTray's other tools, and Claude Code approvals. NotchNook's feature list here comes from MacUpdate and its new site.
Will my NotchNook licence move to FavTray?
No, they're separate products. FavTray has its own free tier and a 7-day full trial with no card, so you can try the island before paying anything.
More: Boring Notch vs NotchNook · Best Mac notch apps · FavShelf