FavTray vs Sapphire
Sapphire is a free, open-source Dynamic Island for the Mac with a long list of system extras and monthly AI tiers. FavTray's FavShelf is a Dynamic Island with a free glance and a one-time $4.99 Lifetime licence, inside a menu bar app built for developers. Here's the honest side-by-side.
FavShelf's notch moments
Feature comparison
| Feature | FavTray | Sapphire |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Glance free; full island with the $4.99 one-time Lifetime licence | Core free forever (1 Mac); Basic $15.99, Pro $25.99, Ultra $30.99 a month |
| Paid tiers add | The island's tools, notifications, Claude Code approvals and FavTray's other Pro tools | Blip AI (voice, agent), Circle to Search, sports and finance live activities, 8D and surround audio, higher AI quotas |
| Open source | No | Yes, AGPL-3.0 |
| macOS support | macOS 14 Sonoma and later | macOS 14.6 and later |
| Latest version | 2.0.2 (28 September 2026) | 3.0 (15 September 2026), which its release notes call an early release |
| Media | Now playing with artwork and seek (free glance) | Now playing; Spotify in the volume HUD; 10-band EQ audio mixer |
| File shelf | Shelf with AirDrop | File shelf; Android Nearby Share |
| Calendar | TimeLens fisheye week with one-click join | Calendar alerts |
| Weather | Multi-city, animated | Yes |
| Clipboard | Clipboard history | Clipboard picker; phone clipboard sync (3.0) |
| Eye breaks | Eye Rest: 20-20-20 with meeting and typing detection, Pomodoro, stats (free) | Eye Break (20-20-20) |
| Window snapping | Snap: halves, quarters, maximise, centre free; thirds 20 a day free | Snap Zones |
| AI | Claude and Codex usage bars (free); Island Oracle on your own AI provider | Gemini integration; Blip agent on paid tiers |
| Coding agents | Watch Claude Code and Codex; approve or deny Claude Code from the notch (Pro) | Not listed |
| Extras | AI usage history, system stats, ports, meetings, GitHub, cloud costs | Face ID on Mac, XDR brightness boost, Caffeinate, lock screen customisation, app switcher |
| Macs without a notch | Floating glass bar at the top of the screen | Supported |
Sapphire details checked on 2026-09-28 from sapphire-app.tech/subscribe, its FAQ and its GitHub repository and releases. We'll correct anything its developer tells us is out of date. FavTray details reflect version 2.0.2.
The verdict
Pick Sapphire if you want a free, open-source notch that also does a lot outside the notch: Face ID on Mac, a brightness boost, an EQ mixer, Snap Zones and Android Nearby Share. Its paid tiers make sense if you want its Blip AI and live sports or finance, and don't mind a monthly bill.
Pick FavTray if you'd rather pay once and your day is code: a calendar with join buttons, clipboard history, Claude and Codex limits, and Claude Code approvals in the notch, plus eye rest, AI usage history, system stats and ports in the menu bar, for a one-time $4.99.
More on Sapphire, and on the Bloom island people confuse it with: Sapphire and Bloom Dynamic Island for Mac.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sapphire free?
The core app is. Sapphire's free plan is $0 forever on one Mac and includes a file shelf, Snap Zones, a 10-band EQ mixer, Android Nearby Share, Caffeinate and lock-screen customisation. Its AI and live-data features are monthly: Basic $15.99, Pro $25.99 and Ultra $30.99, each with a per-device add-on price.
Is Sapphire open source?
Yes. Sapphire's code is on GitHub under AGPL-3.0, by Shariq Charolia. Version 3.0 shipped on 15 September 2026; its release notes call it an early release and list known issues with Apple Music and Liquid Glass.
Sapphire or FavTray: which should I pick?
Pick Sapphire for a free, open-source notch with a lot of system extras (Face ID on Mac, brightness boost, EQ, Nearby Share), and its subscriptions if you want its Blip AI. Pick FavTray if you'd rather pay once: the glance is free, and a one-time $4.99 Lifetime licence unlocks the island's tools, Claude Code approvals and FavTray's other Pro tools, with no monthly fee.
Does Sapphire work on Macs without a notch?
Yes. Sapphire's FAQ says it supports notchless Macs. FavTray's FavShelf does too: it draws a floating glass bar at the top of the screen on external displays and Macs without a notch.
What permissions does Sapphire need?
Accessibility and Screen Recording, according to its FAQ. Our guide to notch app permissions explains what each one is for and how to fix a permission that won't stick.
More: Notch app permissions · Best Mac notch apps · FavShelf