Crest vs NotchNook: which notch app should you get?

NotchNook is the best-known paid Mac notch app. Crest is the newer challenger with a permanent free tier and a lower one-time price. Here's an honest side-by-side: what each one does better, what each costs, and how to decide.

Last updated: July 2026

Full disclosure: this page is published by the makers of Crest. We've kept the NotchNook side fair and specific, including the things it genuinely does better, so this is useful whichever app you end up with.

Side by side

Where NotchNook is better

• Track record. NotchNook has been around longer, ships frequent updates, and holds roughly 89% positive across 1,400+ Setapp reviews. Crest is the newest app in the category and can't claim that history yet.
• Customization. Colors, layouts, haptic feedback, fine-grained options everywhere. If you love tweaking every pixel, NotchNook is the deepest.
• AirDrop drop zone. Its tray includes a dedicated AirDrop target that reviewers consistently praise.
• Setapp. If you already pay for Setapp, NotchNook is effectively included in your subscription.

Where Crest is better

• A real free tier. Now Playing (with lyrics and the queue), the Dashboard, the file Shelf and Clipboard history are free forever. NotchNook gives you a trial, then asks for money. With Crest you only pay if the free tier wins you over.
• Price. $19.99 once vs $25 once, and there's no subscription pull: $3/month with NotchNook is $36 a year for the same app.
• Battery and sleep, by design. The most common complaints about notch apps in general (and NotchNook in user reviews) are battery drain and freezing after sleep/wake. Crest was built against exactly those: animations pause on battery and Low Power Mode, monitors suspend while your Mac sleeps and re-pin on wake.
• Developer modules nobody else has. Crest can show your GitHub pull requests and CI status in the notch, and watch live Claude Code and Cursor sessions, pinging the notch when an AI coding agent needs your permission. If you write code, this alone may decide it.
• On-device privacy. Crest has no account, no analytics and no servers reading your activity; Screen Time and translation run entirely on your Mac.

What we won't claim: that Crest is more polished than NotchNook. NotchNook has years of refinement behind it. What we do claim are the specific engineering choices above, and a price and free tier that let you judge Crest without spending anything.

The pricing math

Both apps sell a lifetime license: $19.99 for Crest Pro, $25 for NotchNook. NotchNook also offers $3/month, which passes the one-time price after nine months. Crest Pro includes free updates for life and activates on up to 2 Macs. If price matters, Crest is the cheaper path to a full notch hub; if you're on Setapp already, NotchNook is effectively bundled.

Try before you decide

This is the easiest comparison to settle yourself, because trying costs nothing: NotchNook has a time-limited trial, and Crest's free tier never expires. Run one, then the other (not both at once, they both own the notch), and keep the one that fits how you work. Download Crest free to start.

FAQ

Is Crest cheaper than NotchNook?

Yes. Crest Pro is $19.99 one-time; NotchNook is $25 one-time or $3/month. Crest also has a permanent free tier, while NotchNook offers a trial.

Does Crest have a free version?

Yes. Four modules (Now Playing, Dashboard, Shelf, Clipboard) are free forever, no account needed.

Is NotchNook better than Crest?

For customization depth and track record, yes. For price, free tier, battery/sleep behavior and developer tools, Crest. The sections above give you the honest split.

Can I run both at the same time?

Not recommended; both take over the notch. Try them one at a time.

Does Crest work on Macs without a notch?

Yes. On notchless Macs and external displays it shows a small floating pill instead.

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