# Caffeinate vs Amphetamine Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 Caffeinate and Amphetamine are both utilities on a Mac, so the pick depends on workflow. Use Amphetamine on the Mac you sit at. Use caffeinate in the scripts you schedule. As of September 2026, both install with brew install caffeinate and brew install --cask amphetamine. Split by interface. Amphetamine for free GUI keep-awake with Triggers and lid/drive features (App Store 5.3.2, $0 this run). Caffeinate for free, preinstalled Terminal control of sleep assertions. Do not confuse caffeinate with Caffeine.app. ## Head to head | Factor | Caffeinate | Amphetamine | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Free | Free | | Open Source | No | No | | Replaces | Amphetamine for scripted or headless keep-awake | Caffeinated ($3.99) | | Best for | awake, sleep, cli | awake, sleep, utility | | Install | caffeinate -i | Open https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704 | | Category | System Utilities | System Utilities | ## Caffeinate Apple's built-in macOS CLI at /usr/bin/caffeinate that creates power assertions so the Mac does not idle-sleep while a process runs or until you stop it. Install: `caffeinate -i ` [Caffeinate on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/caffeinate) ## Amphetamine Keep your Mac awake Install: `Open https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704` [Amphetamine on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/amphetamine) ## Features - **Basic keep-awake.** Caffeinate for automation; Amphetamine for interactive control. Both handle the core job. - **Automation.** Amphetamine for condition-based automation; caffeinate when the trigger is simply while this command runs. - **Closed lid / clamshell.** Amphetamine for lid-closed laptop setups; caffeinate when a docked script owns the session. - **Drive / download sessions.** Amphetamine when drives unmount overnight; caffeinate when the downloader is already a shell job. - **Price and install friction.** Tie on price. Caffeinate wins on install friction (already there). Amphetamine wins on discoverability for non-Terminal users. - **Menu bar / human UI.** Amphetamine owns interactive keep-awake. Caffeinate is not a GUI product. - **Scripts / CI / agents.** Caffeinate for headless scripts and CI; Amphetamine when a desk user still wants the menu bar overnight. ## FAQ ### Caffeinate or Amphetamine for Mac in 2026? Caffeinate for scripts and CI. Amphetamine for menu-bar sessions and Triggers. Both are free this run. ### Caffeinate vs Amphetamine vs Caffeine.app? Caffeine.app is another GUI cup utility. Compare GUIs in Amphetamine vs Caffeine. Caffeinate is the built-in CLI, not an App Store cup icon. ### Is Amphetamine free in 2026? Yes on the US App Store this run: iTunes Lookup reports price 0.0 and formattedPrice Free for version 5.3.2 (ID 937984704), accessed 2026-09-30. ### Can I brew install Amphetamine? Not via a listed Homebrew cask this run: https://formulae.brew.sh/api/cask/amphetamine.json returned HTTP 404 on 2026-09-30. Install from the Mac App Store instead. ### Does caffeinate need Homebrew? No. caffeinate is preinstalled at /usr/bin/caffeinate on macOS and does not need a Homebrew formula or cask. ### Amphetamine vs caffeinate for Claude Code or Cursor overnight? Interactive overnight desks often prefer Amphetamine sessions or Triggers. Headless agent loops fit caffeinate -i (or -w) around the process. Choose based on whether a human needs the menu bar. ### What Amphetamine version is current this run? App Store / iTunes Lookup: 5.3.2 (accessed 2026-09-30). ### Which is better for closed-lid MacBook desks? Amphetamine for closed-display session options and Power Protect-related 5.3.x notes. Use caffeinate only if you already manage assertions in a launch agent. ### How do I keep a Mac awake only while a build runs? Use caffeinate -i around the build (for example caffeinate -i make) or caffeinate -w so assertions end when the process exits. ### Is this the same as Amphetamine vs Caffeine on Bundl? No. Amphetamine vs Caffeine covers Caffeine.app (GUI). This page is specifically caffeinate (CLI) vs Amphetamine (app). ## Sources - [Amphetamine on the Mac App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704) - [iTunes Lookup API id=937984704](https://itunes.apple.com/lookup?id=937984704) - [caffeinate(8) man page (manpagez)](https://www.manpagez.com/man/8/caffeinate/) - [SS64 macOS caffeinate](https://ss64.com/mac/caffeinate.html) - [Homebrew cask API amphetamine](https://formulae.brew.sh/api/cask/amphetamine.json) ## Related - [Amphetamine vs Caffeine](https://bundl.run/compare/amphetamine-vs-caffeine) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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With a background in operations management and process improvement, Jordan evaluates how well applications integrate into daily workflows and enhance overall productivity. Jordan tests each tool across multiple use cases—from solo work to team collaboration—documenting setup complexity, learning curves, and long-term value. 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Amphetamine for menu-bar sessions and Triggers. Both are free this run." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Caffeinate vs Amphetamine vs Caffeine.app?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Caffeine.app is another GUI cup utility. Compare GUIs in Amphetamine vs Caffeine. Caffeinate is the built-in CLI, not an App Store cup icon." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is Amphetamine free in 2026?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes on the US App Store this run: iTunes Lookup reports price 0.0 and formattedPrice Free for version 5.3.2 (ID 937984704), accessed 2026-09-30." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I brew install Amphetamine?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Not via a listed Homebrew cask this run: https://formulae.brew.sh/api/cask/amphetamine.json returned HTTP 404 on 2026-09-30. Install from the Mac App Store instead." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does caffeinate need Homebrew?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. caffeinate is preinstalled at /usr/bin/caffeinate on macOS and does not need a Homebrew formula or cask." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Amphetamine vs caffeinate for Claude Code or Cursor overnight?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Interactive overnight desks often prefer Amphetamine sessions or Triggers. Headless agent loops fit caffeinate -i (or -w) around the process. 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However, there are times when you might not want your computer", "thumbnailUrl": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0pbQenRVJrA/mqdefault.jpg", "uploadDate": "2022-11-28T07:53:51Z", "duration": "PT16S", "embedUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/embed/0pbQenRVJrA", "interactionStatistic": { "@type": "InteractionCounter", "interactionType": "https://schema.org/WatchAction", "userInteractionCount": 5650 } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "VideoObject", "name": "Stay Awake, Stay Productive: Unlock the Power of Amphetamine for macOS!", "description": "If you want to learn programming, do not forget to try our application, which is available on Google Play (I'm Developer application)\nhttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.geecoders.iamdev", "thumbnailUrl": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BpW_0HD5Jzk/mqdefault.jpg", "uploadDate": "2025-04-24T21:00:13Z", "duration": "PT26S", "embedUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/embed/BpW_0HD5Jzk", "interactionStatistic": { "@type": "InteractionCounter", "interactionType": "https://schema.org/WatchAction", "userInteractionCount": 826 } } } ], "numberOfItems": 4 } ] } ```