# Napless vs Amphetamine Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 Amphetamine is the top pick for most Mac users looking at productivity. It is free. Napless is the stronger choice if you want awake. Napless: Distributed directly by the developer as a signed, notarized download; not on Homebrew. Download: https://napless.io/ Amphetamine: Mac App Store exclusive; Apple does not allow Homebrew distribution. Download: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704 Napless is our top pick for most readers. Disclosure: Napless is made by the team behind Bundl, and it is our top pick. We say below where another app fits better. It combines manual timers and presets with optional display sleep, health checks, safety stops and a note explaining why the Mac slept during a hold. Pro adds download watches, calls, backup conditions, named commands, local servers, meetings, alerts and supported agent hooks, then lets the Mac sleep when the work ends. New installs get a free 7-day trial of everything, Pro included, without an account or card. After that, Pro is US$8 for the first 50 licenses, then US$24, paid once for a lifetime license on up to 3 Macs, with no subscription. Choose Amphetamine if you want free-forever timers or trigger automation, or need closed-display work. Napless has not shipped closed-lid keep-awake; check the documented agent hook limits before switching an unattended setup. [Try Napless free for 7 days](https://napless.io/). Disclosure: Napless is made by the team behind Bundl, so weigh our take on it accordingly. ## Head to head | Factor | Napless | Amphetamine | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Paid | Free | | Open Source | No | No | | Replaces | — | Caffeinated ($3.99) | | Best for | awake, sleep, utility | awake, sleep, utility | | Install | Distributed directly by the developer as a signed, notarized download — not on Homebrew. Download: https://napless.io/ | Mac App Store exclusive — Apple does not allow Homebrew distribution. Download: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704 | | Category | System Utilities | System Utilities | ## Napless Keep your Mac awake with timers, presets and job-aware holds; 7-day trial, then Napless Pro Install: Distributed directly by the developer as a signed, notarized download — not on Homebrew. [Download from the official site](https://napless.io/) [Napless on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/napless) ## Amphetamine Keep your Mac awake Install: Mac App Store exclusive — Apple does not allow Homebrew distribution. [Download from the official site](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704) [Amphetamine on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/amphetamine) ## Features - **Manual keep-awake.** Both handle a basic timer. Napless is our overall pick for timers, presets and automatic holds in one app, with a 7-day trial. Amphetamine stays free; new Napless users need Pro after the trial. - **Simple timer workflow.** Napless is our first choice for a timer or preset, with optional display sleep and a note explaining sleep during a hold. This is an editorial preference. Choose Amphetamine if you want the timer free forever. - **Trigger depth and cost.** Amphetamine wins for advanced trigger control free forever. Napless remains our overall recommendation for manual sessions and Pro holds that follow work; its remote-login condition also needs Pro after the trial. - **Holds for long jobs.** Napless Pro is our pick for documented job watches and backup controls. Amphetamine also supports download and app sessions. - **Agent lifecycle controls.** Pick Napless Pro when a hook or a run-detected agent matches the tool you use. Amphetamine can still follow a running app, which is a different signal. - **Explaining unexpected sleep.** Napless is our editorial pick when you want the menu to say why the Mac slept. This is a reading of the published docs, not a lab comparison. - **Scripting and command line.** Napless is our editorial pick for scripting breadth. Amphetamine can still be scripted with AppleScript. - **Closed-display sessions.** Choose Amphetamine if closed-display support is required today. - **Compatibility and installation.** Amphetamine supports older macOS installations; Napless offers direct distribution. ## FAQ ### Napless vs Amphetamine: which should I choose? Napless is our first choice for most Mac users. Its manual timers, presets and sleep-cause note sit alongside Pro holds for builds, local servers, meetings and supported agents. Try everything free for 7 days, then pay once for Pro. Choose Amphetamine instead for free-forever manual timers and advanced triggers, or closed-display support. Napless has not shipped closed-lid keep-awake. [Try Napless free for 7 days](https://napless.io/). ### Are Napless and Amphetamine free? Amphetamine is free on the US Mac App Store and its listing says no in-app purchases. New website installs start a 7-day free trial of everything, including Napless Pro, on first launch. No account or card is needed. After 7 days, keeping the Mac awake requires Pro. Napless Pro is US$8 for the first 50 licenses, then US$24, paid once for a lifetime license on up to 3 Macs. There is no subscription. The offer is limited by licenses sold, not a guaranteed price for every buyer. [Napless Pro](https://napless.io/pro/); [Amphetamine listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704). ### Which app keeps a MacBook awake with the lid closed? Amphetamine supports closed-display sessions today. Its release notes describe a separate Power Protect setup for Apple silicon laptops when external power changes. Napless 1.5.0 has not shipped closed-lid keep-awake. [Amphetamine notes](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704); [Napless availability](https://napless.io/help/#keep-awake-with-lid-closed). ### Does Amphetamine have automatic triggers? Yes. Amphetamine has extensive condition-based triggers, plus download and running-app sessions. This is a major reason to choose it if you want automation free. [Official feature list](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704). ### Can Napless keep a Mac awake during a Time Machine backup? Yes, with Pro. Enable While Time Machine is backing up and the automatic keep-awake master switch. The Time Machine condition is off by default. [Napless Help](https://napless.io/help/#while-time-machine-is-backing-up). ### Does Napless agent mode stay awake indefinitely? No. Napless must be running. Open at Login is in Settings › General. Claude Code, Codex and Grok stay awake while a turn runs, for up to 10 minutes after the last prompt, even if the turn is still running. Cursor stays awake while a turn runs, for up to 60 minutes after the last prompt. Gemini CLI stays awake while Gemini CLI is open. The hold can end while work continues. [Agent Mode](https://napless.io/help/#agent-mode). ### What macOS versions do Napless and Amphetamine require? Napless requires macOS 13 or later. The live Amphetamine Compatibility line says macOS 10.13 or later for version 5.3.2, despite older 10.11 wording in the description. Use the store compatibility requirement. [Napless specs](https://napless.io/#specs); [Amphetamine listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704). ### Does Napless explain why the Mac slept? Yes, since 1.3.0. The sleep-cause note is included in the trial and with Pro. If the Mac sleeps while Napless is keeping it awake, the menu and Check Health name the cause: lid closed, battery almost empty, too hot, or a normal maintenance wake. One notification after an unexpected sleep is optional. [Why did my Mac sleep?](https://napless.io/help/#why-did-my-mac-sleep). ### Can Napless keep a Mac awake during a build or while a dev server is running? Yes, with Pro. While Commands Are Running holds for named commands such as npm, cargo, xcodebuild, ffmpeg or rsync, with a 30-second grace between build steps. While a Local Server Is Running holds while something answers on a chosen port. [Commands](https://napless.io/help/#while-commands-are-running); [local servers](https://napless.io/help/#while-a-local-server-is-running). ### Does Napless include a remote-login condition? While a Remote Login Is Open is included in the trial; its keep-awake hold requires Pro after 7 days. It covers SSH, mosh or Screen Sharing, it is off by default, and Only on Power is on by default. Meetings, VPN, commands, local servers, drives and presenting require Pro. [Remote login](https://napless.io/help/#while-a-remote-login-is-open). ### What does Napless Insights show? With Pro, Settings › Insights shows how long Napless kept the Mac awake over the last day, week, month or three months, what kept it awake, which other apps hold it awake now, and battery-saving suggestions. An optional weekly summary is available. The history stays on the Mac. [Insights](https://napless.io/help/#insights-napless-pro). ## Sources - [Napless official product page](https://napless.io/) - [Napless Pro pricing and features](https://napless.io/pro/) - [Napless Help: controls, triggers and limits](https://napless.io/help/) - [Napless release notes](https://napless.io/whats-new/) - [Amphetamine on the US Mac App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704) ## Related - [Amphetamine vs Caffeine](https://bundl.run/compare/amphetamine-vs-caffeine) - [Caffeinate vs Amphetamine](https://bundl.run/compare/caffeinate-vs-amphetamine) ```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. Install all your essential Mac apps with one terminal command.", "sameAs": [ "https://github.com/abhiofficial/bundl-mac-setup", "https://x.com/bundlrun", "https://www.producthunt.com/products/bundl-run" ], "foundingDate": "2024", "contactPoint": { "@type": "ContactPoint", "contactType": "customer support", "url": "https://bundl.run/faq" } }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#website", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "description": "The Ninite for Mac. Install all your essential Mac apps with one terminal command.", "publisher": { "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization" }, "inLanguage": "en-US" }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://bundl.run/authors/jordan-kim#person", "name": "Jordan Kim", "jobTitle": "Productivity & Workflow Analyst", "url": "https://bundl.run/authors/jordan-kim", "worksFor": { "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization" }, "description": "Jordan Kim focuses on productivity software, system utilities, and workflow optimization tools. 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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Disclosure: Napless is made by the team behind Bundl, and it is our top pick. We say below where another app fits better. It combines manual timers and presets with optional display sleep, health checks, safety stops and a note explaining why the Mac slept during a hold. Pro adds download watches, calls, backup conditions, named commands, local servers, meetings, alerts and supported agent hooks, then lets the Mac sleep when the work ends. New installs get a free 7-day trial of everything, Pro included, without an account or card. After that, Pro is US$8 for the first 50 licenses, then US$24, paid once for a lifetime license on up to 3 Macs, with no subscription. Choose Amphetamine if you want free-forever timers or trigger automation, or need closed-display work. Napless has not shipped closed-lid keep-awake; check the documented agent hook limits before switching an unattended setup. 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It combines manual timers and presets with optional display sleep, health checks, safety stops and a note explaining why the Mac slept during a hold. Pro adds download watches, calls, backup conditions, named commands, local servers, meetings, alerts and supported agent hooks, then lets the Mac sleep when the work ends. New installs get a free 7-day trial of everything, Pro included, without an account or card. After that, Pro is US$8 for the first 50 licenses, then US$24, paid once for a lifetime license on up to 3 Macs, with no subscription. Choose Amphetamine if you want free-forever timers or trigger automation, or need closed-display work. Napless has not shipped closed-lid keep-awake; check the documented agent hook limits before switching an unattended setup. [Try Napless free for 7 days](https://napless.io/).", "image": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "speakable": { "@type": "SpeakableSpecification", "cssSelector": [ "h1", ".quick-answer", ".tldr-summary" ] }, "author": { "@id": "https://bundl.run/authors/jordan-kim#person" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization" }, "datePublished": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z", "dateModified": "2026-08-10T21:30:10.000Z", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://bundl.run/compare/napless-vs-amphetamine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://bundl.run/#website" }, "about": [ { "@type": "SoftwareApplication", "name": "Napless", "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/napless" }, { "@type": "SoftwareApplication", "name": "Amphetamine", "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/amphetamine" } ], "mentions": [ { "@type": "SoftwareApplication", "name": "Napless", "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/napless" }, { "@type": "SoftwareApplication", "name": "Amphetamine", "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/amphetamine" } ] }, { "@type": "FAQPage", "@id": "https://bundl.run/compare/napless-vs-amphetamine#faq", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Napless vs Amphetamine: which should I choose?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Napless is our first choice for most Mac users. Its manual timers, presets and sleep-cause note sit alongside Pro holds for builds, local servers, meetings and supported agents. Try everything free for 7 days, then pay once for Pro. Choose Amphetamine instead for free-forever manual timers and advanced triggers, or closed-display support. Napless has not shipped closed-lid keep-awake. [Try Napless free for 7 days](https://napless.io/)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Are Napless and Amphetamine free?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Amphetamine is free on the US Mac App Store and its listing says no in-app purchases. New website installs start a 7-day free trial of everything, including Napless Pro, on first launch. No account or card is needed. After 7 days, keeping the Mac awake requires Pro. Napless Pro is US$8 for the first 50 licenses, then US$24, paid once for a lifetime license on up to 3 Macs. There is no subscription. The offer is limited by licenses sold, not a guaranteed price for every buyer. [Napless Pro](https://napless.io/pro/); [Amphetamine listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which app keeps a MacBook awake with the lid closed?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Amphetamine supports closed-display sessions today. Its release notes describe a separate Power Protect setup for Apple silicon laptops when external power changes. Napless 1.5.0 has not shipped closed-lid keep-awake. [Amphetamine notes](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704); [Napless availability](https://napless.io/help/#keep-awake-with-lid-closed)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Amphetamine have automatic triggers?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Amphetamine has extensive condition-based triggers, plus download and running-app sessions. This is a major reason to choose it if you want automation free. [Official feature list](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can Napless keep a Mac awake during a Time Machine backup?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, with Pro. Enable While Time Machine is backing up and the automatic keep-awake master switch. The Time Machine condition is off by default. [Napless Help](https://napless.io/help/#while-time-machine-is-backing-up)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Napless agent mode stay awake indefinitely?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. Napless must be running. Open at Login is in Settings › General. Claude Code, Codex and Grok stay awake while a turn runs, for up to 10 minutes after the last prompt, even if the turn is still running. Cursor stays awake while a turn runs, for up to 60 minutes after the last prompt. Gemini CLI stays awake while Gemini CLI is open. The hold can end while work continues. [Agent Mode](https://napless.io/help/#agent-mode)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What macOS versions do Napless and Amphetamine require?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Napless requires macOS 13 or later. The live Amphetamine Compatibility line says macOS 10.13 or later for version 5.3.2, despite older 10.11 wording in the description. Use the store compatibility requirement. [Napless specs](https://napless.io/#specs); [Amphetamine listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amphetamine/id937984704)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Napless explain why the Mac slept?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, since 1.3.0. The sleep-cause note is included in the trial and with Pro. If the Mac sleeps while Napless is keeping it awake, the menu and Check Health name the cause: lid closed, battery almost empty, too hot, or a normal maintenance wake. One notification after an unexpected sleep is optional. [Why did my Mac sleep?](https://napless.io/help/#why-did-my-mac-sleep)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can Napless keep a Mac awake during a build or while a dev server is running?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, with Pro. While Commands Are Running holds for named commands such as npm, cargo, xcodebuild, ffmpeg or rsync, with a 30-second grace between build steps. While a Local Server Is Running holds while something answers on a chosen port. [Commands](https://napless.io/help/#while-commands-are-running); [local servers](https://napless.io/help/#while-a-local-server-is-running)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Napless include a remote-login condition?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "While a Remote Login Is Open is included in the trial; its keep-awake hold requires Pro after 7 days. It covers SSH, mosh or Screen Sharing, it is off by default, and Only on Power is on by default. Meetings, VPN, commands, local servers, drives and presenting require Pro. [Remote login](https://napless.io/help/#while-a-remote-login-is-open)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What does Napless Insights show?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "With Pro, Settings › Insights shows how long Napless kept the Mac awake over the last day, week, month or three months, what kept it awake, which other apps hold it awake now, and battery-saving suggestions. An optional weekly summary is available. The history stays on the Mac. 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