Apps to keep your Mac awakeHead to head
KeepingYouAwake vs Caffeine
KeepingYouAwake ranks #1 and Caffeine ranks #2 in our guide to the best apps to keep your Mac awake. KeepingYouAwake is our pick for most people.
KeepingYouAwakePick KeepingYouAwake if you run long downloads or renders and come back to find your Mac asleep.Free, open source#2 in the guide
CaffeinePick Caffeine if you want a free, simple coffee cup switch for movies and presentations.Free, open sourceWhat decides it
- Both are free.
- Both run on Mac.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | KeepingYouAwake | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source. Donations are optional |
| How you pay | Free | Free |
| 3 years of use | Free | Free |
| Free trial | Free to start | Free to start |
| Runs on | Mac | Mac |
| Where to buy | Developer | Developer |
| Features | Menu bar app, Open source | Menu bar app, Open source |
Who should get which
Get KeepingYouAwake if
You leave long downloads, renders or presentations running and keep finding your Mac asleep when you come back.
Get Caffeine if
You give presentations or run long downloads and keep wiggling the mouse to stop the screen going dark.
Skip KeepingYouAwake if
You are comfortable typing caffeinate in Terminal, the built-in command this app is a front end for.
Skip Caffeine if
You are comfortable in Terminal, where the free caffeinate command keeps a Mac awake with nothing to install.
Our verdicts
KeepingYouAwake
If you keep coming back to a sleeping Mac halfway through a big download or a slideshow, this free, open source menu bar app is the fix. A single click keeps the Mac awake for good or for a set time, and it can switch itself off when the battery runs low. It can't keep a MacBook awake with the lid closed, and Amphetamine adds triggers if you want it to switch on by itself.
Caffeine
Your Mac dims and locks halfway through a long download, a movie or a slide deck you are presenting. Caffeine stops that with 1 click on a coffee cup in the menu bar, and it can switch itself off after a set time. It is free and open source, but the caffeinate command already built into Terminal does the same job if you are comfortable typing it.
What each one helps you do
KeepingYouAwake
- Keep your Mac awake during long downloads
- Stop the screen sleeping mid-presentation
- Stay awake for a set time, then stop
- Switch off when the battery runs low
Caffeine
- Stop your Mac from sleeping during a download
- Keep the screen on during a presentation
- Turn sleep back on after a set time
Where to get them
Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best apps to keep your Mac awake.
