Apps to keep your Mac awakeHead to head
KeepingYouAwake vs Lungo
KeepingYouAwake ranks #1 and Lungo ranks #3 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#3 in the guide
LungoPick Lungo if you want the Mac awake for a set length of time, started with a hotkey.$4 onceWhat decides it
- KeepingYouAwake costs less over 3 years: Free, against $4 for Lungo.
- Both run on Mac.
- Lungo is included with a Setapp subscription; KeepingYouAwake isn't.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | KeepingYouAwake | Lungo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free and open source | $4 once on the Mac App Store, or included with Setapp |
| How you pay | Free | Pay once |
| 3 years of use | Free Cheaper | $4 |
| Free trial | Free to start | None listed |
| Runs on | Mac | Mac |
| Where to buy | Developer | App Store, Setapp |
| Features | Menu bar app, Open source | Menu bar app, Shortcuts, Privacy, Family Sharing |
| Made by | Not listed | Sindre Sorhus |
| Last updated | Not tracked | 15 Sept 2026 |
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 Lungo if
You present from your Mac every week and want a timed awake switch you can trigger with a hotkey.
Skip KeepingYouAwake if
You are comfortable typing caffeinate in Terminal, the built-in command this app is a front end for.
Skip Lungo if
You just want a plain on and off switch, and KeepingYouAwake and Amphetamine both do that for free.
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.
Lungo
If you present slides, follow a recipe on your Mac or watch videos in a small window, Lungo keeps the screen from dimming for a set time or until you switch it off. It starts from a right-click, a keyboard shortcut, Shortcuts or the terminal, and turns itself off when you unplug. At $4 it costs more than the free KeepingYouAwake, and the App Store version can't stop sleep when you close the lid.
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
Lungo
- Stop the screen dimming during a presentation
- Keep the screen on during long tasks
- Switch off automatically when you go on battery
Where to get them
KeepingYouAwake
Free and open source
-
From the developerNeeds macOS 10.13 or later; also installs with HomebrewFreeGet it
Lungo
$4 once on the Mac App Store, or included with Setapp
-
Mac App Store$4.00Mac App Store
-
IncludedTry Setapp
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Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best apps to keep your Mac awake.
