A Dynamic-Island-style hub for the MacBook notch.
Our take
A newer entrant in the hub race — evidence of how quickly this category is filling in.
Crest is one app in a three-app suite from the same team — Take (a screen recorder) and Minutes (a meeting notetaker) are sold separately or bundled for $49.99, all one-time purchases that keep everything local.
- Price
- $19.99 one-time (free tier available)
- License
- Proprietary
- Requires
- macOS 14 or later · MacBook with a notch
- Get it via
- Direct
- Developer
- Crest
Do you use CrestNotch?
Who made this
Crest ✓
Crest is a studio brand — no individual maker is named anywhere across its site or its three apps (Crest, Take, Minutes).
What it does
Notch control room
Music, calendar, todos, system stats, and clipboard, one glance up.
Claude Code approvals
Allow or deny agent tool requests from the notch without switching windows.
Mode switching
Auto, Home, Work, and Code modes change which modules the island shows.
Free tier forever
The base app stays free; Pro unlocks every module for a one-time payment.
The deal
- Free tier forever; Pro unlocks every module for $19.99 one-time
- 7-day free trial of Pro, no card required
- Each license covers 2 Macs
- Card or cryptocurrency accepted, payments via Paddle
Privacy: The developer states nothing recorded or typed in the suite leaves your Mac, with no cloud sync required after initial activation.
CrestNotch — questions people ask
Is Crest a subscription?
No — it’s a one-time purchase with free updates; nothing renews.
Which Macs does it need?
A MacBook with a notch on macOS 14 or later.
Can I try it before buying?
Yes — a free tier plus a 7-day Pro trial, no card required.
Does it work offline?
Yes, after a one-time activation.
Is CrestNotch free?
CrestNotch costs $19.99 one-time (free tier available).
Can I run CrestNotch together with another notch app?
No — CrestNotch draws at the notch, so it takes the place of any other notch app (hubs included). Apps that live in the menu bar or on screen stack alongside it fine.
Where can I download CrestNotch?
CrestNotch is available via Direct.
Reviews
No public ratings yet. Reader reviews are coming to Kitsmith soon.
Listing hand-verified July 27, 2026 from the developer's site and public sources.
How CrestNotch compares
Not sold on CrestNotch? These swap in
Notch apps run one at a time — pick one of these instead, not as well.
Alcove
$14.99 one-timeLive activities and widgets around the notch, with the most polished animations in the category.
NotchNook
$25 one-time (or $3/mo)The feature-maximal island: file shelf, widgets, live activities, and deep customization.
boring.notch
FreeFree, open-source island with media controls and small utilities — the no-commitment entry point.
DynamicLake
$13.99 one-timeIsland platform covering music, notifications, calendar, and utilities — with an explicit Liquid Glass design option.
Keep CrestNotch — stack these next to it
These live in the menu bar or on screen, so they run happily alongside any notch app.
