Alternatives
Perked vs the rest
Plenty of apps keep a Mac awake — from free toggles to the built-in caffeinate
command to brand-new agent-aware tools. The honest question isn't “which is best,” it's “which fits
your job.” Here's how Perked compares, one rival at a time.
What Perked does
- Auto-detects AI coding agents (zero setup)
- Power-aware (AC / battery threshold)
- Clamshell / lid-closed keep-awake
- Timed sessions
- Lock & Leave (lock screen, stay awake)
- Runs entirely on-device (no account)
Compare Perked with…
Perked vs Amphetamine
FreeFree, trigger-based keep-awake power tool.
Compare →Perked vs Caffeine
FreeThe original one-click keep-awake toggle.
Compare →Perked vs KeepingYouAwake
Free (open source)Free, open-source menu-bar keep-awake.
Compare →Perked vs Agent Caffeine
$9 one-timeAgent-aware menu-bar keep-awake, $9 one-time.
Compare →Perked vs Agent Awake
$7 one-timeAgent-aware keep-awake with lock & timers, $7 one-time.
Compare →Perked vs caffeinate (and Claude Code’s built-in)
Free (built-in)The free built-in command — and the free objection to beat.
Compare →Perked vs Lungo
$4 one-time (also on Setapp)Polished manual keep-awake, $4 one-time (also on Setapp).
Compare →Perked vs Theine
$3.99 one-timeSimple paid menu-bar toggle with a timer.
Compare →Perked vs Owly
FreeFree keep-awake with app-launch and power triggers.
Compare →Perked vs LidRun
Free · Pro from $9 one-timeFree lid-open keep-awake; paid Pro for closed-lid runs.
Compare →Perked vs Hold My Lid
$9.99 one-time (up to 3 Macs) · free trialAgent-aware keep-awake with lifecycle hooks, $9.99 one-time.
Compare →Perked vs Adrafinil
Free (MIT, open source)Free, open-source, hook-driven — but macOS 26.4 and up.
Compare →Perked vs Macchiato
Free (Apache-2.0, open source)Free, open-source, one-toggle lid-closed keep-awake.
Compare →Skip the comparison?
If you run AI coding agents, Perked just works — €1 once, yours forever.