Comparison
Perked vs Agent Awake
Looking for a Agent Awake alternative to keep your Mac awake while your coding agents work? Here's an honest look at how Perked and Agent Awake compare — what each is best at, and which one fits your workflow.
What is Agent Awake?
Agent Awake is another 2026 menu-bar app that keeps your Mac awake while coding agents run. It detects Claude Code by default (with Codex, Aider, Cursor, Gemini and Copilot toggleable) and ships a lock-screen shortcut and display timers.
The main difference
Agent Awake covers the basics Perked does — auto-detect plus a lock-screen shortcut and timers. Where Perked pulls ahead is power-awareness (stay awake only on AC or above a battery threshold) and clamshell / lid-closed sessions, which Agent Awake does not advertise.
Perked vs Agent Awake, feature by feature
| Feature | Perked | Agent Awake |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | ||
| Open source | — | — |
| Price | One-time from €1 | $7 one-time |
“Manual setup” means the app can do it, but you configure it yourself. Last reviewed June 2026.
Which should you pick?
Choose Agent Awake if…
- You mainly run Claude Code and want a simple, cheap agent-aware app.
- You do not need battery-threshold rules or lid-closed sessions.
- A $7 one-time price is the deciding factor.
Choose Perked if…
- You want power-aware behaviour (AC-only or a battery threshold you set).
- You need lid-closed / clamshell keep-awake for unattended runs.
- You want detection across more agents plus custom apps out of the box.
FAQ
Does Agent Awake support battery rules or lid-closed mode? +
Not that it advertises — it focuses on detect-and-hold plus a lock shortcut and timers. Perked adds power-awareness (AC / battery threshold) and clamshell / lid-closed sessions.
Built for AI coding sessions
One-time purchase, yours forever — €1 today, and your price is locked in for good.
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