Comparison
Brim vs The Boring Notch
Brim vs The Boring Notch is a free open-source notch against a $4.99 workspace. The Boring Notch has a music player with a visualizer, a file shelf with AirDrop, calendar and reminders, a camera mirror and HUD replacements, and it’s a great way to find out if you like living in the notch. Brim is for when you want the notch to hold your agents, your AI and your clipboard as well.
Brim
$4.99 forever
The Boring Notch
Free
Where they differ
| Feature | Brim | The Boring Notch |
|---|---|---|
| Run coding agents from the notchClaude Code, Codex and 19 ACP agents | Included | Not offered |
| Approve or deny agent commands⌘Y / ⌘N, without switching windows | Included | Not offered |
| Chat on your ChatGPT or Claude planNo API key, no extra bill | Included | Not offered |
| Bring your own API keyOpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, xAI, Llama, OpenRouter | Included | Not offered |
| Apple on‑device chat | Included | Not offered |
| Live AI usage limitsClaude, Codex, Cursor, Copilot and more | Included | Not offered |
| Drag‑and‑drop file shelf | Included | Included |
| AirDrop quick send | Included | Included |
| Clipboard history | Included | Not offered |
| Skips password‑manager clips | Included | Not offered |
| Store sales in the notchStripe, Shopify, Gumroad and four more | Included | Not offered |
| Weather, stocks & unit converter | Included | Not offered |
| Timers, calendar, reminders & to‑dos | Included | Limited |
| Teleprompter & camera mirror | Included | Limited |
| One‑time price, no subscription | Included | Included |
Based on publicly documented features as of October 2026. Competitor names and icons belong to their owners.
How to choose
- 1
Try free first. If media is enough, stay.
- 2
List what’s missing. Clipboard history, AI, agents, timers, sales.
- 3
Pay once. $4.99.
- 4
Keep one. Notch apps share one strip.
Open source and free versus complete
The Boring Notch is open and free. Brim is closed source and paid, and does a lot more.
Why choose Brim
- Agents and AI chat.
- Clipboard history that skips passwords.
- Timers, to-dos, weather, stocks and sales in the same hover.
When The Boring Notch still makes sense
- You want open source.
- Media, a shelf and a calendar are all you need.
Verdict
Start with The Boring Notch; move to Brim when you want the notch to work.
FAQ
- Is Brim open source?
- No.
- Does The Boring Notch have clipboard history?
- Not as of October 2026.
More comparisons
Prefer one table? See every app side by side.