Wake vs Amphetamine.
Wake and Amphetamine are both menu bar apps that keep a Mac from going to sleep. This page compares price, features and privacy.
| Feature | Wake | Amphetamine |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9 once | Free |
| Pay once | Yes | –Free |
| Menu bar timer | Yes | Yes |
| Display can sleep | Yes | Yes |
| Low-battery cut-off | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic triggers | No | Yes |
| Awake with lid closed | No | Yes |
| Scripting | No | Yes |
| Requires | macOS 14 or later | macOS 10.13 or later |
| Where you get it | awakeforever.app | Mac App Store |
| Timer lengths | 15 minutes to 8 hours | Any, or until a time |
| Last updated | 1 November 2026 | 10 November 2023 |
Yes Yes Partly Partly No No
Price
Amphetamine is free on the Mac App Store, and its listing says it has no advertisements and no in-app purchases. Wake costs US$9 once, tax included, with every feature and all future updates. One licence covers up to 3 of your Macs, and Wake is free for 7 days with no card, with refunds available within 30 days.
Automatic triggers
Amphetamine’s triggers can start a session automatically, for example while an app is running, on a specific Wi-Fi network, while an external display, USB device or Bluetooth device is connected, or by power source, CPU use or idle time. Wake has no triggers: you turn it on from the menu or with an option-click on the icon, and it runs for one of six fixed lengths or until you turn it off. Amphetamine also offers sessions until a specified clock time or while a file downloads, which Wake does not.
Where Amphetamine is ahead
- Amphetamine can start a session automatically with triggers for a running app, a Wi-Fi network, a connected display or device, the power source, CPU use or idle time.
- Closed-Display Mode keeps a MacBook awake with its lid closed.
- It supports AppleScript and hot keys for starting and ending sessions.
- It includes extras such as Drive Alive, mouse cursor movement, screen saver control and screen locking.
- It is free from the Mac App Store and runs on macOS 10.13 and later.
Try Wake free for 7 days.
Then $9 once, for up to 3 of your Macs. No subscription and no account.
Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple silicon or Intel.
More comparisons
Sources
Checked against Amphetamine’s own website and documentation on 13 November 2026. If something here is out of date, tell us and we’ll correct it.
- Amphetamine on the Mac App Store (US)
- Amphetamine privacy policy link from the App Store listing (404 on 13 November 2026)
Amphetamine is a trademark of its owner. Wake is not affiliated with it.