# ctrlhq vs Alcove: A Dynamic Island, or a place to run your day.

> ctrlhq vs Alcove: Alcove recreates the iPhone Dynamic Island on Mac. ctrlhq turns the notch into a productivity app with tasks, time tracking and meeting notes.

- ctrlhq: $19 once (launch price, regular $49), no subscription, 14-day money-back guarantee. Native, about 12 MB. macOS 26 Tahoe or later.
- Alcove: Dynamic Island app. Price: $14.99 once. Source: https://tryalcove.com
- Facts checked September 2026.

Alcove is the closest thing to the iPhone's Dynamic Island on a Mac: fluid animations, now playing, HUDs, live activities and lock screen widgets. It's about how the notch feels.

ctrlhq is about what the notch does. Your next task and running timer sit beside it, and a hover opens today's list, focus sessions, time reports, clipboard history, screen recording, meeting notes and more.

## ctrlhq vs Alcove at a glance

| | ctrlhq | Alcove |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19 once (launch price, then $49) | $14.99 once |
| Now playing | Yes | Yes |
| Volume and brightness HUDs | No | Yes |
| Lock screen widgets | No | Yes |
| Tasks and time tracking | Yes | No |
| File shelf | Yes | No |
| Clipboard history | Yes | No |
| Screen recording and meeting notes | Yes | No |
| Mac cleanup tools | Yes | No |
| macOS | 26 Tahoe or later | 15 Sequoia or later |

## Choose Alcove if

- You want the iPhone Dynamic Island look, HUDs and lock screen widgets.
- You're on macOS 15.

## Choose ctrlhq if

- You want the notch to hold your tasks and time, not just your music.
- You'd like a file shelf, clipboard history, recording and meeting notes in the same place.

## Lightweight by design

ctrlhq is a native Swift app, about 12 MB to download, with no background daemons. It replaces a handful of single-purpose apps with one that's already running in your notch.

## The ctrlhq features that cover Alcove

- [Time tracking](https://ctrlhq.app/features/time-tracking): Your tasks and the running timer live in the notch, so you never forget to start or stop.
- [Power tool](https://ctrlhq.app/features/quick-capture): ⌘⇧Space from any app. Type a task, a sum, a file name, a reminder or an app, press Return, and you're back where you were.
- [File shelf](https://ctrlhq.app/features/file-shelf): Drop files on the notch to hold them. Drag them out later, or AirDrop them in one move.
- [Clipboard history](https://ctrlhq.app/features/clipboard-history): Searchable clipboard history for text and images. ⌘⇧V opens it in any app.

## FAQ

### Does ctrlhq replace the volume and brightness HUDs?

No. ctrlhq leaves macOS's own HUDs alone. It does add a brightness slider for every display, including external monitors.

---

Alcove is a trademark of its owner. ctrlhq isn't affiliated with it. Download ctrlhq: https://ctrlhq.app/download · All comparisons: https://ctrlhq.app/compare