The best Amphetamine alternatives

People leave Amphetamine for a newer Mac App Store release, simpler closed-display setup, or documented Slack or Teams presence. Its latest App Store version dates to November 2023. Closed-Display Mode can work without Power Protect, which addresses external-power changes on Apple Silicon. Caffeinated ($3.99 once) is a maintained toggle, Caffeine is free, and Idle Pilot handles cloud presence. Stay with Amphetamine if its scheduled Triggers and other controls suit your Mac.

Disclosure: Idle Pilot wrote this page and makes one of the tools on it. Vendor facts come from each vendor's own site, checked October 2026. Idle Pilot is not affiliated with Amphetamine.

Why people switch from Amphetamine

  • It has not been updated since November 2023. Version 5.3.2, dated November 10, 2023, is still its newest Mac App Store release. The app is still listed as a free download for macOS 10.13 or later.
  • Apple Silicon power changes can complicate closed-display use. Closed-Display Mode can keep a supported MacBook awake with the lid closed. Power Protect addresses problems after connecting or disconnecting external power on Apple Silicon; closed-display sessions can work without it.
  • It does not say it keeps Slack or Teams Available. Its listing offers periodic cursor movement but never mentions Teams or Slack. Teams sets Away when the computer locks, goes idle or sleeps, and Amphetamine works only while the Mac is on and awake.

At a glance

Checked October 2026 on each vendor's own site. Prices and features can change.
Tool Type Laptop closed Price
Amphetamine Keep-awake app Its Closed-Display Mode can keep a supported MacBook awake with the lid closed. Power Protect addresses external-power changes on Apple Silicon; the Mac must remain on. Free
Caffeinated Keep-awake app Its September 2026 update added an option to stay awake with the lid closed; its older help page says it is not built for that. $3.99 once
Caffeine (Mac App) Keep-awake app Its site does not mention lid-closed use; it stops helping once the Mac sleeps. Free
Lungo Keep-awake app Only when the Mac is connected to a charger and an external display, which the vendor calls a macOS limitation. $4 once
Idle Pilot Cloud presence tool Yes: it runs in the cloud, so the laptop can be closed, asleep, or off $9 per month or $60 per year
Green Dotter Software mouse jiggler Lid-closed operation is not documented; the computer must stay on and awake. It cannot work while asleep or off. Free; optional Pro from $12.99 once

The alternatives

1. Caffeinated

Paid Mac menu bar app that prevents sleep, screen dimming and the screensaver with one click or a timer.

Runs on
macOS 15 or later (Mac App Store)
Keeps Teams or Slack Available
Its site does not say whether it keeps Teams or Slack Available; it lists video calls only as a reason to keep the screen on.
Laptop closed
Its September 2026 update added an option to stay awake with the lid closed; its older help page says it is not built for that.
Price
$3.99 once

Why it fits: Caffeinated is actively updated, with version 3.3.0 on October 19, 2026, and its September 2026 update added an option to stay awake with the lid closed.

Watch out: It costs $3.99 once, needs macOS 15 or later, and its older help page still says it is not built for lid-closed use.

Caffeinated website Idle Pilot vs Caffeinated Caffeinated alternatives

2. Caffeine (Mac App)

Free, open-source Mac menu bar app that prevents automatic sleep, screen dimming and screen savers, with an optional timeout.

Runs on
macOS 11 or later; an older version for macOS 10.10 to 10.15 is linked from its site
Keeps Teams or Slack Available
Its site does not say whether it keeps Teams or Slack Available. Slack documents that desktop users become away after 10 minutes of inactivity.
Laptop closed
Its site does not mention lid-closed use; it stops helping once the Mac sleeps.
Price
Free

Why it fits: Caffeine is free like Amphetamine, open source under the MIT license, and still maintained: version 1.6.4 shipped in April 2026.

Watch out: It has no weekday schedule, and lid-closed operation is not documented; the Mac must stay on and awake.

Caffeine (Mac App) website Idle Pilot vs Caffeine (Mac App) Caffeine (Mac App) alternatives

3. Lungo

Paid Mac menu bar app that keeps the Mac awake and the screen on for a set time or until you turn it off.

Runs on
macOS 26 or later (Mac App Store); older versions for macOS 10.13 to 15 on its site
Keeps Teams or Slack Available
No. Its FAQ says keeping Slack or Microsoft Teams active is not the purpose of the app.
Laptop closed
Only when the Mac is connected to a charger and an external display, which the vendor calls a macOS limitation.
Price
$4 once

Why it fits: Lungo is maintained (version 2.8.3, September 2026), and you can automate it with Shortcuts, a URL scheme or its command-line tool in place of Triggers.

Watch out: It costs $4 once, the current version needs macOS 26, and its FAQ says keeping Slack or Teams active is not the purpose of the app.

Lungo website Idle Pilot vs Lungo Lungo alternatives

4. Idle Pilot

Idle Pilot maintains Slack or Microsoft Teams availability from the cloud during saved Work Hours.

Runs on
Cloud. Set up once in desktop Chrome with the Idle Pilot extension
Keeps Teams or Slack Available
Yes: Slack or Microsoft Teams, one account at a time
Laptop closed
Yes: it runs in the cloud, so the laptop can be closed, asleep, or off
Price
$9 per month or $60 per year

Why it fits: If you used Amphetamine to keep Slack or Teams Available, Idle Pilot does that from the cloud during saved Work Hours with no lid-closed setup: the laptop can be closed, asleep or off.

Watch out: It handles presence only, for one Slack workspace or one Teams account at a time, and costs $9 per month or $60 per year after a 3-day free trial.

Idle Pilot pricing

5. Green Dotter

Free Mac and Windows auto clicker and mouse jiggler that wiggles the mouse or clicks an area you choose, with a weekly scheduler in beta.

Runs on
macOS 11 or later (Intel and Apple Silicon) and Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
Keeps Teams or Slack Available
Its FAQ says yes for Slack and Teams while a session runs, depending on your Teams setup, and that mouse movement alone is often not enough for Slack.
Laptop closed
Lid-closed operation is not documented; the computer must stay on and awake. It cannot work while asleep or off.
Price
Free; optional Pro from $12.99 once

Why it fits: Green Dotter is free with no account and has a weekly scheduler in beta. Its FAQ describes Slack support through chosen click areas and qualifies Teams behavior by setup and workplace policy.

Watch out: It needs the Mac on, awake and signed in, pauses when the screen locks, and monitoring software can log its simulated clicks or mouse movement.

Green Dotter website Idle Pilot vs Green Dotter Green Dotter alternatives

When Amphetamine is still the right choice

Amphetamine still fits if you use its scheduled keep-awake Triggers by time and day, conditions for apps, Wi-Fi, displays, power or idle time, or screen-lock and cursor options. It is free, with no ads, in-app purchases or tracking, per the developer. If version 5.3.2 runs well on your Mac, its older App Store release alone need not prompt a switch.

Amphetamine sources

FAQ

What is the best Amphetamine alternative?
For a maintained Mac app, Caffeinated: it costs $3.99 once, was updated on October 19, 2026, and added a lid-closed option in September 2026. For a free app, Caffeine for Mac is open source and was updated in April 2026. If the goal is Slack or Teams staying Available with the laptop closed, Idle Pilot runs that from the cloud during saved Work Hours.
Is there a free Amphetamine alternative?
Yes. Caffeine for Mac and KeepingYouAwake are free and open source under the MIT license, Jiggler for Mac is free under the GNU GPL v3, and Green Dotter is free with no account. Green Dotter adds a weekly scheduler in beta, and Jiggler can run only while a chosen app runs. Caffeinated ($3.99) and Lungo ($4) are one-time purchases, and Idle Pilot costs $9 per month or $60 per year after its trial.
Which Amphetamine alternative works with the laptop closed?
Caffeinated added a lid-closed option in September 2026, though its older help page disagrees. Lungo requires a charger and external display; Theine requires an external display. KeepingYouAwake explicitly rejects closed-lid use. Caffeine's lid behavior is undocumented; it must remain on and awake. The other local apps also require an awake Mac. Idle Pilot maintains Slack or Teams availability during saved Work Hours with the laptop closed, asleep, or off.
Is it safe to use Amphetamine or an alternative on a work Mac?
That depends on your employer's rules, and no tool on this page can promise it is allowed. Device management can list installed apps and USB devices, and monitoring tools can record input, including cursor movement and clicks. Slack and Teams admins can see sessions, devices and network origins, including the session Idle Pilot keeps. Availability is not proof of work. Check your employer's policy before you install anything.

Related

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Keep Slack or Teams Available with your laptop closed.

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Idle Pilot facts

Idle Pilot maintains Slack or Microsoft Teams availability from the cloud during saved Work Hours.

Who it is for
For people who want availability to follow work hours when the laptop is closed, asleep, or off.
Connected account
One Slack workspace or one Microsoft Teams account at a time. You can switch platforms.
Price
Freedom Pass costs $9 per month or $60 per year.
Trial
3-day free trial · No credit card. The trial starts at the first Slack or Teams connection. 7 days if you connect within 3 hours of sign-up.
First setup
Connect once in desktop Google Chrome with the Idle Pilot extension. You can remove the extension after linking. Mobile-only linking is not supported. View the extension.
Limits
Presence only: it does not write custom status messages or read chats and files. It is not a mouse jiggler. Your employer’s rules still apply; availability is not proof of work.
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