Agent Caffeine vs Lidnight
Both keep a Mac awake with the lid closed while agents work, and let it sleep when they're done. The difference: a command-line and MCP tool, versus answering from your phone and a recap when you're back.
In one line
Agent Caffeine recognises 40+ agents, and an agent can ask it to stay awake through the agent-caffeine hold command or its MCP server. When an agent asks you something it stays awake 5 more minutes, and it can stay awake for 1, 2 or 4 hours so a message from your phone reaches your agent.
Lidnight lets you answer Claude Code and Codex permission prompts (and Claude's questions) from your phone (end-to-end encrypted), and shows a recap when you open the lid: each task's result, what's waiting for your reply, errors and tokens.
Compared
| Agent Caffeine | Lidnight | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 7-day trial, $9 once at launch (then $14), 3 Macs, 1 year of updates | Free (lid open) · Pro one-time, free trial |
| Detection | Claude Code, Codex and Cursor report state; signs of work for 40+ | Hooks (Claude Code, Codex) + ~40 more by process |
| Lid closed on battery | A helper, allowed once | Helper (admin password once) |
| Protection | Sleeps at 20% battery (adjustable) or when too hot | Battery floor and heat protection; sleeps when done |
| Scripts and agents | agent-caffeine hold command, MCP server | lidnight command (status, doctor) |
| Phone | Stay awake 1, 2 or 4 hours so phone messages reach the agent | Approvals, answering questions, status page (encrypted) |
| When you're back | Not mentioned on its page | Recap: results, what's waiting for you, errors, tokens |
| macOS | 13 or later, Intel supported | 13 or later, Apple Silicon |
Checked 2026-10-26 against Agent Caffeine's own page (caffeinagent.com). Things change; check each site.
Which one
If you're on an Intel Mac, or want agents to hold the Mac awake for renders and training runs through a command or MCP, Agent Caffeine fits well. If you want to answer Claude Code's questions from your phone while you're away, and see what finished and what's waiting for you when you're back, Lidnight fits.
Try Lidnight free
Apple Silicon Macs · macOS 13 or later. Every download includes a free trial of everything in Pro (5 lid-closed runs or 14 days), no payment details needed. Pro is a one-time payment (1 Mac $9.99 · 3 Macs $14.99) with a 14-day refund.