Clamshell vs Lidnight
Both keep a MacBook awake with the lid closed. They differ in when they turn on and off, and what else they do.
In one line
Clamshell is manual: hold Option while closing the lid, or choose “Arm for Next Close” in the menu bar. Lidnight turns itself on only while an agent such as Claude Code or Codex is working, and turns itself off and lets the Mac sleep when the work is done.
Compared
| Clamshell | Lidnight | |
|---|---|---|
| How it turns on | Manual (Option + close, or the menu) | Automatic while agents work (hooks for Claude Code and Codex, processes for ~40 more) |
| When the work ends | You disarm it; quitting or restarting restores normal sleep | Turns itself off and sleeps once every session is quiet |
| Admin permission | Not needed (no helper, no sudo) | Once (a helper that only changes sleep, power and fans) |
| Battery and heat | Optional battery floor; disarms on serious thermal pressure | Battery floor and heat protection; sleeps when done |
| Approve and answer from your phone | Not mentioned on its page | Answer Claude Code prompts and questions (end-to-end encrypted) |
| When you're back | Not mentioned on its page | Recap: results, what's waiting for you, errors, tokens |
| Price | 7-day trial, $9.99 one-time for 1 Mac | Free (lid open) · Pro one-time, free trial |
| Requirements | Apple Silicon, macOS 14+, models with a lid angle sensor | Apple Silicon, macOS 13+ |
Checked 2026-10-26 against Clamshell's own page (clamshell.dev). Things change; check each site.
Which one
If you prefer arming it yourself and want no admin permission at all, Clamshell is clean. If you often hand work to several agents and walk away, want it to turn off on its own so you never forget, or want to approve and answer from your phone and see what finished 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.