AgentValley (site) puts every Claude Code session and sub-agent on a card in your MacBook's notch, with a pixel programmer showing who's working, on which model, and who's waiting on you. It's free and open source, with no stated pricing tiers beyond that.
If you're looking for something that does the same basic job — watching Claude Code (or other coding agents) from your menu bar or notch — here's how the alternatives stack up.
Comparison Table
| Product | Free tier | Starts at | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AgentValley | Yes | Free | Free, open-source notch monitoring |
| NapCat | Yes | Free | No-cost notch monitoring, no account |
| devpit | Yes | Free | A fuller "control room" view, still free |
| so-agentbar | Yes | Free | Menu bar instead of notch |
| AgentPeek | Yes (3-day trial) | $14.99 one-time | Polished paid app, no subscription |
| Clueprint | Yes | Free | Checking what agents left running, after the fact |
| Notchware | Yes | $3.99 one-time | Notch widget with agent alerts plus other utilities |
| Halo | No | $9.99 one-time | Notch notifications, dictation, and agent tracking together |
NapCat
NapCat (site) puts AI agents in the notch, same pitch as AgentValley, and is completely free — no paid tier, trial clock, license check, or account required. It's described as a side project, which suits anyone who wants a no-strings tool without worrying about future paywalls. It fits people who want the simplest possible free option. The honest limitation: it's brand new (launched August 2026 with just one launch-day vote), so it has far less track record than AgentValley or the paid options here.
devpit
devpit (site) bills itself as a native control room for Claude Code agents rather than just a notch widget, suggesting a broader view of agent activity. It's free and open source with no pricing tiers mentioned, same cost model as AgentValley. It suits people who want more than a glance — something closer to a dashboard. It launched October 2026 with 117 votes, a reasonable signal of early traction, though specifics on what "control room" includes beyond the notch aren't detailed in the brief.
so-agentbar
so-agentbar (site) monitors Claude Code sessions in real time from the macOS menu bar instead of the notch. It's free, open-source, and MIT licensed, with no pricing information beyond that. It suits people who prefer a menu bar icon over a notch overlay, or who don't have a notched Mac. The limitation to flag: it had zero launch-day votes, so there's no community signal yet on how well it works in practice.
AgentPeek
AgentPeek (site) also shows coding agents in the Mac notch, with a 3-day free trial and then a one-time purchase: $14.99 for one Mac, up to $34.99 for three, no subscription, unlimited updates included. It suits people willing to pay once for a polished, supported app rather than use free open-source software. With 164 launch-day votes, it has more early visibility than most alternatives here. The tradeoff versus AgentValley is straightforward: you pay for it.
Clueprint
Clueprint (site) does a different version of the job: rather than live-monitoring agents as they work, it shows what your agents left running on your Mac afterward. It's a free macOS download, no account required, all features included. It suits people more worried about cleanup and leftover processes than live status-watching. The limitation is that it's not a direct substitute for AgentValley's live-session view — it's a complementary, after-the-fact tool.
Notchware
Notchware (site) is a notch widget where AI agent alerts (including Claude Code) are one feature among several — Now Playing, battery, volume, brightness, Focus, and Wi-Fi status are free; a $3.99 one-time Pro purchase unlocks the AI agent alerts plus Lock Screen features. It suits people who want a general-purpose notch utility with agent alerts bundled in, not a dedicated agent monitor. The limitation: the free tier alone doesn't include agent monitoring, you need Pro.
Halo
Halo (site) bundles notifications, dictation, and AI agent tracking into one notch app, for a one-time $9.99 purchase with no subscription and no free tier. It suits people who want agent monitoring alongside other notch-based productivity features in a single paid package. The clear limitation versus AgentValley: there's no free tier at all, so you're committing $9.99 just to try it.
How to choose
If you want a free, dedicated, open-source notch monitor like AgentValley, start with NapCat or devpit. If you'd rather use the menu bar, try so-agentbar. If you want a paid app with a trial and no subscription, AgentPeek is the closest match. If agent monitoring is just one feature you want alongside other notch utilities, look at Notchware or Halo. If you need to check what agents left behind rather than watch them live, Clueprint covers that instead.
FAQ
Is AgentValley really free? Yes, it's stated as free and open source with no pricing tiers mentioned.
Which alternative is closest to AgentValley? NapCat and devpit are both free, open-source notch/control-room tools aimed at the same job.
Are any alternatives paid only, with no free option? Yes, Halo has no free tier and costs $9.99 one-time; AgentPeek has a free trial but then requires a one-time purchase.