An Amphetamine alternative for Mac
Classic keep-awake utilities are great at one thing: holding the Mac awake. For long dev and AI runs you often want more, like battery auto-sleep and thermal watch. Here is how a safety-first keep-awake tool compares for that kind of work.
What the classic keep-awake apps do well
Amphetamine and similar tools are well-built and popular for good reason. They hold the Mac awake reliably and give you simple triggers to start and stop a session.
For everyday use, like keeping the screen on during a presentation, that is exactly what you want.
Where long dev and AI runs need more
Traditional keep-awake apps keep your Mac awake. LidRun keeps your AI work running safely, with battery and thermal limits.
A run that lasts hours benefits from a battery floor so the Mac sleeps before it drains to zero, and from continuous thermal watch so a hot job does not run unwatched.
LidRun detects dev and AI tools, holds the Mac awake while they work, and gates every session on battery and thermal state. When a threshold trips, it lets the Mac sleep instead of pushing the hardware.
A safety-first workflow
Set a battery warning and an auto-sleep level, pick a session timer, then start your task and close the lid. LidRun keeps the work alive while conditions stay safe.
If you want auto sleep protection and thermal watch on top of a wake lock, see the plans on /pricing or get the app from /download.
FAQ
- Is LidRun a drop-in replacement for Amphetamine?
- It covers the same keep-awake need and adds battery auto-sleep, thermal watch, and lid-closed support aimed at long dev and AI runs. Which fits depends on how long and how heavy your work is.
- What does LidRun add for long runs?
- Auto sleep protection at a battery threshold you set, continuous thermal watch, automatic detection of dev tools, and a session timer that caps a run.
- Does it support lid-closed work?
- Yes, with keep-running mode on. Battery and thermal thresholds decide when a lid-closed session should end.
LidRun
Keep AI and dev work running on Mac, lid closed, with battery and thermal safety thresholds in place.