AlDente vs coconutBattery (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, coconutBattery grades higher than AlDente: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
coconutBattery grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
AlDente
Charge limiter and battery care app for MacBooks
coconutBattery
Mac app that reads battery health for Macs, iPhones and iPads
Which one is for you
Pick AlDente if
- Fits if your MacBook sits plugged in at a desk most of the day
- Works for people who'd rather pay $24.99 once than renew every year
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't own a MacBook, as that's the only thing it runs on, from macOS 12 through macOS 27
- Tight if you're staying free, because the limit can't hold while the laptop is asleep or shut down
- Watch out: heat protection, Sailing Mode, calibration, schedules and battery stats are all Pro only
- Not for you if your Mac stays offline for weeks, since Pro switches to free after 30 days without a license check
- Watch out: prices vary by country, and the page's own text shows 11,49 € and 23,99 € beside the $13.99 and $24.99 US prices
Pick coconutBattery if
- Fits if you want to see how worn a Mac or iPhone battery is
- Works for people buying a used Mac who want the cycle count
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use Windows or Linux, since it is Mac only and needs macOS 12 or later
- Tight if you want the menu bar or lifetime view free, as those are Plus
- Watch out: the Standard edition covers 4.x updates only
- Watch out: it is sold from the vendor's site only, not through any App Store
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAAlDenteFair | 2.6GPAcoconutBatteryGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APro is $13.99 a year, or $24.99 once for a lifetime license. Paid utilities here sit around $15 for a one-time price, so $24.99 for good is still less than a year of the category's middle subscription. One key activates on up to three macOS user accounts. | A$13.99 one-time for Plus Standard, under a year of the typical utility subscription. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe free version sets the charge limit, which sounds like the whole point until you read the catch: it can't control charging while the MacBook is asleep or shut down, so close the lid and it fills to 100% anyway. Heat protection, schedules and stats are all Pro. | BThe base app with Mac and iPhone/iPad diagnostics is free for good. Plus has a trial of 10 launches. |
| Features | CBattery care is a small job and AlDente covers it: a charge limit, discharging on the adapter, heat protection, a Sailing Mode range, calibration, schedules and stats on capacity and temperature. One narrow chore, covered in full, which is where most tools sit. | CBattery diagnostics for Mac, iPhone and iPad, but the menu bar details, lifetime analyzer, advanced viewer, notifications and Wi-Fi are all Plus. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating is on record, but there's nothing to set up: it's a menu bar app, you drag a slider to a limit and it holds it. One thing to know is that Pro checks its license online at least once every 30 days, and drops to the free version after 30 days offline. | BNo rating on record. Install and open it; the numbers are on the first screen. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMacBooks only, on macOS 12 Monterey through macOS 27, so one operating system and not even all of it. It works with Apple Shortcuts, and Pro comes with Setapp. But it's one kind of computer, and that's that. | DMac only, macOS 12 or later, though it reads connected iPhones and iPads. |
| Best for | looking after a MacBook battery that's always plugged in | checking battery health on a Mac or iPhone |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: AlDente and coconutBattery. How we grade
Where they differ
At a glance
| AlDente | coconutBattery | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $13.99 / year, or $24.99 one-time for a lifetime license | $13.99 one-time (coconutBattery Standard) |
| Free plan | AlDente Free includes the Charge Limiter and manual Discharge. It cannot control charging while the MacBook is asleep or shut down. | The base app with Mac and iPhone/iPad battery diagnostics and saved battery health info; Plus features have a trial of 10 launches. |
| Free trial | None listed | Plus mode can be tried for 10 app launches, activated in the app settings. |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | AppHouseKitchen GmbH | coconut-flavour.com |
| Price read from | apphousekitchen.com | coconut-flavour.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
AlDente
- For MacBooks only, on macOS 12 Monterey through macOS 27; the site lists the supported models.
- AlDente Free cannot control charging while the MacBook is asleep or shut down, so it can still charge to 100% with the lid closed.
- AlDente Pro checks its license online at least once every 30 days; after 30 days offline it switches to the free version.
- Prices vary by country through Paddle: the page's own text shows 11,49 € and 23,99 €, and its price feed returns $13.99 and $24.99 for US buyers.
coconutBattery
- Runs on macOS 12 Monterey or later; older versions of the app exist for older macOS.
- Sold only from the vendor's site, not in any App Store.
- Menu bar details, Wi-Fi support, the lifetime analyzer, advanced viewer and notifications need Plus.
- The Standard edition covers version 4.x updates only.
Key features
AlDente
- Charge Limiter
- Sets the charge level a plugged-in MacBook holds. Once the limit is reached, charging pauses and the laptop runs from the adapter. Included in AlDente Free.
- Discharge
- Runs the MacBook on battery while it stays plugged in, to bring the charge down to the limit. Pro's Automatic Discharge starts this whenever the limit is below the current level.
- Heat Protection
- A Pro feature that pauses charging automatically when the battery gets too hot, since charging a hot battery speeds up wear.
- Sailing Mode
- A Pro feature that sets a range instead of a single limit: at 75 to 80%, the battery drifts down to 75% before it is charged back to 80%.
- Calibration Mode and schedules
- Pro charges to 100%, discharges to 10%, recharges and holds for an hour, then returns to the limit. Schedules can run this and six other actions on set days.
- Stats and Power Flow
- Pro shows battery capacity, temperature and system load, plus a live diagram of how power moves between the charger, the battery and the MacBook.
coconutBattery
- Mac battery diagnostic
- Shows live battery quality and health for the Mac.
- iPhone and iPad battery diagnostic
- Reads battery health from a connected iPhone or iPad.
- Menu bar details (Plus)
- Plus shows Mac and iPhone/iPad battery details in the menu bar.
- Battery Lifetime Analyzer (Plus)
- Lifetime figures such as temperature, voltage and charge rate ranges, and battery operating time.
- Advanced viewer (Plus)
- More device details, including SSD read and write statistics on a Mac; available data varies by device.
- Notifications and Wi-Fi (Plus)
- Alerts below a set battery level, and checking an iPhone or iPad over Wi-Fi once enabled.
Plans
AlDente
AlDente Free$0
Charge Limiter and Discharge. The features page marks every other feature as part of AlDente Pro.
AlDente Pro: Subscription License$13.99
per year, billed annually (US price; page text shows 11,49 €)
All features, including Heat Protection, Sailing Mode, Calibration Mode and schedules. One key activates on up to three macOS user accounts.
AlDente Pro: Lifetime License$24.99
one-time purchase (US price; page text shows 23,99 €)
The same Pro features bought once instead of renewed yearly, with the same limit of three activations.
AlDente Pro via Setapp$9.99
per month (Setapp subscription)
AlDente Pro as part of Setapp, which the pricing page describes as including more than 240 other Mac and iOS apps.
coconutBattery
coconutBattery$0
Mac and iPhone/iPad battery diagnostics, and saving battery health info.
coconutBattery Plus Standard$13.99
one-time
Plus features for version 4.x only, unlimited devices, updates for v4.x.
coconutBattery Plus Lifetime Edition$19.39
one-time
Plus features on unlimited devices with all future Plus updates; shown on the page as reduced from $21.55 with no end date.
Ways to pay less
AlDente
- Lifetime license
Lifetime License for AlDente Pro
AlDente Pro can be bought once as a Lifetime License instead of the yearly subscription. The pricing page's feed returns $24.99 for US buyers.
- Education
Student discount through Student App Centre
The vendor's FAQ says a student discount is available through Student App Centre. It does not state the size of the discount.
- Other savings
Included with a Setapp subscription
The pricing page says Setapp, at $9.99 a month, includes AlDente Pro along with more than 240 other apps.
coconutBattery
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, AlDente or coconutBattery?
As of Nov 13, 2026, AlDente starts at $13.99 / year, or $24.99 one-time for a lifetime license, and coconutBattery starts at $13.99 one-time (coconutBattery Standard).
Which has a free plan, AlDente or coconutBattery?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both AlDente and coconutBattery have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.