AlDente alternative
A lower-priced AlDente Pro alternative
AlDente is the best-known charge limiter for MacBooks, and its Pro edition goes deep: limits below 80%, Sailing Mode, Heat Protection, calibration, and support for Intel MacBooks back to 2013. Since version 1.40 it also keeps the Mac awake on a timer and lists the apps using a lot of energy. Dotwatt is narrower on charging and costs a fraction of the price.
Dotwatt vs AlDente Pro
Checked on 13 November 2026, AlDente 1.40.1. Low price for what it does: the one-time price divided by the score on the other rows; Yes under $1 a point, Partly up to $2.50.
| Feature | Dotwatt | AlDente Pro |
|---|---|---|
| See | ||
| Time left on battery | YesMeasured from the real draw | YesIn the menu bar and the dashboard |
| Names the apps spending the charge | YesEach app's share | YesApps above a usage threshold |
| Measures what quitting an app gave | YesMeasured again after the app quits | No |
| Control | ||
| Charge limit | Yes80 to 100%, on macOS 26.4 or later | YesAlso below 80%, and on macOS 12 or later |
| Charge to 100% once | YesOne tap, or by a set time | YesTop Up |
| Switches Low and High Power | YesOr Low Power by itself under a level | YesOn supported MacBooks |
| Keeps the Mac awake on demand | YesNo limit, a timer, or while an app runs; a shortcut key | YesSleep Control, with a timer |
| Awake only while coding agents work | YesRecognises 13 agents | PartlyA manual timer, no agent detection |
| Record | ||
| Battery health over time | YesMonth by month, and a report file | YesGraphs of capacity and cycles |
| What a night asleep cost | YesCharge lost and wakes | No |
| Price and fit | ||
| One payment, no subscription | Yes | YesA lifetime licence; a yearly plan too |
| Automation from Shortcuts or scripts | YesShortcuts actions and dotwatt:// links | YesShortcuts actions |
| Runs on macOS 13 or earlier | NoNeeds macOS 14 and Apple silicon | YesmacOS 12 or later, most Intel MacBooks from 2013 |
| Low price for what it does | Yes$7.99 at the regular price, $0.61 a point | Partly$24.99 for a lifetime licence, $2.38 a point |
| Where the others go further | ||
| iPhone and iPad battery health | No | No |
| CPU, memory, disk and network monitors | YesAnd GPU, temperatures and fans | No |
| Dotwatt | AlDente Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99, one payment. | $24.99 for a lifetime licence or $13.99 a year. A free edition has the charge limit and manual discharge. |
| Macs per licence | Up to 3 | Up to 3 |
| Free to try | 7 days, the whole app. | The free edition. No trial of Pro is stated. |
| Needs | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon. The charge limit needs macOS 26.4. | macOS 12 or later. Apple silicon MacBooks and most Intel MacBooks from 2013. |
| Sold through | This website | The maker's website, and Setapp |
Based on what AppHouseKitchen publishes: AlDente features, AlDente pricing, AlDente FAQ. "No" means those pages do not list the feature. Prices are those shown to a visitor from the United States, unless given in euros. AlDente Pro checks its licence online at least once every 30 days and switches to the free edition when it cannot. Dotwatt checks the key on the Mac itself, so a paid copy keeps working offline.
Which should you choose?
Choose AlDente if
You have an Intel MacBook or a macOS older than 14, you want a charge limit below 80%, or you want Sailing Mode, Heat Protection and calibration.
AlDente by AppHouseKitchenChoose Dotwatt if
You are on Apple silicon and the 80 to 100% limit built into macOS is enough. You get the time left measured from the real draw, what quitting an app gave you, a full battery by the time you set, and a Mac that stays awake only while your coding agents work.
Everything Dotwatt does
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AlDente is a product and trademark of AppHouseKitchen. Dotwatt is not affiliated with it. Found something out of date? Write to support@dotwatt.app and we will correct it.