Compare
Battery Orbit, AlDente and macOS.
Three ways to look after a MacBook that stays plugged in, side by side: what each one does, what it costs and which Macs it runs on.
Checked 24 October 2026
Side by side
| Feature | macOS | AlDente | Battery Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, already on your Mac. | Free version with a charge limit. Pro is a yearly subscription or a lifetime licence, or part of Setapp. | One-time: $7.99 for the first 30 orders, then $14.99. No free version; 7-day refund. |
| Stop charging at a level | Optimized Battery Charging waits before the last part of the charge. Recent macOS versions also have a charge limit from 80%. | Charge Limiter, any level. | Desk Hold, at whatever level suits you (40–90%). |
| Bring the level down with the cable in | No. | Discharge and Automatic Discharge. | Yes, in Custom Orbit and Natural Flow. |
| Move between two limits by itself, cable in | No. | Not as a mode. Sailing Mode lets the level drift a little below the limit before charging again. | Custom Orbit (your limits, e.g. 20–90%) and Natural Flow (about 18–22% up to 90–95%, a little different each time). |
| Full charge for a travel day | Turn the setting off, then on again later. | Top Up. | Charge to 100% once; your limits come back afterwards. |
| Calibration | No. | Calibration Mode, can run on a schedule. | Calibrate battery (100% → 15% → 100%, then an hour's rest), started by you, with a monthly reminder. |
| Heat | Managed by macOS. | Heat Protection pauses charging above a temperature you set. | Hands charging back to macOS when the battery runs hot. Not adjustable. |
| Schedules and Shortcuts | No. | Yes. | No. |
| History | Battery level for the last 24 hours and 10 days. | Charts of battery data over time. | Insights: time in your range, day by day, and a log of every change. Stays on your Mac. |
| Macs | Every MacBook. | Apple silicon and Intel MacBooks. | MacBooks with Apple silicon, macOS 14.4 or later. |
Doesn't moving between limits use up cycles?
Yes, a little. Lithium-ion batteries age fastest when they sit full and warm, and every charge adds to the cycle count. Holding one moderate level is the gentlest option, and that's what Desk Hold does. Custom Orbit is for people who want the battery used while plugged in; a narrow range such as 40–80% keeps the extra cycles small. Natural Flow uses the widest range. We don't claim cycling makes a battery last longer. Pick the mode that fits how you work.
If you change your mind
Pause orbit gives charging back to macOS straight away. The uninstaller hands charging back before it removes the app and its helper. And if Battery Orbit isn't right for your Mac, write to support within 7 days for a full refund, no reason needed (refund policy).