CHECKED
Choose Amphetamine for free, general-purpose keep-awake controls and automatic triggers. Choose Vigil when you want supported coding agents' working and waiting states to decide when sleep protection ends.
Amphetamine is not manual-only. It can react to apps, connected devices, power, networks, and other conditions. Vigil is narrower: it follows events from supported coding agents.
THE DIFFERENCE AT A GLANCE
| Behavior | Amphetamine | Vigil |
|---|---|---|
| Manual control | Indefinite, timed, or until a specified time. | No manual keep-awake switch or timer. |
| Automatic control | Configurable triggers, including apps, devices, power, Wi-Fi, and CPU use. | Lifecycle hooks from seven supported agent families. |
| An app stays open | An app-running trigger can keep the session active. | A hooked agent waiting for input gets a 5–30 minute grace period. |
| Display sleep | Can allow display sleep while keeping the Mac awake. | Display protection is optional and off by default. |
| Other workflows | Downloads, presentations, and configurable keep-awake conditions. | Supported coding-agent work and sub-agents. |
| Cost | Free, with no in-app purchases in its listing. | $3.99 once, for two Macs. |
KEEP AMPHETAMINE IF ITS TRIGGERS FIT
If you want the Mac awake while a specific app runs, while a file downloads, or while an external display is connected, Amphetamine already covers those conditions. You can also start a session by hand and choose whether the display sleeps.
Its App Store listing includes battery thresholds, low-battery session ending, hotkeys, and AppleScript support. Those are useful controls. Vigil does not try to reproduce them.
For general-purpose sleep prevention, you do not need to replace Amphetamine with a paid coding-agent utility.
WHERE CODING-AGENT STATE MATTERS
Suppose your terminal is open for the afternoon. An agent works for a while, asks you to approve a change, then waits. A trigger based on the terminal being open does not change just because the agent needs you.
Vigil receives the agent's working and waiting events through installed hooks. It keeps its hold while tracked work needs protection, then starts a grace period for input waits. Once no tracked session needs protection, it releases its assertion. The terminal can remain open.
Vigil supports Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, Cursor, Copilot CLI, pi, and OpenCode. The menu bar and optional session card at the top of the screen show sessions and waiting countdowns. Tracking supported sub-agents also lets a parent remain Working while delegated work continues.
There are limits: a session that reports nothing for 30 minutes, including its sub-agents, stops holding the Mac awake. Vigil requires macOS 14 or newer, an activated license, and installed integrations. It does not force sleep or override lid-close sleep.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Can Amphetamine keep my Mac awake for an AI agent?
Yes. A manual session or a suitable trigger can keep the Mac awake while an agent runs. This comparison does not claim that Amphetamine lacks automation. Vigil adds a ready-made policy for supported agents' work, input waits, and completion events.
Can I leave Amphetamine on and let Vigil end the hold?
No. Each app owns its own sleep-prevention assertion. When Vigil releases its hold, an active Amphetamine session can still prevent sleep. End the other hold if you want sleep eligibility to follow Vigil alone.
Which is better for a closed MacBook?
Vigil is not a closed-lid solution. Amphetamine documents closed-display controls and additional setup considerations for Apple Silicon. Read its current documentation for your Mac rather than assuming the two apps share the same limits.
CHOOSE YOUR AUTOMATION
Use Amphetamine when a timer or a condition such as a running app matches the job. Use Vigil when the distinction between an agent working and waiting for you is what matters.
Vigil has no trial. A purchase includes a 30-day refund period.
SOURCES AND RELATED COMPARISONS
Amphetamine claims come from William Gustafson's App Store listing, including its trigger descriptions and Power Protect notes. Vigil claims follow its implementation. This comparison does not measure battery savings or test every trigger.