Mac ID Alternative for Mac: Which One Fits You

Quick answer: The best Mac ID alternative depends on why you're leaving. For free, open-source face unlock, try Hey Mac (macOS 14+) or Glance. On macOS 13, look at Notchy; on an Intel Mac with macOS 14, FaceUnlock or Notchy. To lock individual apps, use Hey Mac or FaceGate. If you meant the old iPhone-based "MacID", Apple Watch Auto Unlock or BLEUnlock fit better.

Disclosure: This page is published by the developer of Hey Mac, which is one of the alternatives below. We haven't lab-tested any of these apps. Facts come from each developer's own pages and release notes, checked on October 12, 2026.

Which "Mac ID" do you mean?

Two different products share this name, and search results mix them up.

Mac ID (2026, macid.net) is the face unlock app this page is mostly about. It uses your Mac's camera to recognize you at the lock screen, then types your password for you. Version 3.7 was released on October 7, 2026, according to its GitHub download repo.

MacID (2015, by Kane Cheshire) was an iPhone app with a free Mac companion. You unlocked your Mac with Touch ID on your iPhone over Bluetooth LE, as 9to5Mac's 2015 review describes. It later added Apple Watch unlocking (iDownloadBlog). The developer's support account says App Review objected to the name, so it was renamed Unlox. We couldn't confirm Unlox is still sold today.

The two aren't related. If you want to unlock your Mac with your iPhone or watch, skip to the phone and watch section.

What Mac ID does well

Be fair to it before switching. According to macid.net and its release notes, Mac ID:

• Is notarized by Apple, so there's no "Open Anyway" step on first launch.
• Costs $4.99 once for one Mac, after a one-day free trial with no card or account.
• Keeps your password encrypted and unlocks it only with Touch ID, which it asks for once per restart (since version 3.1).
• Lets several people enroll who share your Mac's login, and since 3.2 it updates your face over time for haircuts, glasses or new lighting.

If you want a polished, signed lock-screen unlocker and don't mind closed source, stay with Mac ID. Nothing below is clearly better on install trust.

Why people look for a Mac ID alternative

We found no public GitHub issues, independent reviews or forum threads about the 2026 Mac ID yet, so these reasons come from its own documentation.

1. It needs macOS 15 and Apple silicon

Mac ID's download section lists macOS 15 or later and Apple silicon. If your Mac is on Sonoma or has an Intel chip, it won't run. Alternatives with wider support:

• Notchy: macOS 13 Ventura or later, Intel or Apple silicon, per its Face Unlock page. Free, closed source.
• FaceUnlock: macOS 14, universal binary since v1.1.0 (its README says Intel is slower). Free; MIT-licensed app code, but its InsightFace/ArcFace face model is licensed for non-commercial use only.
• Hey Mac: macOS 14 Sonoma or later, but Apple silicon (M1+) only.

2. Default liveness doesn't try to stop a video

Mac ID's 3.0 release notes say it "no longer waits for a blink," and still rejects printed photos and photos on a phone screen. For "the extra check against a video," you turn liveness up to Medium in Settings. That's a reasonable trade for speed, but security-minded users should know the default.

No webcam app here matches Face ID. Apple's Face ID documentation explains it uses depth mapping and an infrared image; a Mac webcam sees a flat image. Glance's README says it "does not reliably defeat a video of you." Hey Mac's liveness check helps reject photos and screens, and Hey Mac's site says it isn't as secure as iPhone Face ID.

3. It's paid and closed source

Five dollars is cheap, but some people want to read the code that types their login password. Mac ID's GitHub repo hosts downloads only. Since 3.2 it also offers optional anonymous unlock statistics, which are off unless you turn them on. Free options with MIT-licensed code are Hey Mac, Glance, FaceGate and FaceUnlock (app code; its InsightFace/ArcFace face model is licensed for non-commercial use only).

4. It only unlocks the lock screen

Mac ID doesn't lock individual apps. If you hand your Mac to someone and want Messages or Notes kept private, you need an app locker. See how to lock apps on Mac for built-in and third-party options.

Mac ID vs the alternatives

Not in the table: FaceUnlock. It's free, unlocks the lock screen, runs on macOS 14 Sonoma and has been a universal binary (Intel and Apple silicon) since v1.1.0, though its README says Intel runs slower. Its app code is MIT-licensed; its InsightFace/ArcFace face model is licensed for non-commercial use only. It uses the default camera (built-in, external or Continuity Camera, per its README) but has no camera picker, and an open issue (#5) reports it not switching to a USB webcam in clamshell mode.

Checked October 12, 2026. For all seven face unlock apps side by side, see our full comparison.

Where Hey Mac fits versus Mac ID

Hey Mac is the pick if you want face unlock and app locking in one free app. It runs on macOS 14 Sonoma, one version older than Mac ID needs, and its code is public on GitHub. Locked apps blur until you verify with your face, Touch ID or password.

Where Mac ID wins: Hey Mac isn't notarized yet, so first launch needs System Settings > Privacy & Security > Open Anyway. Both need Apple silicon. Hey Mac hasn't published how it stores credentials for lock-screen unlock, or whether external webcams work. Mac ID's own notes also mention only the built-in camera, so desktop Mac owners should test either app first.

If you wanted the old MacID (iPhone unlock)

If you searched for MacID because you want to unlock with a device you carry, a camera app is the wrong tool. Better fits:

• Apple Watch Auto Unlock: built into macOS, no extra app. Apple explains setup in Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch.
• Touch ID: if your Mac or Magic Keyboard has it. Apple's Touch ID guide says you enter your password when you start your Mac, and that "users must re-enter their password every 48 hours and after five incorrect fingerprint attempts."
• BLEUnlock: a free, MIT-licensed menu bar app that locks and unlocks by the proximity of your iPhone, Apple Watch or another Bluetooth LE device. No iPhone app needed; its README lists macOS 10.13 or later and Keychain password storage.
• Near Lock: iPhone-proximity lock and unlock, with optional Touch ID or Apple Watch confirmation. Background mode is a paid in-app purchase. Its site's compatibility list still cites OS X Mavericks and iOS 7, so confirm it runs on your macOS version first.

Proximity unlock trades security for convenience: if your phone is nearby, anyone at your desk gets in.

FAQ

Is Mac ID the same app as MacID by Kane Cheshire?

No. MacID (2015) unlocked a Mac with your iPhone's Touch ID and was later renamed Unlox. Mac ID (macid.net) is a separate 2026 face unlock app that uses the Mac's camera.

Is there a free alternative to Mac ID?

Yes. Hey Mac, Glance, FaceUnlock and Notchy all unlock the lock screen with your face for free. Hey Mac and Glance are open source; FaceUnlock's app code is MIT-licensed, but its face model is licensed for non-commercial use only.

Does Mac ID work on Intel Macs or macOS Sonoma?

Not according to its download page, which lists macOS 15 or later and Apple silicon. Notchy (macOS 13, Intel) and FaceUnlock (macOS 14, universal) cover those Macs.

Is Mac ID safe?

It's notarized, keeps your password encrypted behind Touch ID, and says it rejects printed and on-screen photos. Like every webcam app, it isn't Face ID. Turn liveness up to Medium if you want its video check.

Browse every competitor we cover on the alternatives page, or read can you get Face ID on a Mac.

About the author

Harshit Maurya is the developer of Hey Mac, an open-source face unlock and app lock app for macOS written in Swift and Core ML. Source code and build notes are on GitHub.

Sources

1. Mac ID. Homepage (macid.net), GitHub download repo and release notes v3.0 to v3.7 (github.com/sammystech/Mac-ID, github.com/sammystech/Mac-ID/releases). Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
2. Ben Lovejoy, 9to5Mac. Review: MacID, the app that lets you unlock your Mac using Touch ID on your iPhone. January 20, 2015.
3. Christian Zibreg, iDownloadBlog. Lock or unlock your Mac right from your wrist with MacID for Apple Watch. May 12, 2015.
4. MacID support account on X, rename to Unlox (x.com/macidhelp), and Matt Birchler, Birchtree, Unlox overview (birchtree.me/blog/unlock-your-mac-easily-with-unlox/), January 4, 2018.
5. Glance README (github.com/jonnyoo/glance); FaceUnlock README and releases (github.com/HasBrain/FaceUnlock); FaceGate README (github.com/dweep-desai/FaceGate-Mac); Notchy Face Unlock page (notchy.dev/mac-face-unlock/). Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
6. BLEUnlock README (github.com/ts1/BLEUnlock) and Near Lock homepage (nearlock.me). Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
7. Hey Mac. heymacapp.com and GitHub: iharshitmaurya/HeyMac.
8. Apple Support. About Face ID advanced technology, Use Touch ID on Mac, Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch.