BatteryBud is an AirBuddy alternative for people who want battery history more than AirPods controls. AirBuddy 3 connects AirPods and Beats, changes listening modes and shows batteries for many devices. BatteryBud only reads batteries. It charts each device over days and months, and it tracks battery health for your Mac, iPhone and iPad.
The two apps cost about the same, so choose by what each one does. The facts about AirBuddy on this page come from its own site and help pages.
What does AirBuddy do?
AirBuddy is a Mac app for AirPods, Beats and the other devices around your Mac. One developer, Gui Rambo, has made it since early 2019. The current version is AirBuddy 3. It needs macOS 14 or later, and it runs on Intel and Apple silicon Macs.
It does more than show batteries.
- Action HUD. Open your AirPods case near the Mac and a panel shows the battery levels, with a button to connect.
- Audio controls. Listening modes, Spatial Audio, volume and microphone input. Audio Input Lock keeps the microphone you prefer.
- Now Playing. Artwork and playback controls in the HUD, on the desktop and on the Lock Screen.
- Widgets. Batteries, AirPods and Now Playing widgets that you can place anywhere on the desktop and show on the Lock Screen.
- Magic Handoff. Move a Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard or Magic Trackpad between Macs that run AirBuddy 3.
- Battery Alerts. An alert when a device runs low or finishes charging, with a level you set for each device.
- Automation. Actions for Shortcuts, and AppleScript support.
Which batteries does AirBuddy show?
More than AirPods. AirBuddy’s help pages list these devices.
- AirPods and Beats, with the charging case when the case reports it.
- iPhone and iPad. You connect with a cable and tap Trust, and AirBuddy then finds the device over Wi-Fi.
- Apple Watch, through its paired iPhone.
- Other Macs that run AirBuddy 3, with the accessories connected to them.
- Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad, and many Bluetooth accessories from other makers.
So AirBuddy is not limited to headphones. If you only want to see current levels, it covers the same devices as BatteryBud.
Where does AirBuddy stop?
The differences are in history, battery health and the menu bar.
- History is for headsets. AirBuddy’s Device Stats tracks battery and usage history for supported headsets while they are near the Mac. It needs macOS 15 or later. Its site does not list history charts for an iPhone, iPad, Mac or keyboard.
- Battery health is not listed. AirBuddy’s site does not list maximum capacity or charge cycles for a Mac, iPhone or iPad.
- The menu bar icon shows one battery. AirBuddy’s icon can show the battery level of the Mac you are using. Your other devices are in the list that opens when you click it, in the Dashboard and in widgets.
AirBuddy and BatteryBud compared
| Capability | AirBuddy 3 | BatteryBud |
|---|---|---|
| AirPods and Beats battery | Yes. Buds and case | Yes. Left bud, right bud and case |
| AirPods that are not connected to this Mac | Yes. Shows nearby AirPods when the case opens | Yes. Reads their Bluetooth broadcasts while they are nearby, also in a closed case |
| Connect AirPods from the app | Yes | No |
| Listening modes, Spatial Audio and microphone control | Yes | No |
| iPhone and iPad | Yes. Trust with a cable, then Wi-Fi | Yes. One-time setup with a cable, then Wi-Fi |
| Apple Watch | Yes, through the paired iPhone | Yes, through the paired iPhone |
| Other Macs | Yes. Macs that run AirBuddy 3 | Yes. Macs on the same network, with a sync code |
| Bluetooth keyboards, mice and trackpads | Yes | Yes |
| Move Magic accessories between Macs | Yes. Magic Handoff | No |
| Devices in the menu bar | Partial. The icon can show this Mac’s battery. Other devices are in the list | Yes. All batteries, and you can pin any device |
| Desktop widgets | Yes. Also on the Lock Screen | Yes |
| Alerts | Yes. Low battery and charged | Yes. Low battery, charged to a level, not seen, battery health |
| Battery history | Partial. Device Stats for supported headsets, on macOS 15 or later | Yes. Every device, by day, week, month and year |
| Charging sessions | Not listed on its site | Yes |
| Battery health for Mac, iPhone and iPad | Not listed on its site | Yes. Maximum capacity and charge cycles, charted over time |
| Shortcuts and AppleScript | Yes | No |
| Price | US$20, paid once for version 3. Also on Setapp | $19, paid once |
| Updates included | At least one year | One year. Another year costs $9 |
| Macs per license | Up to five | One at a time. You can move it |
| Refund | Within 14 days | Within 14 days if it does not work on your Mac |
| Account needed | No | No |
Features and prices checked October 3, 2026.
Who should buy AirBuddy
Buy AirBuddy if any of these is true.
- You want to connect AirPods from the Mac. The Action HUD shows a connect button when you open the case. BatteryBud cannot connect anything.
- You want audio controls. Listening modes, Spatial Audio and Audio Input Lock are AirBuddy features. BatteryBud has none of them.
- You move a Magic Keyboard or Magic Mouse between Macs. Magic Handoff does that.
- You use several Macs. One AirBuddy license runs on up to five Macs. A BatteryBud license runs on one Mac at a time.
- You have Setapp. A Setapp subscription includes AirBuddy.
Who BatteryBud suits
BatteryBud suits you if you only want battery levels.
- You want history for every device. BatteryBud charts each battery by day, week, month and year, and it lists charging sessions. That covers your iPhone, iPad, Macs and keyboard, not only headphones.
- You want battery health. BatteryBud records maximum capacity and charge cycles for your Mac, iPhone and iPad, and charts them over time. It can alert you when health drops.
- You want a device pinned in the menu bar. You can pin your AirPods, your iPhone or any other device with its percentage.
- You do not want the extras. BatteryBud has no HUD and no audio controls. It reads batteries and shows them.
The guides explain what macOS shows by itself: how to check AirPods battery on a Mac, how to check Beats battery on a Mac and how to check your iPhone battery from a Mac.
BatteryBud has gaps too. It has no free trial. It does not limit charging, and it does not show temperature or energy use per app. For other options, see the best Mac battery apps, sorted by the job.
How do the prices compare?
They are close. AirBuddy 3 costs US$20 on its website. That is a one-time purchase for that major version, with at least one year of updates. AirBuddy 3 was a paid upgrade from AirBuddy 2. AirBuddy is also part of a Setapp subscription.
BatteryBud costs $19, paid once, with no subscription. The price includes one year of updates, and the versions released in that year keep working forever. Another year of updates costs $9. BatteryBud is not on Setapp or the Mac App Store. Full details are in the BatteryBud pricing section.