Sleeve, SpotMenu, NepTunes, Silicio and PlayStatus all do a similar job well: showing what is currently playing in Apple Music or Spotify from the menu bar or desktop, with track art, playback controls and sometimes Last.fm scrobbling. Tuneful is often cited as the best modern alternative to the classic Sleeve widget, and Liqoria, launched more recently, goes further by unifying Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube in one menu bar controller, matching Echo's multi-source reach for now-playing display alone. Spotica covers similar ground but has not shipped an update in some time. None of these apps, including Liqoria, keep a history: once a track finishes, it is gone from view. Echo solves a different, related problem. It quietly remembers every song, podcast and video you play across your native apps and your browser, and brings any of them back at the exact second you left it, searchable from a command palette without touching the mouse.
| Rank | App | Best For | Price | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Echo |
Cross-app media memory and resume | $9.99 One-Time | Remembers everything you play, across apps and browser, and resumes at the exact second |
| 2 |  Liqoria |
Multi-source now-playing control | One-time purchase | Menu bar controller unifying Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube; no playback history |
| 3 |  Tuneful |
Modern Sleeve-style menu bar player | Paid, App Store | Native menu bar and notch player for Spotify and Apple Music, often called the best Sleeve alternative |
| 4 |  Sleeve |
Desktop now-playing widget | ~$5-6 one-time | Desktop widget for Apple Music and Spotify with track art and controls; no playback history |
| 5 |  PlayStatus |
Open source now-playing controller | Free | Free, open source SwiftUI menu bar controller for Apple Music and Spotify |
| 6 |  NepTunes |
Now-playing widget with scrobbling | Free, with IAP | Menu bar now-playing widget with Last.fm scrobbling for Apple Music and Spotify |
| 7 |  SpotMenu |
Free menu bar now-playing widget | Free | Open source now-playing display for Spotify and Apple Music; no playback history |
| 8 |  Silicio |
Free now-playing widget | Free | Free menu bar now-playing display for Apple Music and Spotify |
| 9 |  Spotica |
Longstanding Spotify widget | Free, with IAP | Still listed and working, though it has not shipped an update since 2023 |
Echo
Your media, right where you left off.
Echo is not a now-playing display widget; it is a memory for everything you have played. Where Sleeve, Tuneful and Liqoria show what is on right now, Echo remembers what you played an hour or a week ago across every app and your browser, and brings it back exactly where you left it.
- Remembers your history across native apps and the browser
- Resumes any song, podcast or video at the exact second
- Floating picture-in-picture window for any video
- Moments bookmarks the exact part worth returning to
Frequently asked
What is the best now playing app for Mac?
It depends what you need. Sleeve, Tuneful and PlayStatus are strong picks for a simple menu bar now-playing display, Liqoria goes further by covering Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube in one controller, and Echo is the pick if you want to remember and resume what you played rather than just see what is on now.
Is Echo a now-playing widget like Sleeve?
Not quite. Sleeve and similar apps show what is currently playing. Echo instead remembers everything you have played across your native apps and browser, so you can search your history and resume anything from days or weeks ago at the exact second you left it.
What is Liqoria, and how is it different from Echo?
Liqoria is a menu bar controller that unifies Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube playback in one place, similar in reach to Echo's multi-source support. Unlike Echo, it does not keep a history of what you have played, so once a track ends it is gone from view.
Does Echo work with Spotify and YouTube in the browser?
Yes, Echo's browser extension records what you play in the browser alongside your native apps, and it talks only to the Echo app on the same Mac, with no cloud account involved.
Is Echo a subscription?
No, Echo is a one-time purchase of $9.99, with one licence covering up to three Macs and every future update included free.
Why has Spotica not been updated recently?
Spotica last shipped an update in 2023 and has stayed listed since without further releases. It still works as a basic Spotify now-playing widget, but newer apps like Liqoria and Tuneful have seen more recent development.