Setup guides
ntfy and MQTT notifications on Mac
Two guides, one question each: how do I get messages from my server or broker onto this Mac, and what is the least fiddly way to keep them coming?
ntfy
Start with a topic on your own server.
ntfy is an HTTP publish/subscribe service: anything that can send a request can push a message, and the Mac only has to stay subscribed. The guide compares a native client, the official mobile app on Apple Silicon, the installable web app and the CLI, then walks through HTTPS and Bearer token setup with a curl test.
How to Get ntfy Notifications on Mac
Get NTBX for MacMQTT
Subscribe to a broker instead.
MQTT changes the moving parts: a broker sits in the middle, topic filters decide what you receive, and the transport can be TCP or WebSocket, plaintext or TLS. The guide compares a native client, mosquitto_sub, a scriptable router and single-value menu bar tools, then covers broker URLs, QoS, payload handling and the five failures people hit most.
How to Get MQTT Notifications on Mac
Get NTBX for MacWhich one
Compare the two routes.
| If your sender… | Use | Because |
|---|---|---|
| can make an HTTP request | ntfy guide | A single curl reaches the topic; no broker to run. |
| already publishes to MQTT | MQTT guide | Home Assistant, Zigbee2MQTT, sensors and IoT devices publish there already. |
| is a CI runner, cron job or backup script | ntfy guide, automation section | Short-lived processes fit an HTTP publish better than a broker session. |
| needs QoS and session resumption | MQTT guide, filters and QoS | QoS 1 and persistent sessions are MQTT features. |