Overview
Taste Lab and Crest are two very different products serving distinct needs. Taste Lab is a CLI-based design analysis tool that reverse-engineers any website's design tokens and taste principles, outputting them for AI agents. Crest is a native macOS app that turns the MacBook notch into a hub for Now Playing, a dashboard, system stats, calendar, tasks, and more. This comparison breaks down their features, pricing, and use cases.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Taste Lab | Crest |
|---|---|---|
| Core Purpose | Design analysis: extract design tokens and taste from any URL | Notch utility: provide quick-access modules in the Mac notch |
| Target Audience | Designers, developers, AI tool users | Mac users with a notch |
| Output | .md and .json files with colors, typography, spacing, and reasoning | 17 interactive modules (Now Playing, calendar, tasks, etc.) |
| Platform | CLI (works with Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Cursor, etc.) | Native macOS app (macOS 14+) |
| Setup | Requires cloning repo and installing Playwright MCP | Simple download and drag to Applications |
| Pricing | Free, open-source | Free tier (4 modules), Pro $19.99 one-time |
| Privacy | Local execution via Playwright | On-device processing |
Pricing
Taste Lab: Completely free and open-source. No paid tiers. Users clone the GitHub repository and run it via CLI with Playwright MCP.
Crest: Freemium model. The Free tier includes 4 modules (Now Playing, Dashboard, Shelf, Clipboard history). Crest Pro costs $19.99 one-time and unlocks 13 additional modules (Calendar, Day Progress, Todo, Notes, Pomodoro, System monitor, Screen Time, Bluetooth, Launcher, Code Hosting, AI Coding, Quick AI, Translation). Pro includes lifetime updates and can be used on up to 2 Macs.
Pros and Cons
Taste Lab
Pros:
- Deep design analysis with exact measurements (px, hex, ratios)
- Produces taste principles with reasoning and trade-offs
- Integrates with multiple AI agents (Claude, Gemini, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.)
- Open-source and free
- Output is reusable in design systems
Cons:
- Requires CLI and AI agent setup; not beginner-friendly
- Limited to design analysis; no utility features
- Output is text-based, not interactive
- Requires Playwright and Chromium download
Crest
Pros:
- Easy to install and use (drag to Applications)
- Turns the notch into a useful, glanceable hub
- One-time payment for Pro, no subscription
- Seventeen modules cover many daily needs
- On-device processing ensures privacy
Cons:
- Only works on Macs with a notch (macOS 14+)
- Free tier is limited to 4 modules
- Notch integration may not appeal to all users
- Pro modules may not be necessary for everyone
Verdict
Taste Lab is a powerful tool for designers and developers who want to understand and replicate website design systems. It excels at extracting detailed design tokens and taste principles, making it invaluable for AI-assisted design work. Crest is a practical utility for Mac users who want to make their notch productive with quick-access modules. It's easy to use and offers a generous free tier. Choose Taste Lab if you need deep design analysis for your AI workflows. Choose Crest if you want to enhance your Mac's notch with useful tools.
Crest
Taste Lab