Alfred vs iStat Menus
Alfred
alfredapp.com
iStat Menus
bjango.comSide by side
| Figure | Alfred | iStat Menus |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $9.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 5 | 3 |
| Spec score · Menu Bar Apps | 9.3 (#1) | 8.0 (#5) |
| Compatibility | The site lists Alfred 5.8.1 as requiring macOS 10.14 or later and supporting 64-bit Intel and Apple Silicon. | The current product page lists iStat Menus 7.5 and requires macOS 13 or later. |
| Privacy | The maker says preferences, usage, and settings are stored locally on the Mac and are not sent to it or third parties. | The maker says the app has no ads, analytics or user tracking; its privacy policy says the app runs predominantly on the computer and does not store location or other identifiable data on its servers. |
| Purpose | Alfred is a macOS productivity app for launching apps, searching files and the web, and controlling a Mac with hotkeys, keywords, and custom actions. | iStat Menus monitors Mac system information from customizable menu bar items and detailed menus. |
| Support | The maker offers help through preference help icons, in-app search, its forum, Twitter, and email for license-related or private questions. | Bjango invites users to contact it with questions, bug reports or feature requests. |
Plans
Alfred
- Alfred coreFree
- Single License$34, paid once
- Single License£34, paid once
- Mega Supporter$59, paid once
- Mega Supporter£59, paid once
iStat Menus
- Setapp subscription$9.99 a month
- Family LicensePrice not published
- Single LicensePrice not published
In their own words
Alfred
Alfred is a macOS productivity app for launching apps, finding files and web results, and controlling a Mac with hotkeys, keywords, and custom actions. Its search adapts to how someone uses the Mac and prioritizes results. The free core app covers app launching and file searching. Powerpack adds Clipboard History for copied text, images, and file paths, plus Snippets that expand short keywords into saved text. It also provides workflows for connecting objects and automating tasks, and file actions such as previewing, moving, copying, emailing, or revealing files in Finder. Workflows can connect to apps and services, including through APIs, and can be started by hotkey, keyword, or Alfred Remote button. Preferences can sync between Macs using Dropbox or a similar service. The maker says preferences, usage, and settings stay on the Mac, though workflows may contact servers or APIs. Alfred 5.8.1 is listed for macOS 10.14 or later on 64-bit Intel and Apple Silicon. The Single License costs £34 once for one user on two of their own Macs for the current version.
iStat Menus
iStat Menus has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.