Bark vs SaneBar
Bark
github.com
SaneBar
sanebar.comSide by side
| Figure | Bark | SaneBar |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 0 | 2 |
| Spec score · Menu Bar Customization Software | 7.8 (#7) | 7.5 (#16) |
| Maker | The model card identifies Suno.ai as the source of the official codebase. | The product page says SaneBar is made in America by Mr. Sane and is part of SaneApps. |
| Support | The project directs users to its Discord community for discussion and shared prompts. | The maker directs privacy questions and issue reports to GitHub. |
Plans
In their own words
SaneBar
SaneBar is a macOS utility for hiding menu bar apps and bringing their icons back when needed. Hidden items appear in a floating Icon Panel or a full-width Second Menu Bar, with search, a one-click toggle, keyboard shortcuts, and per-icon hotkeys for managing them. Automation options include AppleScript, Shortcuts, and triggers tied to battery level, Wi-Fi, Focus, app launches, schedules, or scripts. Users can import layouts from Bartender or Ice and move settings between Macs. Icons can be locked with Touch ID or a password. SaneBar is open source under the MIT License, with public source code. It keeps menu bar contents and personal files on the Mac; its privacy policy describes limited update requests and anonymous aggregate app counts. It requires macOS Accessibility permission and says Screen Recording is not needed for normal use. The free plan includes all features and requires macOS 14.0 Sonoma or later and Apple Silicon. The maker says most Apple menu extras and ordinary third-party menu bar apps work, though a few apps with unusual custom behavior may be exceptions.