Bark vs Vanilla
Bark
github.comVanilla
matthewpalmer.netSide by side
| Figure | Bark | Vanilla |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (#17) |
| Founded | 2022 | 2017 |
| Maker | The model card identifies Suno.ai as the source of the official codebase. | The product site identifies Matthew Palmer as the maker; his main site says he runs a software business making apps and SaaS. |
| Support | The project directs users to its Discord community for discussion and shared prompts. | The maker offers email support and suggests including device and operating system details when requesting help. |
Plans
In their own words
Vanilla
Vanilla hides menu bar icons on macOS. Its free plan covers icon hiding; the $10.00 USD one-time Pro purchase adds shortcuts for toggling menu bar and desktop icons, automatic hiding five seconds after toggling, and the option to start at login. Pro can also place icons in a “Completely Removed” section, where they are visible only in Vanilla’s preferences window. A Pro activation code can be used up to 10 times by default. On macOS Catalina and later, hiding icons requires Screen Recording permission. The maker says Vanilla takes menu bar screenshots for this function, but does not save or transmit them. It says internet access is limited to checking for updates and validating Pro codes. Vanilla supports MacBooks with display notches, though setup may involve rearranging menu bar items. The maker offers email support and suggests including device and operating system details in help requests. Vanilla is identified as Matthew Palmer’s product, and the product site dates to 2017.