Bartender vs GreatBar
Bartender
macbartender.comGreatBar
greatbar.greatpixels.comSide by side
| Figure | Bartender | GreatBar |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $1.67/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Spec score · Menu Bar Customization Software | 8.2 (#3) | 7.7 (#9) |
| Privacy | The maker says menu bar captures remain on the device and are cached locally, and its privacy policy says app data is not transmitted to its servers. | The app has no backend, its own account system, or telemetry; its shortcuts and website data remain on the Mac, while daily update checks disclose the user's IP address and app user agent to the hosting provider. |
| Purpose | Bartender manages macOS menu bar items, controlling which items appear and when. | GreatBar puts frequently used websites, apps, files and folders in the Mac menu bar as individual shortcuts or grouped menus. |
| Support | Users can contact support by email or send feedback from within Bartender. | The maker directs users to a feedback form and lists [email protected] for support and privacy questions. |
Plans
Bartender
- Bartender Pro$19.99 a year
- Bartender 7$24.99, paid once
- Mega SupporterPrice not published
In their own words
Bartender
Bartender manages macOS menu bar items, controlling which ones appear and when. It can reveal items quickly, search them, and use custom hotkeys and triggers. Users can hide, rearrange, and group items, create custom items from built-in data sources or scripts without coding, and switch profiles by hotkey, trigger, or display setup. Bartender 7’s Command Bar searches for and triggers menu bar items; clipboard history is included for Pro users. Automation options include built-in triggers, Shortcuts, AppleScript, hotkeys, and Siri. The app works without Screen Recording permission, showing app icons rather than snapshots when permission is disabled. The maker says captures remain cached locally on the device and app data is not transmitted to its servers. Bartender 7 is built for macOS 27 Golden Gate; users on macOS 26 Tahoe are directed to Bartender 6 while Bartender 7 support is pending. Bartender 7 costs 24.99 USD as a one-time purchase, and Pro costs $19.99 a year. A license covers all Macs owned and personally used by its holder.
GreatBar
GreatBar is a free Mac app that puts shortcuts to websites, apps, files, and folders in the menu bar. Website shortcuts can open in panels that remember their size and page state, or in standalone windows that can stay above other windows. Separate browsing sessions let the same website use different logins, while private browsing keeps no cookies or history. Users can create distinct menu bars, such as work and personal setups, and shortcuts can open named macOS System Settings panes. Links for WhatsApp, Slack, Figma, Notion, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Discord, Telegram, and Spotify can open in those apps when installed. An optional built-in MCP server lets an assistant inspect bars and propose changes for user review. GreatBar runs in the Mac sandbox and stores added files and folders as security-scoped bookmarks. It has no backend, account system, or telemetry, but its daily update check shares the user's IP address and app user agent with the hosting provider. Website views block ads and trackers by default. GreatBar requires macOS 14.0 or later.