Bartender vs iStat Menus
Bartender
macbartender.com
iStat Menus
bjango.comSide by side
| Figure | Bartender | iStat Menus |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $1.67/mo | $9.99/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 3 |
| Spec score · Menu Bar Apps | 8.2 (#3) | 8.0 (#5) |
| Compatibility | The support page says Bartender 7 is built for macOS 27 Golden Gate and directs macOS 26 Tahoe users to Bartender 6 while Bartender 7 support is pending. | The current product page lists iStat Menus 7.5 and requires macOS 13 or later. |
| 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 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 | Bartender manages macOS menu bar items, controlling which items appear and when. | iStat Menus monitors Mac system information from customizable menu bar items and detailed menus. |
| Support | Users can contact support by email or send feedback from within Bartender. | Bjango invites users to contact it with questions, bug reports or feature requests. |
Plans
Bartender
- Bartender Pro$19.99 a year
- Bartender 7$24.99, paid once
- Mega SupporterPrice not published
iStat Menus
- Setapp subscription$9.99 a month
- Family LicensePrice not published
- Single LicensePrice 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.
iStat Menus
iStat Menus has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.