Fastfetch vs iStat Menus
Fastfetch
fastfetch.deviStat Menus
bjango.comSide by side
| Figure | Fastfetch | iStat Menus |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $9.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 3 |
| Spec score · System Information Software | 8.7 (#3) | 7.8 (#12) |
| Privacy | Version 2.69.0 is described as having no telemetry, crash reporting or update check; network access is limited to modules such as publicip and weather when configured. | 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 | Fastfetch displays operating system, hardware, and software information in a terminal alongside customizable logos. | iStat Menus monitors Mac system information from customizable menu bar items and detailed menus. |
| Support | The maker points visitors to documentation and the fastfetch-cli GitHub organization; the page does not state a dedicated support service. | Bjango invites users to contact it with questions, bug reports or feature requests. |
Plans
iStat Menus
- Setapp subscription$9.99 a month
- Family LicensePrice not published
- Single LicensePrice not published
In their own words
Fastfetch
Fastfetch is a free, open-source command-line tool that displays operating system, hardware, and software details in a terminal alongside customizable logos. Its more than 75 modules cover information such as CPU, GPU, memory, disks, battery, TPM, audio, and Wi-Fi. It can display ASCII logos or render images through Kitty, Sixel, iTerm2, or Chafa protocols. Configuration uses JSONC, with an official schema for editor autocomplete and validation. The maker lists native support for Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD, and Android through Termux, and installation options including winget, Scoop, Homebrew, MacPorts, APT, Pacman, DNF, FreeBSD pkg, and Termux. Fastfetch can be integrated with Bash, Zsh, Fish, PowerShell, and Nushell startup setups and is compatible with Starship and Oh My Posh. Sample configurations can query music services for media information. The maker highlights terminal startup greetings, hardware auditing and diagnostics, and desktop screenshot showcases. It warns that unconditional output from a shell startup file can disrupt SCP, SFTP, and other non-interactive shell operations.
iStat Menus
iStat Menus has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.