Hidden Bar vs iStat Menus
Hidden Bar
github.com
iStat Menus
bjango.comSide by side
| Figure | Hidden Bar | iStat Menus |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $9.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Spec score · Menu Bar Apps | 7.6 (#12) | 8.0 (#5) |
| Privacy | The project says the app does not use third-party services that may collect information used to identify users. | 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 | Hidden Bar hides menu bar items to give a Mac a cleaner look. | iStat Menus monitors Mac system information from customizable menu bar items and detailed menus. |
| Support | The privacy policy lists [email protected] for questions or suggestions about that policy. | 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
Hidden Bar
Hidden Bar is a free, open-source macOS app for hiding menu bar items. Click its arrow to expand or collapse the hidden section, and Command-drag icons across the divider to choose which items it hides. Preferences include automatic re-collapse after a selected delay and a system-wide shortcut. An optional second section stays hidden even when the main section is expanded; Option-click the arrow to reveal it. The app can launch at login through the macOS 13 or later SMAppService login item. It is available through Homebrew or manual download, and the project describes its direct download as notarized. The listed plan is free. On macOS 27, the direct download requires Accessibility permission to detect icon positions; hiding is per app, built-in macOS items remain visible, and the app must run from /Applications. That hiding feature relies on a private Apple framework that a macOS update could disrupt.
iStat Menus
iStat Menus has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.