Alternatives · Utilities
Bartender alternatives
Bartender compared with 4 alternatives: Hidden Bar, Thaw, SwiftBar and boring.notch.
Bartender is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $19.99 / year (Bartender Pro) or $24.99 one-time (Bartender 7). All 4 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
4 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 9, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| BartenderThis tool | Free trial · from $19.99/yr | Trial only | macOS |
| Hidden Bar | Free | Free | macOS |
| Thaw | Free | Free | macOS |
| SwiftBar | Free | Free | macOS |
| boring.notch | Free | Free | macOS |
How each one differs from Bartender
- Free
Thaw
Free, open-source menu bar manager for macOS
- Thaw is free. Bartender starts at $19.99 / year (Bartender Pro) or $24.99 one-time (Bartender 7).
- Thaw has a free plan. Bartender does not, though it has a free trial.
- Thaw is open source, according to its own site.
- Bartender can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Bartender also covers workflow automation and clipboard manager.
Suits: Mac users with a crowded menu bar, including MacBooks with a notch
- Free
SwiftBar
Open-source tool that puts script output in the Mac menu bar
- SwiftBar is free. Bartender starts at $19.99 / year (Bartender Pro) or $24.99 one-time (Bartender 7).
- SwiftBar has a free plan. Bartender does not, though it has a free trial.
- SwiftBar is open source, according to its own site.
- Bartender can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Bartender also covers workflow automation and clipboard manager.
Suits: Mac users comfortable writing shell, Python or other scripts
- Free
boring.notch
Turns the MacBook notch into a music player and file shelf
- boring.notch is free. Bartender starts at $19.99 / year (Bartender Pro) or $24.99 one-time (Bartender 7).
- boring.notch has a free plan. Bartender does not, though it has a free trial.
- boring.notch is open source, according to its own site.
- Bartender can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Bartender also covers workflow automation and clipboard manager.
Suits: MacBook owners who want media controls in the notch area
Limits worth knowing in Bartender
- macOS only. Bartender 7 is built for macOS 27; on macOS 26 the vendor points buyers to Bartender 6, which the same license key activates.
- There is no free version: Bartender 7 has a four-week trial and Bartender Pro a 14-day trial.
- Top Shelf and future Pro tools need the Bartender Pro subscription or a Mega Supporter lifetime license.
- The pricing page shows prices in the visitor's local currency; the US dollar figures here come from the vendor's Bartender 7 launch post.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Bartender?
The alternatives to Bartender in this directory are Hidden Bar, Thaw, SwiftBar and boring.notch. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Bartender.
Is there a free alternative to Bartender?
Yes. Hidden Bar, Thaw, SwiftBar and boring.notch are free to use.
Is there an open-source alternative to Bartender?
Hidden Bar, Thaw, SwiftBar and boring.notch are described as open source on their own sites.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.
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