iStat Menus alternatives · Utilities
Free alternatives to iStat Menus
iStat Menus has no free plan. 65 of the 96 other desktop utilities in this directory are free or have a free plan.
iStat Menus is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes. 35 of them have no paid plan at all; the rest pair a free plan with paid ones.
65 tools · Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from
The 12 closest to iStat Menus
- Free
Stats
Free, open-source system monitor for the Mac menu bar
What is free: Everything. There is no paid plan.
- Stats is free. iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
- Stats has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- Stats is open source, according to its own site.
- iStat Menus can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Free
SwiftBar
Open-source tool that puts script output in the Mac menu bar
What is free: Everything. There is no paid plan.
- SwiftBar is free. iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
- SwiftBar has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- SwiftBar is open source, according to its own site.
- iStat Menus can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Free plan · from $13.99/yr
AlDente
Charge limiter and battery care app for MacBooks
What is free: AlDente Free includes the Charge Limiter and manual Discharge. It cannot control charging while the MacBook is asleep or shut down.
- AlDente starts at $13.99 / year, or $24.99 one-time for a lifetime license. iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
- AlDente has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- Free plan · from $14.95 one-time
Macs Fan Control
Free Mac fan monitor with custom speeds and presets in Pro
What is free: Free download that monitors fan speeds and temperatures, sets custom RPM values or sensor-based fan control, and shows readings in the menu bar. Custom fan presets are Pro.
- Macs Fan Control starts at $14.95 one-time, per Mac. iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
- Macs Fan Control has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Macs Fan Control lists a Windows app.
- Free plan · from $21.99 one-time
BetterDisplay
Display scaling, brightness and DDC control for Mac
What is free: Non-business users keep the free features after the trial: DDC brightness, volume and input control, software dimming, the resolution slider and basic virtual screens. The terms say there are no purchase pop-ups or ads.
- BetterDisplay starts at $21.99 one-time purchase (Pro license, tax may apply). iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
- BetterDisplay has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- BetterDisplay also covers display control.
- iStat Menus also covers system monitor.
- Free plan · from $7.99 one-time
CopyClip
Text-only clipboard manager for the Mac menu bar
What is free: The original CopyClip is free on the Mac App Store: a text-only clipboard history in the menu bar. Search, pinned clips, direct pasting and themes are only in the paid CopyClip 2, a separate app.
- CopyClip starts at $7.99 one-time purchase (CopyClip 2, US Mac App Store). iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
- CopyClip has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- CopyClip also covers clipboard manager.
- iStat Menus also covers system monitor.
- Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Dropzone
Drag-and-drop action grid and file shelf for the Mac menu bar
What is free: Free download with the action grid, Drop Bar and built-in actions for opening apps and moving or copying files. The vendor lists Amazon S3, SFTP, add-on actions, unlimited grids and more as Pro features.
- Dropzone starts at $4.99 / month or $19.99 / year (Mac App Store), or $35 one-time direct. iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
- Dropzone has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- Dropzone also covers file sharing and file management.
- iStat Menus also covers system monitor.
- Free plan · from $23 one-time
Lunar
Mac app that sets external monitor brightness over DDC
What is free: DDC brightness control, sub-zero dimming, brightness and volume keys, input switching and multi-monitor support, with 100 adjustments and 100 action calls per day.
- Lunar starts at $23 one-time. iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
- Lunar has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- Lunar also covers display control.
- iStat Menus also covers system monitor.
- Free plan · from $23.97 one-time
Process Lasso
Windows process automation for CPU priorities and affinities
What is free: Free to use indefinitely with ProBalance, CPU, I/O, GPU and memory-current priorities, CPU affinities, CPU Sets, Efficiency Mode and more; some advanced rule types work only during a trial, and a nag may be shown.
- Process Lasso starts at $23.97 once for a Single PC lifetime license, or $2.97 a month. iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
- Process Lasso has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Process Lasso lists a Windows app.
- Only iStat Menus lists a macOS app.
- Free
Karabiner-Elements
Free, open-source keyboard customizer for macOS
What is free: Everything. There is no paid plan.
- Karabiner-Elements is free. iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
- Karabiner-Elements has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- Karabiner-Elements is open source, according to its own site.
- iStat Menus can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Free plan · from $4.99
Maccy
Lightweight, open-source clipboard manager for macOS
What is free: The full app is free from the GitHub releases page or Homebrew. The paid website and Mac App Store downloads are the same app, sold to support development.
- Maccy starts at $4.99 or more, pay what you want (website download via Gumroad). iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
- Maccy has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- Maccy is open source, according to its own site.
- iStat Menus can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Free plan · from $44.95/yr
CCleaner
Junk cleaner and PC optimizer for Windows, Mac and mobile
What is free: CCleaner Free: standard cleaning, standard privacy protection and a basic Health Check. Performance Optimizer, Driver Updater and automatic cleaning are paid.
- CCleaner starts at $44.95 per year for 1 PC (CCleaner Pro). iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
- CCleaner has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only CCleaner lists Windows, Android and iOS apps.
- iStat Menus can be bought with a one-time purchase.
53 more that are free or have a free plan
- Shottr
- f.lux
- Thaw
- Hidden Bar
- MonitorControl
- PhraseExpress
- aText
- ClipClip
- WizTree
- boring.notch
- EarTrumpet
- Twinkle Tray
- KeepingYouAwake
- Numi
- TeraCopy
- Disk Drill
- Revo Uninstaller
- Rainmeter
- Ice
- Commander One
- TextExpander
- AutoHotkey
- Everything
- 7-Zip
- Ditto
- ShareX
- Hammerspoon
- Espanso
- LocalSend
- AppCleaner
- The Unarchiver
- Keka
- Greenshot
- Text Blaze
- CopyQ
- WinDirStat
- Files
- LinearMouse
- OnyX
- Pearcleaner
- BleachBit
- Ninite
- UniGetUI
- Flameshot
- WebCatalog
- Bulk Rename Utility
- Cyberduck
- PeaZip
- Logi Options+
- Lightshot
- TreeSize
- Latest
- LuLu
Common questions
Is there a free alternative to iStat Menus?
Yes. Stats, SwiftBar, AlDente, Macs Fan Control, BetterDisplay, CopyClip, Dropzone, Lunar and 57 more are free or have a free plan.
Does iStat Menus have a free plan?
iStat Menus has no free plan. iStat Menus is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
When was this checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 4, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices and plans without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.
This page is built from the listings. A tool is here because its listing says so, and the order is how close each is to iStat Menus: the alternatives its listing names first, then the tools that share the most features with it.