coconutBattery vs iStat Menus (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, coconutBattery grades higher than iStat Menus: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
coconutBattery grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
coconutBattery
Mac app that reads battery health for Macs, iPhones and iPads
iStat Menus
System monitor that lives in the Mac menu bar
Which one is for you
Pick coconutBattery if
- Fits if you want to see how worn a Mac or iPhone battery is
- Works for people buying a used Mac who want the cycle count
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use Windows or Linux, since it is Mac only and needs macOS 12 or later
- Tight if you want the menu bar or lifetime view free, as those are Plus
- Watch out: the Standard edition covers 4.x updates only
- Watch out: it is sold from the vendor's site only, not through any App Store
Pick iStat Menus if
- Fits if you want CPU, memory, network and temperatures in view on a Mac
- Works for laptop owners who check battery, sensors and fan speeds
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on Windows or Linux, or a Mac below macOS 11 (macOS 14 for the App Store edition)
- Watch out: weather data lasts 6 months, then costs from $2.49 for 12 months, or $0.99 a month in the App Store edition
- Not for you if you want fan control from the Mac App Store edition, which can't do it and needs a helper app for some stats
- Watch out: a license covers the current major version only, and version 6 owners pay an upgrade price for 7
- Tight if you have more than 3 computers: the single license covers 3, and the $14.99 family one 5 in one household
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAcoconutBatteryGood | 2.4GPAiStat MenusFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$13.99 one-time for Plus Standard, under a year of the typical utility subscription. | A$11.99 once for up to 3 of your computers, or $14.99 for a family of 5. Utilities here sit around $2.99 a month in the middle, so you've paid for this one in four months and then stopped. Weather data packs from $2.49 for 12 months are the only extra. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe base app with Mac and iPhone/iPad diagnostics is free for good. Plus has a trial of 10 launches. | CNo free version. There's a 14-day trial and the listing shows no card being asked for, which is the ordinary deal here. After two weeks you buy or stop. |
| Features | CBattery diagnostics for Mac, iPhone and iPad, but the menu bar details, lifetime analyzer, advanced viewer, notifications and Wi-Fi are all Plus. | CIt reads per-core CPU, GPU, memory pressure, disks with S.M.A.R.T. status, network use per app, sensors and fans, and runs rules like CPU above 60% for 10 seconds. The gaps are its own notes: the App Store edition can't control fans, and weather stops after 6 months. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record. Install and open it; the numbers are on the first screen. | BNo store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: install it and the numbers are in your menu bar, with the detail in drop-down menus. Combined mode folds several items into one if the bar is crowded. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, macOS 12 or later, though it reads connected iPhones and iPads. | DMac only. Bjango's own version needs macOS 11 or later, the Mac App Store one macOS 14. Weather comes from Apple Weather, AccuWeather and others, and the app is in Setapp too, but there's nothing for Windows or Linux. |
| Best for | checking battery health on a Mac or iPhone | watching your Mac's vital signs from the menu bar |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: coconutBattery and iStat Menus. How we grade
Where they differ
At a glance
| coconutBattery | iStat Menus | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $13.99 one-time (coconutBattery Standard) | $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes |
| Free plan | The base app with Mac and iPhone/iPad battery diagnostics and saved battery health info; Plus features have a trial of 10 launches. | None |
| Free trial | Plus mode can be tried for 10 app launches, activated in the app settings. | 14-day free trial |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | coconut-flavour.com | Bjango Pty Ltd |
| Price read from | coconut-flavour.com | bjango.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
coconutBattery
- Runs on macOS 12 Monterey or later; older versions of the app exist for older macOS.
- Sold only from the vendor's site, not in any App Store.
- Menu bar details, Wi-Fi support, the lifetime analyzer, advanced viewer and notifications need Plus.
- The Standard edition covers version 4.x updates only.
iStat Menus
- macOS only. The version on the vendor's site requires macOS 11 or later; the Mac App Store listing requires macOS 14.
- Weather data is included for 6 months, after which the direct version needs a paid data pack and the App Store edition a subscription.
- A license covers only the current major release; iStat Menus 6 owners pay an upgrade price for version 7.
- The pricing panel shows local-currency prices by visitor location, with local taxes on top.
Key features
coconutBattery
- Mac battery diagnostic
- Shows live battery quality and health for the Mac.
- iPhone and iPad battery diagnostic
- Reads battery health from a connected iPhone or iPad.
- Menu bar details (Plus)
- Plus shows Mac and iPhone/iPad battery details in the menu bar.
- Battery Lifetime Analyzer (Plus)
- Lifetime figures such as temperature, voltage and charge rate ranges, and battery operating time.
- Advanced viewer (Plus)
- More device details, including SSD read and write statistics on a Mac; available data varies by device.
- Notifications and Wi-Fi (Plus)
- Alerts below a set battery level, and checking an iPhone or iPad over Wi-Fi once enabled.
iStat Menus
- CPU and GPU monitoring
- Per-core usage, history graphs, load averages, uptime and the apps using the most CPU, plus GPU processor, memory, temperature and frequency on supported Macs.
- Memory, disks and network
- Memory pressure and swap, used and free disk space with S.M.A.R.T. status, and network bandwidth with a per-app breakdown, public and private IP addresses and a connectivity indicator.
- Sensors and fan control
- Lists temperatures, fans, voltages, current and power. Fan speeds can be controlled, or switched and ramped based on temperatures and battery state.
- Rules and notifications
- Notifies you about events such as CPU usage above 60% for more than 10 seconds, low disk space, a changed public IP address or a dropped internet connection.
- Weather
- Current conditions in the menu bar with an hourly forecast and weekly overview, for your location or elsewhere. Data comes from providers including Apple Weather and AccuWeather.
- Combined mode and customization
- Combined mode folds several items into a single menu bar item to save space. Colors, item order and what each menu shows can all be changed.
Plans
coconutBattery
coconutBattery$0
Mac and iPhone/iPad battery diagnostics, and saving battery health info.
coconutBattery Plus Standard$13.99
one-time
Plus features for version 4.x only, unlimited devices, updates for v4.x.
coconutBattery Plus Lifetime Edition$19.39
one-time
Plus features on unlimited devices with all future Plus updates; shown on the page as reduced from $21.55 with no end date.
iStat Menus
Single License$11.99
one-time purchase, plus local taxes
iStat Menus 7 on up to 3 computers primarily used by the buyer, with 6 months of weather data included.
Family License$14.99
one-time purchase, plus local taxes
For up to 5 family members, on up to 5 computers in one household, with 6 months of weather data included.
Mac App Store edition$11.99
one-time purchase (US Mac App Store price)
Cannot control fan speeds and needs a helper app for some stats. Weather is an in-app subscription at $0.99 a month or $4.99 a year.
Weather data packFrom $2.49
one-off purchase for 12 months of weather data
Optional add-on for the direct version once the included weather period ends. Data packs do not renew automatically.
Ways to pay less
coconutBattery
No public discounts listed.
iStat Menus
- Other savings
Upgrade pricing from iStat Menus 6
Holders of an iStat Menus 6 license pay $9.99 for a single upgrade or $12.99 for a family upgrade. The discount is applied when upgrading from inside iStat Menus 7.
- Other savings
Included with a Setapp subscription
iStat Menus is also available through Setapp, which the vendor quotes at USD$9.99 a month for more than 250 Mac apps.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, coconutBattery or iStat Menus?
As of Nov 13, 2026, coconutBattery starts at $13.99 one-time (coconutBattery Standard), and iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes.
Which has a free plan, coconutBattery or iStat Menus?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only coconutBattery has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.