iStat Menus vs Stats

iStat Menus

• Mac users who want CPU, memory, network and temperature readings always visible
• People who want an alert when a system reading crosses a threshold
• Laptop owners keeping an eye on battery, sensors and fan speeds

Stats

• Mac users who want system readings in the menu bar without buying a license
• People who want to inspect or modify the source code of their system monitor
• Both Apple silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 12 or newer

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.

Stats

• macOS only. It supports macOS 12 Monterey and newer, and beta versions of macOS are not supported.
• Fan control is in legacy mode and receives no updates or fixes.
• The Sensors and Bluetooth modules are the least efficient; the developer says disabling them can cut the app's CPU use by up to 50% in some cases.
• It is maintained by a solo developer, and the FAQ points users with problems to the project's GitHub issues.

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.

Stats

CPU and GPU

Real-time CPU load, frequency and temperature with a list of the most demanding processes, plus GPU utilization, memory and temperature for Intel, AMD and Apple silicon graphics.

RAM and disk

Memory pressure, used and free RAM, swap and the top memory-consuming apps, along with free and used disk space, read and write activity and SMART health for each drive.

Network

Upload and download speeds, total data usage, and local and public IP addresses.

Sensors, battery and Bluetooth

Temperature, voltage, power and fan-speed sensors, battery charge, health and cycle count, and the battery levels of connected Bluetooth devices.

13 widget styles

Each module can appear in the menu bar as a chart, a number, a gauge or a dot, and widgets can be combined, reordered and recolored.

Remote module

Stats can stream metrics to System Stats, a separate web dashboard service from the same developer, so a Mac can be monitored from another device.

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.

Stats

• Stats$0

  All 9 modules and 13 widget styles, as a direct download or through Homebrew. Open source under the MIT license; donations are optional.

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.

Stats

No public discounts listed.