iStat Menus vs SwiftBar

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

SwiftBar

• Mac users comfortable writing shell, Python or other scripts
• People who already have BitBar or xbar plugins
• Showing custom status readouts or quick actions in the menu bar

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.

SwiftBar

• macOS only; it runs on macOS Monterey (12) and later.
• It shows nothing by itself: every menu bar item needs a plugin script, taken from the plugin repository or written by the user.
• Every file in the plugin folder is imported as a plugin and made executable unless a .swiftbarignore file excludes it.
• Several preferences, such as hiding SwiftBar's own item, are not in the settings window and are set with Terminal commands.

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.

SwiftBar

Plugins are plain scripts

Any executable script in the language of your choice becomes a menu bar item: the lines it prints before the first separator form the title, and the rest fill the drop-down menu.

Refresh intervals and cron schedules

A refresh interval goes in the file name, as in date.1m.sh, from milliseconds up to days. A metadata tag accepts cron syntax for one or several schedules instead.

BitBar and xbar compatibility

The plugin format is adopted from BitBar and xbar, so existing plugins for those run unchanged, and a Get Plugins menu item opens a bundled plugin repository.

Formatting and click actions

Per-line parameters set colors, fonts, SF Symbols, images, badges and tooltips, and make an item open a URL, run a script, show a web view or respond to a hotkey.

Shortcuts and streaming plugins

Beyond standard scripts, an Apple Shortcut can supply the menu content, ephemeral plugins create temporary items on demand, and streamable plugins stay running to push updates.

URL scheme

swiftbar:// links refresh, enable, disable or add plugins, post notifications and create temporary menu bar items, so other apps and scripts can drive it.

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.

SwiftBar

• SwiftBar$0

  The complete app with every plugin type and the bundled plugin repository. MIT licensed, with no license key or account.

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.

SwiftBar

No public discounts listed.