iStat Menus vs TG Pro (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, iStat Menus and TG Pro share a 2.4 GPA, neither has a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on which features you need.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
iStat Menus
System monitor that lives in the Mac menu bar
TG Pro
Mac temperature monitor with manual and automatic fan control
Which one is for you
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
Pick TG Pro if
- Fits if you want to see Mac temperatures and keep fans from running late
- Works for people chasing thermal throttling on heavy work
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free tool, since there is a 14-day trial and nothing after it
- Watch out: fanless Macs get temperature readings only
- Watch out: manual and Max fan options depend on the Mac model and settings
- Not for you if you use Windows, as it is Mac only
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAiStat MenusFair | 2.4GPATG ProFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | A$10 once with no subscription, far under the category's cheaper quarter. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | CA 14-day trial, and the listing doesn't say a card is needed. There is no free plan after it. |
| Features | 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. | CSensor readings, Auto Boost rules, manual fan speeds, alerts and CSV logs. It does that job fully, but it is a narrow one. |
| Ease of use | 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. | BNo rating on record. Install it and temperatures appear in the menu bar. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | DMac only, on Intel and Apple Silicon. No Windows, phone or web version. |
| Best for | watching your Mac's vital signs from the menu bar | Mac temperatures and fan rules |
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: iStat Menus and TG Pro. How we grade
Where they differ
At a glance
| iStat Menus | TG Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes | $10 one-time |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial | 14-day free trial |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Bjango Pty Ltd | Tunabelly Software Inc. |
| Price read from | bjango.com | tunabellysoftware.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
TG Pro
- Mac only; it runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs with macOS 10.14 to 27.
- Fanless Macs can monitor temperatures only, since fan controls need a model with fans.
- Manual and Max fan options depend on the Mac model and settings.
- The $10 price is filled in by the page's checkout script, with the static page text showing the same figure.
Key features
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.
TG Pro
- Auto Boost fan rules
- Set a temperature threshold and fan speed for the CPU, GPU, drive or another sensor, and the fans adjust on their own.
- Manual fan speeds
- Set speeds yourself or use Max for immediate cooling. Options depend on the Mac model.
- Sensor readings
- Shows current and highest temperatures for CPU cores, GPU, SMART drive data, battery and other components.
- Menu bar readouts
- Temperatures and fan speeds sit in the menu bar, with per-sensor readings and fan controls in the dropdown.
- Hardware health checks
- Reports fan and sensor status, battery health and the last shutdown or sleep.
- Alerts and CSV logs
- Sends local notifications or email alerts at set temperatures and logs readings to CSV.
Plans
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.
TG Pro
TG Pro$10
one-time, no subscription
Shown on the page as 50% off a crossed-out $20, with no end date stated. Covers monitoring, fan control, alerts and logging.
Ways to pay less
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.
TG Pro
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, iStat Menus or TG Pro?
As of Nov 12, 2026, iStat Menus starts at $11.99 one-time purchase (Single License), plus local taxes, and TG Pro starts at $10 one-time.
Which has a free plan, iStat Menus or TG Pro?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither iStat Menus nor TG Pro has a free plan. Both have 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.