Bartender
Menu bar manager for macOS that hides and organizes items
What is Bartender?
Bartender is a macOS app for controlling which menu bar items are visible and when. Hidden items can be revealed on demand, moved to a secondary Bartender Bar, searched from the keyboard, or shown automatically by triggers such as unplugging power or joining a Wi-Fi network. Bartender 7 is sold as a one-time purchase, with an optional yearly Bartender Pro subscription that adds the Top Shelf notch utilities.
Bartender is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $19.99 / year (Bartender Pro) or $24.99 one-time (Bartender 7). See every plan
Good for
- Mac users with more menu bar items than fit, especially on MacBooks with a notch
- People who want menu bar items to appear only under certain conditions
- Buyers who want a one-time license rather than a subscription
Worth knowing
- macOS only. Bartender 7 is built for macOS 27; on macOS 26 the vendor points buyers to Bartender 6, which the same license key activates.
- There is no free version: Bartender 7 has a four-week trial and Bartender Pro a 14-day trial.
- Top Shelf and future Pro tools need the Bartender Pro subscription or a Mega Supporter lifetime license.
- The pricing page shows prices in the visitor's local currency; the US dollar figures here come from the vendor's Bartender 7 launch post.
Key features
- Hide and reveal menu bar items
- Choose which menu bar items show and when. Hidden items come back by swiping, scrolling, clicking or hovering in the menu bar, or with a hotkey.
- Bartender Bar
- A second bar beneath the menu bar holds overflow items, including those the MacBook notch would cover. It opens on hover, click or hotkey and can be themed separately from the menu bar.
- Command Bar
- Search for any menu bar item and trigger it from the keyboard, switch presets and check automations. For Pro users the same bar also searches clipboard history.
- Triggers and profiles
- Triggers show items or switch presets based on battery, Wi-Fi, location, time and more. Profiles replace the whole menu bar by hotkey, trigger or display setup.
- Styling, spacing and widgets
- Restyle the menu bar with glass, tints, gradients and rounded shapes, tighten item spacing, and build custom menu bar items from built-in data sources or your own scripts.
- Top Shelf (Bartender Pro)
- A Pro tool for the MacBook notch with a Dynamic Island-style display, audio controls, weather, calendar, a clipboard manager, a file shelf with AirDrop and status for coding agents.
Bartender pricing
- Starts at
- $19.99 / year (Bartender Pro) or $24.99 one-time (Bartender 7)
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- Four-week free trial of Bartender 7; Bartender Pro has a 14-day free trial
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Bartender 7 | $24.99one-time purchase | Menu bar management, Bartender Bar, triggers and widgets, with all Bartender 7 updates. The license also activates the latest Bartender 6. |
| Bartender Pro | $19.99per year | Everything in Bartender 7 plus the Pro suite, starting with Top Shelf, and all future major versions while subscribed. 14-day free trial. |
Read from macbartender.com on Oct 5, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Bartender before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Lifetime licenseMega Supporter lifetime license
A one-time Mega Supporter license includes everything in Bartender Pro and all future versions. It was listed with a Launch Discount badge and no US dollar price in text.
Stated on macbartender.com - Other savingsFree or discounted upgrade from Bartender 6
Full Bartender 6 licenses bought in 2026 get Bartender 7 free, as do paid Bartender 6 upgrades bought from 14 March to 14 September 2026. Other Bartender 6 licenses get a discounted upgrade.
Stated on macbartender.com - Other savingsAvailable to Setapp subscribers
The vendor's FAQ says Setapp users can get Bartender 7 by enabling beta app updates in Setapp.
Stated on macbartender.com
Works with
Bartender alternatives
Common questions
Is Bartender free?
No, Bartender is a paid product, but you can try it first. Four-week free trial of Bartender 7; Bartender Pro has a 14-day free trial.
How much does Bartender cost?
Bartender lists 2 plans. Bartender 7: $24.99 one-time purchase. Bartender Pro: $19.99 per year. Prices were read from macbartender.com on Oct 5, 2026.
What platforms does Bartender work on?
Bartender is available on macOS.
Does Bartender offer any discounts?
Bartender publicly lists the following: Mega Supporter lifetime license; Free or discounted upgrade from Bartender 6; Available to Setapp subscribers.
Does Bartender have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Bartender is listed for macOS.
Does Bartender have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Bartender is listed for macOS.
Is Bartender open source?
Bartender is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
What does Bartender integrate with?
Bartender's listing names Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript, Siri, Setapp, Codex and Claude Code. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Bartender?
Bartender is made by Applause Group, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Bartender?
The closest alternatives to Bartender in our directory are Hidden Bar, Thaw, SwiftBar and boring.notch. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Bartender.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 5, 2026.