The Bartender Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Bartender in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Bartender
The Insider’s Guide
Menu bar manager for macOS that hides and organizes items
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Bartender’s own pages.
Made by Applause Group, Inc. · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Bartender’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Bartender’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 18 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Bartender, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating is on record, but the main job needs no setting up: hidden items come back with a swipe, a scroll, a click or a hover.
- 1
Best for taming a crowded Mac menu bar
Bartender is a Mac app that hides menu bar icons, moves the overflow into a second bar, and brings items back on triggers such as unplugging the power.
- 2
Paid plans start at $1.67 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $19.99 / year (Bartender Pro) or $24.99 one-time (Bartender 7).
- 3
You can try it first
Four-week free trial of Bartender 7; Bartender Pro has a 14-day free trial
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 18 of 94
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Bartender you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Bartender at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $19.99 / year (Bartender Pro) or $24.99 one-time (Bartender 7)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Four-week free trial of Bartender 7; Bartender Pro has a 14-day free trial
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Applause Group, Inc.
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for taming a crowded Mac menu bar
Bartender is a Mac app that hides menu bar icons, moves the overflow into a second bar, and brings items back on triggers such as unplugging the power. Bartender 7 costs $24.99 once, but there's no free version, only a four-week trial, and the notch tools need Pro at $19.99 a year. It's macOS only, built for macOS 27, and the pricing page shows local currency only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Bartender 7 is $24.99 once, with all Bartender 7 updates, and that one payment is less than a year of this category's middle subscription. Bartender Pro is $19.99 a year for Top Shelf and future major versions, but you don't need Pro for the menu bar side. |
| Free plan and trial | C | There's no free version. Bartender 7 has a four-week free trial and Bartender Pro a 14-day one, and the listing doesn't say whether either wants a card. After that you buy it or you stop. |
| Features | C | Menu bar tidying is a small job, and Bartender covers it: hide and reveal, a second bar for the overflow, a Command Bar to search items, triggers by battery, Wi-Fi, location or time, profiles on a hotkey, restyling and script-built items. The notch tools are Pro only. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating is on record, but the main job needs no setting up: hidden items come back with a swipe, a scroll, a click or a hover. Triggers, profiles and script-built widgets are there if you want them, not homework before it works. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac only, so one operating system. Bartender 7 is built for macOS 27, and on macOS 26 the vendor points you to Bartender 6, which the same license key activates. It does work with Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript and Siri. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Bartender is for
- Fits if your MacBook's notch is hiding menu bar icons
- Works for people who want an item to show only under certain conditions, like joining a Wi-Fi network
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want something free, as there's only a four-week trial of Bartender 7 and 14 days of Pro
- Not for you if you're on Windows or Linux, since it's macOS only
- Pricey if you want the notch tools, because Top Shelf needs Pro at $19.99 a year or a Mega Supporter license
- Watch out: Bartender 7 is built for macOS 27; on macOS 26 the same key gets you Bartender 6 instead
- Watch out: the pricing page shows local currency only, and the Mega Supporter license has no dollar price in text
Good to know
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$1.67
A month to start, paid by the year
Bartender is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $19.99 / year (Bartender Pro) or $24.99 one-time (Bartender 7).
Bartender 7
$24.99
one-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
$19.99
per year
Everything in Bartender 7 plus the Pro suite, starting with Top Shelf, and all future major versions while subscribed. 14-day free trial.
Trying it first
Four-week free trial of Bartender 7; Bartender Pro has a 14-day free trial
Read from macbartender.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Lifetime license
Mega 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.comOther savings
Free 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.comOther savings
Available 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
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Menu bar manager for macOS that hides and organizes items. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, keyboard-first, workflow automation, clipboard manager, menu bar app.
It does work with Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript and Siri.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- Apple Shortcuts
- AppleScript
- Siri
- Setapp
- Codex
- Claude Code
Bartender is made by Applause Group, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
18/94
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
Bartender's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 17.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 24 of 94) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $1.67 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.50 for the category: 4 of the 17 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 7 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 95 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Bartender’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 24 of 94
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 94
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 94
- BEase of useAbove 33 of 94
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 94
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 55 desktop utilities. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Bartender is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Bartender you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 59 of the 94 other desktop utilities grade higher. It costs $19.99 a year.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- A native app living in the menu bar.
- A clipboard history running in the background of your computer.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- Hooks into the device itself: widgets.
What this rests on. Bartender’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Hidden Bar, Thaw, SwiftBar and boring.notch
The 4 tools Bartender is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Hidden Bar
Free
Free, open-source utility that hides macOS menu bar icons.
- Hidden Bar has a free plan. Bartender does not, though it has a free trial.
- Bartender can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Hidden Bar is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Thaw
Free
Free, open-source menu bar manager for macOS.
- Thaw has a free plan. Bartender does not, though it has a free trial.
- Bartender can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Thaw is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
SwiftBar
Free
Open-source tool that puts script output in the Mac menu bar.
- SwiftBar has a free plan. Bartender does not, though it has a free trial.
- Bartender can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- SwiftBar is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
boring.notch
Free
Turns the MacBook notch into a music player and file shelf.
- boring.notch has a free plan. Bartender does not, though it has a free trial.
- Bartender can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- boring.notch is open source, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
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.
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.
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.
How does Bartender compare with other desktop utilities?
Bartender's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 17.
Is Bartender good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Bartender A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $1.67 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.50 for the category: 4 of the 17 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Bartender?
To replace Bartender you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Bartender’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Bartender's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-13.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Applause Group, Inc. Prices change, so check macbartender.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Bartender, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/bartender
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Bartender: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/bartender
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/bartender/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded desktop utilities after Bartender, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Desktop Utilities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 95 desktop utilities we grade, compared
- LocalSend Insider's GuideOpen-source file sharing between nearby devices, no cloud3.2 GPA
- Ninite Insider's GuideInstalls and updates many Windows apps at once3.2 GPA
- 7-Zip Insider's GuideFree, open-source file archiver with the 7z format3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Bartender’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Bartender is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Applause Group, Inc. Prices and plans change: check macbartender.com before you buy.