The Ice Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Ice 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.
Ice
The Insider’s Guide
Menu bar manager for hiding and arranging Mac menu items
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Ice’s own pages.
Made by Jordan Baird · checked Nov 12, 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 Ice’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Ice’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 61 of the 96 other desktop utilities we grade
Ice is a menu bar manager for macOS. It hides and shows menu bar items, lets you reveal hidden items below the menu bar, and offers drag-and-drop arranging. It can also change the menu bar's appearance, search menu bar items and adjust item spacing. The app is free; the site links to GitHub and a donate page.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Ice, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It does that one job and no more, runs on Macs only, and the site doesn't say which macOS versions it needs.
- 1
Best for hiding Mac menu bar clutter
Ice hides and rearranges menu bar items on a Mac, shows hidden ones in a bar under the menu bar, and costs nothing.
- 2
It is free
Ice has no paid plan at all.
- 3
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 4
Hide and show items
Hides menu bar items and shows them on hover or click.
- 5
Items below the bar
Shows hidden menu bar items in a bar below the menu bar.
- 6
Drag-and-drop arranging
Arrange menu bar items by dragging them.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 61 of 96
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Ice is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Ice at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- It is free
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Jordan Baird
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for hiding Mac menu bar clutter
Ice hides and rearranges menu bar items on a Mac, shows hidden ones in a bar under the menu bar, and costs nothing. It does that one job and no more, runs on Macs only, and the site doesn't say which macOS versions it needs.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free to download, and the source is public under GPL-3.0. That is under 60% of the category's cheaper quarter. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright with no cap. The site has a donate page, but nothing is locked. |
| Features | C | Hides and shows items, drag-and-drop arranging, appearance options, search and custom spacing. It does that job fully, but it is a smaller job than most utilities. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record. It is a menu bar app you install and use, with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac only. No Windows, phone or web version, and no integrations. |
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 Ice is for
- Fits if your Mac menu bar is crowded and you want some items out of sight
- Works for people who want a free, open-source menu bar tool
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you are on Windows or Linux, as it is Mac only
- Watch out: the site doesn't say which macOS versions it needs
- Too light for anyone wanting paid support, as it is a volunteer open-source project
- Not for you if you want more than menu bar tidying, since that is all it does
Good to know
Good for
- Mac users with a crowded menu bar
- People looking for a no-cost menu bar manager
Worth knowing
- Mac only; the site does not state which macOS versions it needs.
- A volunteer open-source project; no paid support is listed.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Ice is free to use.
The site has a donate page, but nothing is locked.
Ice
$0
Free to download. The site links to a donate page and the GitHub source (GPL-3.0).
Read from icemenubar.app on Nov 12, 2026.
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 hiding and arranging Mac menu items. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, menu bar app.
Hides and shows items, drag-and-drop arranging, appearance options, search and custom spacing.
- Hide and show items
- Hides menu bar items and shows them on hover or click.
- Items below the bar
- Shows hidden menu bar items in a bar below the menu bar.
- Drag-and-drop arranging
- Arrange menu bar items by dragging them.
- Appearance options
- Customize how the menu bar looks.
- Item search
- Search menu bar items to find one quickly.
- Custom spacing
- Change the spacing between menu bar items.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Ice is made by Jordan Baird.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
61/96
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
Ice's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 61 of the 96 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 21.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 53 of 96) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Ice has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 97 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Ice’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 24 of 96
- AFree plan and trialAbove 53 of 96
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 96
- BEase of useAbove 34 of 96
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 96
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 52 desktop utilities. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Ice 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
Ice is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
What you could not
- A native app living in the menu bar.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Ice’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
Bartender, Hidden Bar and Thaw
The 3 tools Ice is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Bartender
Free trial · from $19.99/yr
Menu bar manager for macOS that hides and organizes items.
- Ice has a free plan. Bartender does not, though it has a free trial.
- Ice is open source, according to its own site.
- Bartender can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.8GPA
Hidden Bar
Free
- 2.6GPA
Thaw
Free
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
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 Ice free?
Yes. Ice is free to use.
How much does Ice cost?
Ice lists one plan. Ice: $0.
What platforms does Ice work on?
Ice is available on macOS.
Does Ice have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Ice is listed for macOS.
Does Ice have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Ice is listed for macOS.
Is Ice open source?
Yes. Ice is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes Ice?
Ice is made by Jordan Baird.
What are the alternatives to Ice?
The closest alternatives to Ice in our directory are Bartender, Hidden Bar and Thaw.
How does Ice compare with other desktop utilities?
Ice's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 61 of the 96 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 21.
Is Ice good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Ice A for value for money. Ice has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Ice?
Ice is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: A native app living in the menu bar.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Ice’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Ice's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 Jordan Baird. Prices change, so check icemenubar.app before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 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.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Ice, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/ice-menubar
- 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, "Ice: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/ice-menubar
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/ice-menubar/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded desktop utilities after Ice, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Desktop Utilities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 97 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
- PeaZip Insider's GuideFree file archiver for Linux, macOS and Windows3.2 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 Ice’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. Ice is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Jordan Baird. Prices and plans change: check icemenubar.app before you buy.