The SwiftBar Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about SwiftBar 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.
SwiftBar
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source tool that puts script output in the Mac menu bar
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from SwiftBar’s own pages.
Made by Ameba Labs · checked Oct 9, 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 SwiftBar’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on SwiftBar’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 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
SwiftBar is an open-source macOS app that turns the output of a script into a menu bar item with a drop-down menu. A plugin is any executable script, in any language, saved in a plugin folder with its refresh interval in the file name. SwiftBar also runs existing BitBar and xbar plugins and bundles a plugin repository. It is MIT licensed, published by Ameba Labs, and installed from GitHub Releases or Homebrew.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about SwiftBar, taken from its own pages and our grades.
If you don't write scripts, look elsewhere.
- 1
Best for putting your own scripts in the Mac menu bar
It's free, open source and runs BitBar and xbar plugins.
- 2
It is free
SwiftBar has no paid plan at all. The whole app is open source under the MIT license, downloaded from GitHub Releases or installed with Homebrew. No paid edition is listed; the repository carries a sponsor link.
- 3
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 4
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.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
Keep it
SwiftBar is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
SwiftBar at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Ameba Labs
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for putting your own scripts in the Mac menu bar
SwiftBar turns scripts into Mac menu bar items: a shell or Python file that prints text shows up and refreshes on the schedule in its file name. It's free, open source and runs BitBar and xbar plugins. It shows nothing by itself, so you write or fetch every plugin, several settings exist only as Terminal commands, and every file in the plugin folder gets made executable. If you don't write scripts, look elsewhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under the MIT licence, from GitHub Releases or Homebrew, with no paid edition listed. The repository carries a sponsor link if you'd like to chip in. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The complete app is free, with every plugin type and the bundled plugin repository. No licence key, no account, no cap. |
| Features | C | Script output in the menu bar is the one thing it does, and it does that completely: scripts in any language, refresh from milliseconds to days or on cron, colours, SF Symbols and click actions per line, plugins that stay running. By itself it shows nothing at all until you add one. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record, and this needs code: every menu bar item is a plugin you take from the repository or write yourself. Several preferences, such as hiding SwiftBar's own item, aren't in the settings window and are set with Terminal commands. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac only, on macOS Monterey (12) and later. It can take its menu content from an Apple Shortcut and runs xbar plugins. Nothing for Windows or Linux. |
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 SwiftBar is for
- Fits if you're comfortable writing a short shell or Python script
- Works for people with BitBar or xbar plugins they want to keep running
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you don't write scripts, because it shows nothing by itself
- Not for you if you want every setting in a window, since several are set with Terminal commands
- Tight if your plugin folder holds other files, as every file in it is imported and made executable unless you exclude it
- Skip it if you're on Windows or Linux, or a Mac older than macOS Monterey (12)
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
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
SwiftBar is free to use.
Free and open source under the MIT licence, from GitHub Releases or Homebrew, with no paid edition listed.
SwiftBar
$0
The complete app with every plugin type and the bundled plugin repository. MIT licensed, with no license key or account.
The free plan
The whole app is open source under the MIT license, downloaded from GitHub Releases or installed with Homebrew. No paid edition is listed; the repository carries a sponsor link.
Read from github.com on Oct 9, 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
Open-source tool that puts script output in the Mac menu bar. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, menu bar app.
By itself it shows nothing at all until you add one.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- Apple Shortcuts
- xbar
SwiftBar is made by Ameba Labs.
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
SwiftBar'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 free plan and trial (A, above 49 of 94) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
SwiftBar has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.3 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 95 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. SwiftBar’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 24 of 94
- AFree plan and trialAbove 49 of 94
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 94
- DEase of useAbove 0 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. SwiftBar 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
SwiftBar is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 59 of the 94 other desktop utilities grade higher.
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. SwiftBar’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
Hammerspoon, Stats, iStat Menus and Bartender
The 4 tools SwiftBar is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Hammerspoon
Free
Free, open-source macOS automation scripted in Lua.
- SwiftBar also covers menu bar app.
- Hammerspoon also covers workflow automation and window management.
- 2.8GPA
Stats
Free
Free, open-source system monitor for the Mac menu bar.
- Stats also covers system monitor.
- 2.4GPA
iStat Menus
Free trial · from $11.99 one-time
System monitor that lives in the Mac menu bar.
- SwiftBar has a free plan. iStat Menus does not, though it has a free trial.
- SwiftBar is open source, according to its own site.
- iStat Menus can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
Bartender
Free trial · from $19.99/yr
Menu bar manager for macOS that hides and organizes items.
- SwiftBar has a free plan. Bartender does not, though it has a free trial.
- SwiftBar is open source, according to its own site.
- Bartender can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
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 SwiftBar free?
Yes. SwiftBar is free to use.
How much does SwiftBar cost?
SwiftBar lists one plan. SwiftBar: $0.
What platforms does SwiftBar work on?
SwiftBar is available on macOS.
Does SwiftBar have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. SwiftBar is listed for macOS.
Does SwiftBar have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. SwiftBar is listed for macOS.
Is SwiftBar open source?
Yes. SwiftBar is open source, according to its own site.
What does SwiftBar integrate with?
SwiftBar's listing names Apple Shortcuts and xbar. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes SwiftBar?
SwiftBar is made by Ameba Labs.
What are the alternatives to SwiftBar?
The closest alternatives to SwiftBar in our directory are Hammerspoon, Stats, iStat Menus and Bartender.
How does SwiftBar compare with other desktop utilities?
SwiftBar's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 17.
Is SwiftBar good value for money?
ToolGPA grades SwiftBar A for value for money. SwiftBar has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of SwiftBar?
SwiftBar is free, so making your own would save you nothing. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 59 of the 94 other desktop utilities grade higher.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from SwiftBar’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from SwiftBar's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-21.
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 Ameba Labs. Prices change, so check swiftbar.app 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
- SwiftBar, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/swiftbar
- 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, "SwiftBar: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/swiftbar
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/swiftbar/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
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- 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 SwiftBar’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. SwiftBar is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Ameba Labs. Prices and plans change: check swiftbar.app before you buy.