What is Thaw?
Thaw is a free, open-source menu bar manager for macOS. It moves menu bar items into a hidden or always-hidden section and reveals them on hover, click, scroll, swipe or hotkey, or shows them in a separate bar below the menu bar on MacBooks with a notch. It also offers item search, condition-based triggers, switchable profiles and styling of the menu bar itself.
Thaw is free to use. See every plan
Good for
- Mac users with a crowded menu bar, including MacBooks with a notch
- People who want a free, open-source alternative to paid menu bar managers
- Showing or hiding items by context, such as the display, Space or Focus
Worth knowing
- macOS only, and the README says it needs macOS 26 or later.
- Only battery and power triggers are on by default. Other conditions are enabled one at a time from Developer settings, and some are marked experimental.
- It needs Accessibility permission to move menu bar items. Live item previews and wallpaper-based tinting also need Screen Recording permission.
Key features
- Hide and reveal menu bar items
- Items go into a hidden or always-hidden section and come back by hovering, clicking an empty area, scrolling, swiping or pressing a hotkey, then hide again automatically.
- Thaw Bar
- Hidden items can be shown in a separate bar below the menu bar, intended for MacBooks with a notch. The bar can have its own shape, tint and border.
- Search and hotkeys
- A search panel finds and opens any menu bar item from the keyboard. Hotkeys toggle sections, open a specific item's menu and switch profiles.
- Triggers
- An item can be revealed or hidden when a condition is met, such as battery level, Wi-Fi network, the active Focus or a script's exit code. Conditions combine with AND and OR.
- Profiles
- The whole configuration can be saved as a profile and bound to a display, a Space or a Focus filter. Profiles can be imported, exported and given script hooks.
- Menu bar appearance
- Tint, gradient, shadow, border and custom shapes for the menu bar, with separate settings for light and dark mode and overrides per Space.
Thaw pricing
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- The whole app is free and open source under GPL-3.0. The README says there is no purchase, subscription, account or upgrade fee for new macOS versions.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Thaw | $0 | Hidden sections, the Thaw Bar, item search, triggers, profiles, hotkeys and menu bar styling. GPL-3.0 licensed, with no tracking or account. |
Read from github.com on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Thaw before you buy.
Works with
- Raycast
- Droppy
- Alfred
- Apple Shortcuts
- Keyboard Maestro
- BetterTouchTool
Thaw alternatives
- Thaw vs Bartender
Free trial · from $19.99/yr
Common questions
Is Thaw free?
Yes. Thaw is free to use. The whole app is free and open source under GPL-3.0. The README says there is no purchase, subscription, account or upgrade fee for new macOS versions.
How much does Thaw cost?
Thaw lists one plan. Thaw: $0. Prices were read from github.com on Oct 9, 2026.
What platforms does Thaw work on?
Thaw is available on macOS.
Does Thaw have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Thaw is listed for macOS.
Does Thaw have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Thaw is listed for macOS.
Is Thaw open source?
Yes. Thaw is open source, according to its own site.
What does Thaw integrate with?
Thaw's listing names Raycast, Droppy, Alfred, Apple Shortcuts, Keyboard Maestro and BetterTouchTool. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Thaw?
Thaw is made by thaw-app.
What are the alternatives to Thaw?
The closest alternatives to Thaw in our directory are Bartender and Hidden Bar. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Thaw.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026.