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Bartender alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Bartender: paid, with subscription options for the Pro tier, and ownership change in 2024 dented trust for some users. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Bartender, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Ice currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Ice logoIceOpen sourceYesmacOS4 of 466.5
2Raycast logoRaycastFree plan + paidNomacOS, Windows, iOS5 of 550.3
  1. Ice logo

    1. IceTop pick

    Best for: Mac users who want to hide menu bar icons for free

    Open sourcemacOS

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Bartender

    Free and open-source menu bar manager with hiding, a notch bar and search.

    Pros

    • Free and open source
    • Separate bar for items hidden by the notch
    • Drag-and-drop arrangement and item search
    • Menu bar styling options

    Cons

    • Some roadmap features are still unimplemented
    • Smaller team than commercial rivals
    • Can break after major macOS updates
    Visit Ice Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Ice a good Bartender alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Install
    GitHub release or Homebrew
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Notch support
    Separate Ice Bar
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Development status
    Active, some features unfinished
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Raycast logo

    2. Raycast

    Best for: Mac or Windows users who want one launcher for apps, clipboard, snippets and windows

    Free plan + paidmacOS, Windows, iOS

    50.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Bartender

    Can search and trigger many commands from the keyboard instead of menu bar icons.

    Pros

    • Free tier includes clipboard history, snippets and window management
    • Large extension store for popular work tools
    • Extensions are easy to write in TypeScript and React
    • Fast, polished interface with good defaults

    Cons

    • AI features and sync are locked behind a subscription
    • Requires an account for sync and team features
    • Windows version is newer and has fewer extensions
    Visit Raycast Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.346
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Raycast a good Bartender alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, for personal and work use
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro price
    From $8/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Teams Pro price
    $12 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS, Windows, iOS and iPadOS
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Student discount
    50% off Pro
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Bartender alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Ice logo

Best Bartender alternative for most people

Ice

Free and open-source menu bar manager with hiding, a notch bar and search.

Ice logo

Best Bartender alternative for a free option

Ice

Free and open-source menu bar manager with hiding, a notch bar and search.

Raycast logo

Best Bartender alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Raycast

Can search and trigger many commands from the keyboard instead of menu bar icons.

Ice logo

Best Bartender alternative for open source

Ice

Free and open-source menu bar manager with hiding, a notch bar and search.

iStat Menus logo

Best Bartender alternative for Mac

iStat Menus

If your menu bar is full of system monitors, one combined iStat item can replace them.

Raycast logo

Best Bartender alternative for Windows

Raycast

Can search and trigger many commands from the keyboard instead of menu bar icons.

Bartender alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Bartender?

Ice ranks first right now. Free and open-source menu bar manager with hiding, a notch bar and search. iStat Menus and Raycast follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Bartender?

Yes. Ice (open source) and Raycast (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Bartender?

Yes: Ice.

Why do people switch from Bartender?

The complaints we hear most: paid, with subscription options for the Pro tier; ownership change in 2024 dented trust for some users; each licence covers one major version.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Bartender, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.