iStat Menus alternatives: 3 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave iStat Menus: paid licence, with weather an extra after the included period, and mac only, recent macOS required. We ranked 3 alternatives by how directly each one replaces iStat Menus, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Stats currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	Stats	Open source	Yes	macOS	4 of 4	66.5
2	Ice	Open source	Yes	macOS	4 of 4	50.3

1. StatsTop pick
Best for: Mac users who want free menu bar readouts of CPU, memory, network and temperatures
Open sourcemacOS
66.5
score / 100
Why switch from iStat Menus
Free and open source, covering CPU, memory, disk, network and sensors.
Pros
Free and open source
Modules can be enabled one by one
Covers CPU, GPU, memory, disk, network, sensors and battery
Cons
Fan control is no longer maintained
Fewer alerts and options than iStat Menus
Does not support beta macOS releases
Visit Stats 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 Stats a good iStat Menus alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
License
MIT
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
Requirements
macOS 12 Monterey or newer
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
Install
Download or Homebrew
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
Sensors
Temperature, voltage and power
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
2. Ice
Best for: Mac users who want to hide menu bar icons for free
Open sourcemacOS
50.3
score / 100
Why switch from iStat Menus
Free way to hide extra menu bar icons, including monitor readouts.
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 ×0.346
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 Ice a good iStat Menus 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)

The best iStat Menus alternative for…

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

Best iStat Menus alternative for most people

Stats

Free and open source, covering CPU, memory, disk, network and sensors.

Best iStat Menus alternative for a free option

Ice

Free way to hide extra menu bar icons, including monitor readouts.

Best iStat Menus alternative for open source

Stats

Free and open source, covering CPU, memory, disk, network and sensors.

Best iStat Menus alternative for Mac

Bartender

Hide or group menu bar icons if space, not stats, is the problem.

iStat Menus alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to iStat Menus?

Stats ranks first right now. Free and open source, covering CPU, memory, disk, network and sensors. Bartender and Ice follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to iStat Menus?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to iStat Menus?

Yes: Stats and Ice.

Why do people switch from iStat Menus?

The complaints we hear most: paid licence, with weather an extra after the included period; mac only, recent macOS required; can crowd the menu bar if every item is enabled.

How is this list ranked?

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