SwiftBar
Open-source macOS app that turns the output of your own scripts into menu bar items.
- Verified facts
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- Alternatives ranked
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About SwiftBar
SwiftBar lets you put almost anything in the Mac menu bar by writing a small script. You drop an executable file in a plugin folder, and whatever it prints becomes a menu bar title and a dropdown menu; the file name sets how often it refreshes. Scripts can be written in any language, and output supports colours, SF Symbols, images, keyboard shortcuts and actions such as opening URLs or running other scripts. Beyond the standard refresh-on-a-timer model there are streamable plugins for live data, plugins built in the Shortcuts app, and temporary ephemeral items triggered from a URL scheme. Because it uses the same plugin format as BitBar and xbar, it can run the large existing library of community plugins, and a plugin browser is built in. SwiftBar is free and open source under the MIT licence, runs on macOS 12 and later, and installs from GitHub releases or Homebrew. It suits people comfortable writing a little shell or Python; there is no visual builder.
Best for: Developers and tinkerers who want custom status info or quick actions in the Mac menu bar.
Pros and cons
What works
- Runs existing BitBar and xbar plugins
- Any scripting language works
- Supports streaming, Shortcuts-based and temporary plugins
- Free and MIT-licensed
Why people leave
- You need to write or adapt scripts; there is no visual editor
- macOS only
- Plugins from the community vary in quality and upkeep
Top SwiftBar alternatives
See all 4- 1
Hammerspoon54.5Free and scriptable in Lua, with menu bar items plus window, hotkey and system automation in one tool.
- 2
BetterTouchTool52.2Paid app that can add script-driven menu bar items alongside gestures and shortcuts, configured in a GUI.
- 3
Stats50.3Free, open-source system monitor for the menu bar, if CPU, memory and network readouts were the main use.
- 4
iStat Menus48.9Polished paid menu bar monitor for hardware stats and weather, with no scripting needed.
Why people left SwiftBar
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SwiftBar: common questions
Is SwiftBar free?
Yes. SwiftBar is free, open-source software.
Is SwiftBar open source?
Yes. The source code is on GitHub at swiftbar/SwiftBar.
What platforms does SwiftBar run on?
SwiftBar is available for macOS.
What are the best alternatives to SwiftBar?
The highest-ranked SwiftBar alternatives right now are Hammerspoon, BetterTouchTool and Stats. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.