Bartender vs Foldaway

Bartender9.2Visit Foldaway8.1Visit

Higher score Bartender #2 in Menu Bar Customization Software 9.2/10 Paid ✓ 7 of 7 features Visit Bartender

vs

Foldaway #7 in Menu Bar Customization Software 8.1/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 3 of 7 features Visit Foldaway

• Bartender fits best

  Power users wanting the fullest Mac toolkit

• Foldaway fits best

  Users wanting grouped hidden icons

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Side by side

Feature	Bartender 9.2/10 Visit ↗	Foldaway 8.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.1
Ranking	#2 in Menu Bar Customization Software	#7 in Menu Bar Customization Software
Best for	Power users wanting the fullest Mac toolkit	Users wanting grouped hidden icons
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	—	$9.99 one-time
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	—	14 days
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	macOS	macOS
Support	Email	Email
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features Bartender 7/7 · Foldaway 3/7
Hide menu items	✓	✓
Rearrange items	✓ (best)	—
Group menu items	✓	✓
Custom menu items	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Keyboard shortcuts	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Multiple displays	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Notch support	✓	✓
Our review
Pros	Hides, groups, rearranges, and reveals menu bar items on demand Adds profiles, triggers, widgets, hotkeys, and monitor-specific layouts Supports MacBook notches, Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript, and Siri	Groups hidden icons under user-named sections Opens app menus without restoring their menu bar icons Supports Apple Silicon and Intel Macs
Cons	Available only for macOS No free plan is offered Advanced tiers are needed for lifetime access and future upgrades	No keyboard shortcuts Does not rearrange visible menu bar items Requires Accessibility permission
Our verdict	Bartender is a paid macOS application for controlling how menu bar items appear and behave. It suits Mac users who want more than basic hiding: the app can rearrange item order and spacing, group several items into one customizable item,… Read the review →	Foldaway is a macOS utility for users who want a less crowded menu bar without losing quick access to app controls. It hides selected icons behind a chevron panel, organizes them into user-named groups, and supports macOS 15 Sequoia and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Bartender — where it wins

  • Hides, groups, rearranges, and reveals menu bar items on demand
  • Adds profiles, triggers, widgets, hotkeys, and monitor-specific layouts
  • Supports MacBook notches, Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript, and Siri

  Where it doesn't

  • Available only for macOS
  • No free plan is offered
  • Advanced tiers are needed for lifetime access and future upgrades

• Foldaway — where it wins

  • Groups hidden icons under user-named sections
  • Opens app menus without restoring their menu bar icons
  • Supports Apple Silicon and Intel Macs

  Where it doesn't

  • No keyboard shortcuts
  • Does not rearrange visible menu bar items
  • Requires Accessibility permission

• Bartender9.2/10 · Paid

  A broad Mac menu bar toolkit for users who need profiles, triggers, widgets, and layouts.

  Visit BartenderFull verdict →
• Foldaway8.1/10 · 14-day trial

  A focused macOS utility for grouped hiding, real glyphs, and direct app-menu access.

  Visit FoldawayFull verdict →