Bartender vs Pelmet

Bartender9.2Visit Pelmet8.7Visit

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

vs

Pelmet #4 in Menu Bar Customization Software 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 7 features Visit Pelmet

• Bartender fits best

  Power users wanting the fullest Mac toolkit

• Pelmet fits best

  Free users wanting advanced layout control

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Side by side

Feature	Bartender 9.2/10 Visit ↗	Pelmet 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.7
Ranking	#2 in Menu Bar Customization Software	#4 in Menu Bar Customization Software
Best for	Power users wanting the fullest Mac toolkit	Free users wanting advanced layout control
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	—	Free plan
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	macOS	macOS
Support	Email	Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features Bartender 7/7 · Pelmet 5/7
Hide menu items	✓	✓
Rearrange items	✓	✓
Group menu items	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Custom menu items	✓	✓
Keyboard shortcuts	✓	✓
Multiple displays	✓	✓
Notch support	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
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	Drag-and-drop editor and command-drag menu bar rearrangement Multiple reveal actions, shortcuts, and per-display behavior Free, open-source macOS utility with launchers and built-in items
Cons	Available only for macOS No free plan is offered Advanced tiers are needed for lifetime access and future upgrades	Requires macOS 27 (Golden Gate) or later Distributed outside the Mac App Store Uses a private Apple framework whose compatibility may change
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 →	Pelmet is a native macOS menu bar manager for organizing, hiding, revealing, and rearranging menu bar icons. It is aimed at users who want more control than simple icon hiding, with Visible, Hidden, and Always Hidden sections, a layout… 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

• Pelmet — where it wins

  • Drag-and-drop editor and command-drag menu bar rearrangement
  • Multiple reveal actions, shortcuts, and per-display behavior
  • Free, open-source macOS utility with launchers and built-in items

  Where it doesn't

  • Requires macOS 27 (Golden Gate) or later
  • Distributed outside the Mac App Store
  • Uses a private Apple framework whose compatibility may change

• Bartender9.2/10 · Paid

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

  Visit BartenderFull verdict →
• Pelmet8.7/10 · Free plan

  Advanced menu bar layout control without a paid tier.

  Visit PelmetFull verdict →