Hidden Bar vs iStat Menus

HBHidden Bar8.0Visit iStat Menus7.9Visit

Higher score HB Hidden Bar #6 in Menu Bar Apps 8.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit Hidden Bar

vs

iStat Menus #7 in Menu Bar Apps 7.9/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 3 features Visit iStat Menus

• Hidden Bar fits best

  Free users who only need menu-bar hiding

• iStat Menus fits best

  Mac users who want detailed system monitoring

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Side by side

Feature	HBHidden Bar 8.0/10 Visit ↗	iStat Menus 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.0	7.9
Ranking	#6 in Menu Bar Apps	#7 in Menu Bar Apps
Best for	Free users who only need menu-bar hiding	Mac users who want detailed system monitoring
Pricing model	Free	Paid
Starting price	Free plan	—
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	14 days
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	macOS	macOS
Support	Community, Docs	Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Hidden Bar 0/3 · iStat Menus 0/3
Keyboard shortcuts	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Automation support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Intel Mac support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
macOS versions	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Primary function	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Menu bar items	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Hide selected icons and keep some always hidden, even when expanded Rearrange icons across the divider with Command-dragging Use a global shortcut and automatic collapse to manage visibility	Tracks CPU, GPU, memory, disk, network, battery, and hardware sensors Shows per-application resource lists and detailed system history Customizable menu bar views and condition-based notifications
Cons	Only available for macOS Does not offer custom menu items or notch support App Store and direct-download builds may differ on newer macOS versions	Available for macOS only Paid product with no free plan Weather data requires a separate subscription
Our verdict	Hidden Bar is a free, open-source macOS utility for reducing menu bar clutter. It suits solo users and small teams who want to hide selected icons, rather than add custom menu items or other menu-bar features. Icons can sit on either side… Read the review →	iStat Menus puts system and hardware monitoring in the macOS menu bar, with detailed menus for CPU, GPU, memory, disk, network, battery, sensors, weather, and time. It is aimed at Mac users who want performance information continuously… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Hidden Bar — where it wins

  • Hide selected icons and keep some always hidden, even when expanded
  • Rearrange icons across the divider with Command-dragging
  • Use a global shortcut and automatic collapse to manage visibility

  Where it doesn't

  • Only available for macOS
  • Does not offer custom menu items or notch support
  • App Store and direct-download builds may differ on newer macOS versions

• iStat Menus — where it wins

  • Tracks CPU, GPU, memory, disk, network, battery, and hardware sensors
  • Shows per-application resource lists and detailed system history
  • Customizable menu bar views and condition-based notifications

  Where it doesn't

  • Available for macOS only
  • Paid product with no free plan
  • Weather data requires a separate subscription

• HBHidden Bar8.0/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source macOS utility for hiding and organizing menu bar icons.

  Visit Hidden BarFull verdict →
• iStat Menus7.9/10 · 14-day trial

  A configurable macOS monitor for users who want system stats and alerts at a glance.

  Visit iStat MenusFull verdict →