Pelmet vs Hidden Bar

Pelmet8.7Visit HBHidden Bar8.3Visit

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

vs

HB Hidden Bar #6 in Menu Bar Customization Software 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 7 features Visit Hidden Bar

• Pelmet fits best

  Free users wanting advanced layout control

• Hidden Bar fits best

  Simple free icon hiding

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Side by side

Feature	Pelmet 8.7/10 Visit ↗	HBHidden Bar 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.7	8.3
Ranking	#4 in Menu Bar Customization Software	#6 in Menu Bar Customization Software
Best for	Free users wanting advanced layout control	Simple free icon hiding
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	macOS	macOS
Support	Docs	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features Pelmet 5/7 · Hidden Bar 5/7
Hide menu items	✓	✓
Rearrange items	✓	✓
Group menu items	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Custom menu items	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Keyboard shortcuts	✓	✓
Multiple displays	✓	✓
Notch support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	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	Free and open source Supports hiding, rearranging, shortcuts, and automatic collapse Handles multiple displays with automatic hidden-zone resizing
Cons	Requires macOS 27 (Golden Gate) or later Distributed outside the Mac App Store Uses a private Apple framework whose compatibility may change	Available only for macOS Does not offer custom menu items or integrations App Store and direct-download builds may differ on newer macOS versions
Our verdict	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 →	Hidden Bar is a free, open-source macOS utility for reducing menu bar clutter. It lets users place icons on either side of a divider, collapse the hidden section, and reveal it when needed. The focused feature set suits Mac users who want… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• 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

• Hidden Bar — where it wins

  • Free and open source
  • Supports hiding, rearranging, shortcuts, and automatic collapse
  • Handles multiple displays with automatic hidden-zone resizing

  Where it doesn't

  • Available only for macOS
  • Does not offer custom menu items or integrations
  • App Store and direct-download builds may differ on newer macOS versions

• Pelmet8.7/10 · Free plan

  Advanced menu bar layout control without a paid tier.

  Visit PelmetFull verdict →
• HBHidden Bar8.3/10 · Free plan

  A focused, free utility for hiding and organizing crowded macOS menu bars.

  Visit Hidden BarFull verdict →