Pock vs Touch Bar Visualizer

Pock8.4Visit TBTouch Bar Visualizer6.7Visit

Higher score Pock #1 in Touch Bar Apps 8.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 6 features Visit Pock

vs

TB Touch Bar Visualizer #5 in Touch Bar Apps 6.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 6 features Visit project

• Pock fits best

  Mac users who want a free, configurable Touch Bar hub

• Touch Bar Visualizer fits best

  Users who want an audio visualizer on the Touch Bar

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	Pock 8.4/10 Visit ↗	TBTouch Bar Visualizer 6.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.4	6.7
Ranking	#1 in Touch Bar Apps	#5 in Touch Bar Apps
Best for	Mac users who want a free, configurable Touch Bar hub	Users who want an audio visualizer on the Touch Bar
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	macOS	macOS
Built for	Solo	Solo
Features Pock 4/6 · Touch Bar Visualizer 0/6
Custom layouts	✓ (best)	—
App launching	✓ (best)	—
Media controls	✓ (best)	—
System controls	✓ (best)	—
Custom shortcuts	Not checked yet	—
Profiles	Not checked yet	—
Our review
Pros	Places the macOS Dock in the Touch Bar with notification badges and multi-window support Combines media, Escape, brightness, volume, and system status controls Supports widget reordering and custom widgets through PockKit documentation	Free, open-source macOS application Block and line visualization modes Optional system-audio capture through BlackHole
Cons	Requires macOS 10.15 or later Its focus is limited to Touch Bar widgets and controls Custom widget creation requires working from PockKit documentation	macOS desktop deployment only System-audio capture requires BlackHole No custom layouts, media controls, or system controls
Our verdict	Pock is a free macOS utility that puts widgets and controls on a MacBook Touch Bar. It suits Mac users who want quick access to the Dock, media playback, system status, and other controls without paying for the app. The Dock widget… Read the review →	Touch Bar Visualizer is a macOS desktop application that analyzes audio input and displays frequency visualizations on a compatible MacBook Pro Touch Bar. It runs in the background and appears in the Touch Bar Control Strip, making it… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Pock — where it wins

  • Places the macOS Dock in the Touch Bar with notification badges and multi-window support
  • Combines media, Escape, brightness, volume, and system status controls
  • Supports widget reordering and custom widgets through PockKit documentation

  Where it doesn't

  • Requires macOS 10.15 or later
  • Its focus is limited to Touch Bar widgets and controls
  • Custom widget creation requires working from PockKit documentation

• Touch Bar Visualizer — where it wins

  • Free, open-source macOS application
  • Block and line visualization modes
  • Optional system-audio capture through BlackHole

  Where it doesn't

  • macOS desktop deployment only
  • System-audio capture requires BlackHole
  • No custom layouts, media controls, or system controls

• Pock8.4/10 · Free plan

  Pock brings Dock, media, system controls, and widgets to the Touch Bar at no cost.

  Visit PockFull verdict →
• TBTouch Bar Visualizer6.7/10 · Free plan

  A focused, free visualizer for showing live audio frequencies on the Touch Bar.

  Visit projectFull verdict →