Thaw vs Foldaway

TThaw9.4Visit Foldaway8.1Visit

Higher score T Thaw #1 in Menu Bar Customization Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 7 of 7 features Visit Thaw

vs

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

• Thaw fits best

  Free power users needing deep customization

• Foldaway fits best

  Users wanting grouped hidden icons

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Side by side

Feature	TThaw 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Foldaway 8.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	8.1
Ranking	#1 in Menu Bar Customization Software	#7 in Menu Bar Customization Software
Best for	Free power users needing deep customization	Users wanting grouped hidden icons
Pricing model	Free	Paid
Starting price	Free plan	$9.99 one-time
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	14 days
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	macOS	macOS
Support	Community, Docs	Email
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features Thaw 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	Profiles can follow displays, Spaces, or Focus filters Conditional triggers support apps, networks, devices, schedules, and scripts Open-source and free to keep, with no purchase or subscription fee	Groups hidden icons under user-named sections Opens app menus without restoring their menu bar icons Supports Apple Silicon and Intel Macs
Cons	Requires macOS 26 or later The latest listed alpha release is marked macOS 27 only Its extensive options may be more than simple menu bar users need	No keyboard shortcuts Does not rearrange visible menu bar items Requires Accessibility permission
Our verdict	Thaw is an open-source macOS menu bar manager for people who want more control over a crowded menu bar. It can hide items, arrange them with drag and drop, group related items, add adjustable spacers, and search for menu bar items from the… 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

• Thaw — where it wins

  • Profiles can follow displays, Spaces, or Focus filters
  • Conditional triggers support apps, networks, devices, schedules, and scripts
  • Open-source and free to keep, with no purchase or subscription fee

  Where it doesn't

  • Requires macOS 26 or later
  • The latest listed alpha release is marked macOS 27 only
  • Its extensive options may be more than simple menu bar users need

• 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

• TThaw9.4/10 · Free plan

  A free, highly configurable way to organize, hide, and search macOS menu bar items.

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

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

  Visit FoldawayFull verdict →