Best Menu Bar Customization Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Thaw is ranked #1 of 25 as of 3 October 2026, ahead of SaneBar and Ice 2. The best-ranked option with a free plan is SaneBar. The lowest first paid tier on this page is iBar-Menubar at CNY 1.50/mo.
A crowded Mac menu bar can be organized by choosing what stays visible and how items are arranged. Compared on hiding, grouping and rearranging menu items, the entries also cover custom menu items and keyboard shortcuts. Thaw and SaneBar appear first, followed by Ice 2 and Hidden Bar; Bartender is also among the opening options. Check multiple-display and notch support against your setup, then consider free-plan availability and paid-from pricing. The right controls depend on how you use the menu bar: decide which items you want to hide, group or access quickly, and compare the listed features with your preferred layout.
25 menu bar customization software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Hide menu items | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Thaw | 7.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 2 | SaneBar | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 3 | Ice 2 | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 4 |  Hidden Bar | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 5 | Bartender | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $1.67/mo | No | — | Yes | View |
| 6 | Pelmet | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 7 |  Vanilla | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | 10 one-time | Yes | View |
| 8 | iBar-Menubar | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | CNY 1.50/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 9 |  Octobar | 6.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | 4.99 one-time | Yes | View |
| 10 |  GreatBar | 6.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 11 |  Bark | 6.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 12 |  OverflowBar | 6.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 13 | Foldaway | 6.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | 9.99 one-time | Yes | View |
| 14 |  Dozer | 6.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | Yes | View |
| 15 |  JellyBar | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 16 |  MenuBarDockX | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 17 |  SwiftBar | 5.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 18 |  xbar | 5.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | No | View |
| 19 |  Cornice | 5.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 20 | ChocolateBar | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | 15 one-time | Yes | View |
| 21 |  Overhang | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | No | View |
| 22 |  Lloyd | 5.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | No | View |
| 23 |  Finbar | 4.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | Yes | View |
| 24 | ExtraBar | 4.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | No | View |
| 25 |  Manico | 4.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | 15 one-time | — | View |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which menu bar customization software is ranked first on Inferse?
Thaw is ranked #1 of 25 with a score of 7.5. SaneBar is second and Ice 2 third.
How many of these have a free plan?
6 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, iBar-Menubar has the lowest first paid tier we found: CNY 1.50/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.