You could add Dozer to the list. It also hides menu bar items. Hasn't been updated in a while, but might be to somebody's liking.
Popular Mac menu bar management utility Bartender was recently quietly sold to another company, a fact that only came to light after app monitoring service MacUpdater alerted users that updates to the app from version 5.0.52 could be potentially unsafe due to the lack of transparency surrounding the situation.
The original developer has since acknowledged the sale. However, the new Bartender owner is a largely unknown entity that has reportedly hiked Bartender's purchase options, and is alleged to have added code to the app that may be associated with collecting analytics data on users.
Given that Bartender requires extensive permissions to operate in macOS, including screen recording, the whole event has understandably left many users concerned about privacy. Fortunately, Bartender is not the only app of its kind. So unless Apple ever gets round to integrating better menu bar management into macOS, here are some alternative menu bar utilities that are worth considering.
If you are a BetterTouchTool user, Andreas Hegenberg has a thorough tutorial on how the utility can be used to hide menu bar items. Know of a great Mac menu bar management tool that we haven't highlighted? Let us know in the comments below and we might append it to this article.
- Vanilla (Free) – Simple app that lets you hide menu bar icons. Just hold Command and drag icons between hidden and visible sections. Vanilla Pro ($10) adds keyboard shortcuts, a removed section, start at login, and an auto-hide option after 5 seconds.
- Ice (Free) – Menu bar management tool that hides items, offers an always-hidden section, show on hover, show on click, show on scroll or swipe, automatic rehide, and app menu overlap correction. Also includes hotkeys, launch at login, and options to change menu bar appearance.
- Hidden Bar (Free) – Lightweight tool that lets you drag a divider between icons in the menu bar to separate hidden and shown sections. Includes launch at login, auto-hide durations, show/hide global shortcut, and full menu bar mode.
- iBar (Free) – This tool hides menu bar icons which can be revealed in a floating bar that extends below the notch on MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
- Barbee ($3.99) – Management tool with similar interface to Bartender. Includes sections for shown, hidden, and always hidden items, as well as extensive menu bar appearance settings. Also offers ability to quickly search your menu bar items in a Spotlight-style floating window.
- OnlySwitch (Free) – More than just a menu bar management tool, OnlySwitch offers a broad range of customizable toggle switches designed to offer quick access to system and other settings, such as hide desktop icons, dark mode, hide MacBook notch, mute mic, and more.
Article Link: Six Bartender Alternatives to Manage Your Mac's Menu Bar
Six Bartender Alternatives to Manage Your Mac's Menu Bar
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Wanted797
macrumors 68000
I’m pretty sure they were like “hey we wanna buy your app for $X” he he was like sure!
Then they’re like “we’ll throw a zero on the end if you don’t tell anyone and sign an NDA.”
AZhappyjack
Suspended
... because making stuff up and posting it just seems to make everything better ... 🤯🤯🤯
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Also, look at the developer's website. It doesn't look that different from the company that bought Bartender. it's not a serious Mac developer.
Dwarves Foundation - We build software with Go, React, K8s, Swift and Flutter
A software development firm based in Asia. Helping tech startups, entrepreneurs and makers build world-class products since 2013.dwarves.foundation
They look like a contract offshore software development house. They've made some useful open source software that works. Whether or not they get to hang out at the cool kids table may matter a lot to you, but you've done a piss-poor job of explaining why it should matter to anyone else.
JuLiO-Skype
macrumors newbie
is Ice safe to use? on bartender u can avoid giving permissions to record screen and audio but here u can't
Just found out about Bartender after reading this thread. Haven't analysed the situation at full yet but it is unfortunate that his has happened. I have been using Bartender for many years, one of the 3rd party solutions that try to handle Apple's inability and inefficiency. I haven't tried any of the alternatives mentioned; I doubt that they will provide all the bells and whistles of Bartender but you never know.
What is the latest "safe" version of Bartender to install and use and where to download it ? I am with 5.0.49 right now.
What is the latest "safe" version of Bartender to install and use and where to download it ? I am with 5.0.49 right now.
Tagbert
macrumors 604
If you are asking and not just being snarky, that is what most of these apps do. They move the less used icons to a secondary panel that appears when you do things like hover or click on a control icon or press a key.
I was using Bartender for years before the notch came along. If you have a lot of apps, you’ll likely end up with a lot of icons in the menubar. Bartender gave us control over that in a simple and elegant fashion. I’m sorry to see Bartender lose its shine.
The notch had little downsides at all once you have control over your icons.
MacSSD
macrumors newbie
Same my friend! 😆👍 I don't comment much here, but I had to log in and express my appreciation for this awesome article and heads up by MacRumors! I completely uninstalled Bartender and now I have Ice.
MacSSD
macrumors newbie
I don't think they can do much damage control when this quiet buy out was never meant to be exposed. This was not an oversight, but a sneaky transaction that was meant to be kept from the public. Now that they have been exposed, apart from lying, there really isn't much they can say.
MacSSD
macrumors newbie
I had privacy concerns with Barbee as well, considering where it is developed (If anyone happens to be offended, please go play on the freeway). I am using Ice and I really enjoy it. I only paid $5 for it. Also, as you mentioned, some of the other apps haven't been supported in years, but Ice is actively developed.
wanha
macrumors 68020
Tried hidden bar, wasn't impressed. Went back to Bartender, have Little Snitch blocking all outgoing connections though.
Hopefully Apple address menubar management at some point.
ipaqrat
macrumors 6502
This is a chat forum on an Ad-Supported rumor site; spontaneous doggrel is why we're all here. This ain't court, and you ain't owed.
@Wanted797 's speculation is beyond possible, though. Genuine participants in every industry see it happen, this blatantly, all the time.
AZhappyjack
Suspended
We don’t know that anything is “unsafe” or nefarious at this point. The issue is that things have changed and no one knows what is really going on. It could be a major security thing, or it could be a big, fat nothing burger.
The last version released by Ben Surtees(the original developer) is 5.0.48.
Wanted797
macrumors 68000
i just find it strikingly odd for a developer to no announce something like this immediately if he cares so much about his users.
Seems to sketchy.
AZhappyjack
Suspended
At the risk of repeating myself, he had no obligation to announce anything.
Jakimo
macrumors 6502a
As far as adding spacing/padding to section out the menubar items (I do this with Apple's dock as well), I just thought there may be a console command to do so. Does anyone know it?
For example, to add spacing to the Apple dock to help keep things looking good and organized:
Mini-spaces to Dock - terminal
To the left:
To the right:
For example, to add spacing to the Apple dock to help keep things looking good and organized:
Mini-spaces to Dock - terminal
To the left:
Code:
defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '{"tile-type"="small-spacer-tile";}' ;killall DockTo the right:
Code:
defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-others -array-add '{tile-data={}; tile-type=“small-spacer-tile";}' ;killall Dock
alexandr
macrumors 603
TBH HiddenBar does the trick for me. Not sure what else it needs to do) I wouldn't hold thy breath — where are the oh so convenient tag color bars? I still miss them and have installed xtra finder to bring them back. Unfortunately xtra developer is so behind that he drops the current version a few months before the new software comes out...
brerlappin
macrumors 6502
macchelsea
macrumors newbie
Sorry to see Bartender doing this. Used to be an app that I deemed the happiest app I'd ever paid.
Jakimo
macrumors 6502a
Thanks
This adjusts the spacing of the icons, which is certainly helpful (I used to shrink the spacing with Bartender) - but what I'm really after, I'm realizing now, is how to add padding as well. This way, I can group the menubar icons and have those groups separated by some extra blank space
MacGod
macrumors regular
Not going to besmirch the what has occurred - it is sad, but still, the point is to make something, make it good and then sell it for a ton of money! That is the capitalistic way... so good for them. Unfortunately, the new owners of Bartender have done some questionable things without checking the pulse of the people who use Bartender - this was super bad of them to do and now they will find that their user base is going to shrink a bit as people move to alternatives.
I, have turned off my updates, for now and will stay at a version that predates these actions. When it no longer is viable, I will simply move to one of the above tools and pay those vendors their worth!
I, have turned off my updates, for now and will stay at a version that predates these actions. When it no longer is viable, I will simply move to one of the above tools and pay those vendors their worth!
hmm, doesn't do it here. Do u use stage manager too, cause without that it works
jace88
macrumors 6502
Same here. I felt like it was such a worthwhile purchase and that it was going to a good small developer. Such a shame.