Looking for a Bartender alternative?
Here’s why people switch to ClearBar.
Bartender is the best-known Mac menu bar manager. It is also $24.99, owned by a company most users never chose, and built around arranging icons. If you just want a clean menu bar and quick access to every app, ClearBar is a smaller, cheaper option.
Why people look for a Bartender alternative
The 2024 sale. In 2024, Bartender’s original developer sold the app to a company called Applause, and customers were not told. People found out when an update arrived signed by a new developer. The original developer later apologized for how it was handled (Six Colors, TidBITS). For an app that can control other apps through Accessibility, many users wanted to know who was behind it.
Permissions. Older versions of Bartender required Screen Recording, a permission that can see everything on your screen. Bartender 7 made it optional.
Price. Bartender 7 costs $24.99 once, or $19.99 a month for Bartender Pro. That is a lot if you only want fewer icons on screen.
How ClearBar is different
- Hides the clutter in one click. Third-party icons go away. Apple’s battery, Wi-Fi, Control Center and clock stay where they are.
- Every app still one click away. One panel shows every menu bar app, including ones you switched off in System Settings. Click a tile and that app’s own menu opens.
- Memory use for every app. See which menu bar app is using 2 GB of RAM, then quit or force quit it from the same panel.
- Accessibility only. ClearBar never asks for Screen Recording and never takes screenshots.
- Made by one named developer. No analytics inside the app. Network use is limited to checking your license.
Compare
Others organize your menu
bar. ClearBar manages
the apps behind it.
Tools like Bartender and Ice are built to arrange icons. ClearBar hides them too, then goes further: it shows what every app costs and lets you quit it, without asking for a permission that can see your screen.
| Feature | ClearBar | Bartender 7 | Ice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hides third-party menu bar icons | Yes | Yes | Not on macOS 27 |
| Shows how much memory each app uses | Yes | — | — |
| Quit or Force Quit from the same panel | Yes | — | — |
| Screen Recording permission | Never | Optional | Optional |
| Price | $5one-time · launch price | $24.99 | Free |
ClearBar does more for less. A clean menu bar, every app one click away, its memory use and a Quit button, on macOS 26 and 27, for a fraction of Bartender’s price and without a permission that can see your screen.
Based on Bartender 7 and Ice public information, checked October 3, 2026. A dash means the feature is not listed. Bartender and Ice are trademarks of their owners.
Why switch to ClearBar
Most people don’t want to manage their menu bar. They want it clean, with every app still within reach. ClearBar does that in one click, then shows you which apps are eating memory and lets you quit them. No layouts to set up, no Screen Recording, no subscription.
Questions
Is there a cheaper alternative to Bartender?
Yes. ClearBar is a one-time $12, or $5 for the first 100 buyers. Bartender 7 is $24.99 one-time or $19.99 a month for Bartender Pro.
Does ClearBar need Screen Recording permission like Bartender?
No. ClearBar only asks for Accessibility access, which it needs to find and press menu bar items. Bartender 7 made Screen Recording optional; older versions required it.
Does ClearBar work on macOS 27?
Yes. ClearBar supports macOS 26 Tahoe and macOS 27 on Apple silicon Macs.
