Free iStat Menus alternatives: mStat or Stats?
Do you need CPU, memory and network readings in the menu bar, or GPU data, temperature sensors and notification rules? mStat, Stats and iStat Menus cover different needs. A free app is not necessarily a replacement for every advanced feature.
Sources checked: 2026-10-05. Prices, system requirements and hardware support can change; check each tool's official information before choosing. On small screens, scroll horizontally to see the full table.
| Tool | Price and installation | A good fit for | Limits and considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| mStat | Free; Mac App Store | macOS 15+, Apple Silicon and Intel. One to three menu bar readings, four styles, and a full panel for CPU, memory, disk, battery and network. | Focused on everyday system status, not GPU, temperature sensors or fan control. Use Activity Monitor to investigate individual processes. |
| Stats | Free, MIT open source; direct download or Homebrew | macOS 12+. Broader modules for CPU, GPU, memory, disk, network, battery, sensors, Bluetooth and clocks. | Available sensors depend on hardware. Its README lists fan control as not maintained; do not assume support on every Mac. |
| iStat Menus | Paid; official 14-day trial | macOS 11+. Detailed CPU/GPU, process, disk and sensor information, plus notification rules and more. | Not permanently free. Sensor and fan features depend on the Mac and edition; check the official documentation before buying. |
| MenuMeters | Free, open source; GitHub releases | Traditional CPU, memory, disk and network meters. This comparison covers the yujitach fork. | That fork's README recommends alternatives such as Stats for newer macOS systems. Check compatibility for the release you plan to install. |
| Activity Monitor | Included with macOS; no extra installation | Per-process CPU, memory and resource usage when you need to find the app behind a load spike. | CPU activity can appear in the Dock, but that is not an always-visible multi-metric menu bar monitor. It serves a different role from mStat. |
This comparison is published by the mStat website, not an independent reviewer. We have not benchmarked competitors' CPU or energy use. Tool names link to the App Store, official product pages, project READMEs or Apple's user guide so you can verify the facts.
Choose for your needs, not just the feature count
- Free, App Store installation, everyday readings
- Consider mStat on macOS 15 or later if you mainly need CPU, memory, network, battery and disk space. It combines one to three readings into a single menu bar status item.
- Free, open source, more hardware detail
- For GPU data, temperatures or more modules, check Stats and its hardware support first. mStat is not a full replacement for those sensor features.
- Advanced notifications and detailed system information
- For notification rules and more detailed process or sensor data, try iStat Menus before deciding whether to pay.
- Find a specific resource-heavy app
- Start with the built-in Activity Monitor for per-process CPU and memory. Add mStat when you also want a quick view of overall system status.
See your Mac clearly.
Free download, no account needed. macOS 15 or later.