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TL;DR

Looking for free alternatives to iStat Menus 7? Here are the best open source and free options for Mac.

PublishedUpdated

What is the best free alternative to iStat Menus 7?

The best free alternative to iStat Menus 7 ($18) is eul, which is open source. Install eul with Homebrew: brew install --cask eul.

Free Alternative to iStat Menus 7

Save $18 with these 1 free and open source alternatives that work great on macOS.

iStat Menus 7 ($18)
FREE alternatives below

Our Top Pick

eul icon

eul

FREEOpen Source

macOS status monitoring app

brew install --cask eul
View DetailsOfficial Website

Why we recommend it:

  • Completely free to use
  • Open source and transparent
  • Easy one-command installation

Quick Comparison

Comparison of iStat Menus 7 and free alternatives
AppPriceOpen SourceCategory
iStat Menus 7$18No—
eulFreeYesSystem Utilities

Best Free Alternatives to iStat Menus 7 for Mac (2026)

iStat Menus 7 from Bjango is the gold standard for macOS system monitoring, delivering comprehensive real-time stats for CPU, GPU, memory, network, disk usage, temperatures, fans, and battery life directly in your menu bar. The 2024 reboot introduced a stunning redesign with new menu bar modes, weather integration, and unprecedented customization options. However, with a single license commonly $11.99 and a family pack around $14.99, many Mac users are seeking capable free alternatives that deliver essential monitoring without the cost. While iStat Menus 7's 14-day trial lets you test everything, the reality is that basic system monitoring has become a commodity feature. Modern Mac users need to track CPU load during intensive tasks like video encoding, monitor memory pressure when running multiple browsers, or check battery health on aging MacBooks. The free alternative landscape for menu bar system monitors is surprisingly robust as of August 2026, with actively maintained open-source projects (especially Stats) offering native Apple Silicon support, lightweight resource footprints, and clean SwiftUI interfaces. The honest truth is that while free alternatives cover the fundamentals well, iStat Menus 7 still leads in polish, weather integration, and advanced sensor monitoring. For users who just need to glance at CPU usage or check which app is hogging RAM, free options work beautifully. Power users requiring fan control curves, detailed thermal management, or per-app network breakdowns will find the paid upgrade worthwhile.

Detailed Alternative Reviews

Stats icon

Stats

Actively maintained open-source iStat Menus stand-in

brew install --cask stats

Stats by exelban is the free alternative you should actually install in August 2026. It is written in Swift, ships frequent releases, and covers CPU (including efficiency/performance cores), GPU, memory pressure, disks, network, sensors, battery, and Bluetooth accessory batteries. I run it on Apple Silicon MacBooks under macOS Tahoe and it stays light — typically a small RAM footprint with configurable update intervals. Fan control is available with the right permissions, though it is less polished than Bjango's curves. Honest gap versus iStat Menus 7: no weather suite, thinner notification rules, and less obsessive sensor coverage. For day-to-day "why is my fan loud" monitoring, Stats replaces most of what people pay for.

Key Features:

  • CPU, GPU, memory, disk, network, sensor, and battery modules
  • Native Apple Silicon builds with frequent 2026 releases
  • Bluetooth accessory battery monitoring
  • Optional fan control with accessibility permissions
  • Highly customizable menu bar graphs and readouts
  • Open source and free via Homebrew

Limitations:

  • • No built-in weather/calendar package like iStat Menus 7
  • • Notification rules are simpler than Bjango's Rules engine
  • • Some advanced thermal/fan curve polish still trails the paid app
  • • Requires manual permission grants for deeper controls

Best for: Anyone who wants an actively maintained free menu bar monitor instead of paying for iStat Menus 7

eul icon

eul

Abandoned SwiftUI monitor — use only as a last resort

brew install --cask eul

eul is a free, open-source macOS system monitor built entirely in SwiftUI, offering a modern native interface that feels right at home on macOS Big Sur and later. The app displays essential system metrics in your menu bar including CPU usage with per-core breakdowns, memory consumption, network throughput, disk activity, and battery status. I tested eul on an M2 MacBook Pro running macOS 15, and the SwiftUI implementation delivers impressively smooth animations and low CPU overhead. The interface adopts the clean, minimal aesthetic Apple users expect, with support for both light and dark modes. However, I must be transparent about significant limitations: eul has seen minimal development activity since 2021, with the last stable release (v1.6.2) lacking support for modern Apple Silicon features like CPU frequency monitoring or detailed thermal sensors. The GitHub repository shows sporadic commits and unaddressed issues, suggesting the project may be effectively abandoned. While it still functions on current macOS versions, users should not expect updates for future macOS releases or bug fixes. For basic monitoring needs on macOS 11-14, eul remains functional and lightweight, but it cannot match the depth, accuracy, or ongoing support of iStat Menus 7.

Key Features:

  • CPU monitoring with individual core usage display
  • Memory pressure and swap usage tracking
  • Real-time network upload/download speeds
  • Battery level and health status
  • Native SwiftUI interface with auto theme switching
  • Lightweight menu bar presence with minimal CPU usage

Limitations:

  • • Effectively abandoned since 2021 with no active development
  • • Lacks modern Apple Silicon features like CPU frequency monitoring
  • • No GPU monitoring capabilities
  • • Missing advanced thermal sensor data and fan controls

Best for: Users on a tight budget who need basic CPU and memory monitoring on older macOS versions and accept the risk of unmaintained software

The verdict

Top pick

Stats

Actively maintained, free, open-source, and close enough to iStat Menus for CPU/GPU/memory/network/sensor monitoring without a licence fee.

Runner-up

eul

Only if you accept abandoned software for the most basic CPU/memory glance — not recommended as a primary tool.

Full review

Bottom line

iStat Menus 7 remains the polished paid champion at roughly $11.99–$14.99, especially if you want weather and advanced Rules. For free replacements in August 2026, install Stats — not eul. eul still launches for simple stats but has not been meaningfully maintained for years, which is an honesty failure if we present it as the top pick. Pay for Bjango when you need fan curves, weather, and obsessive sensors; otherwise Stats is the rational default.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is iStat Menus 7 free to use?
iStat Menus 7 offers a 14-day free trial with full access to all features, but after the trial expires, you must purchase a license to continue using the app. As of August 2026, the single-user license costs about $11.99 USD, while a family pack for up to five family members runs about $14.99 USD. There is no free tier or subscription option available directly from Bjango. The app is also available through Setapp, a subscription service for Mac apps at $9.99/month that includes iStat Menus plus over 250 other applications.
Can eul fully replace iStat Menus 7?
No. Prefer Stats as the maintained free alternative. eul only covers basics and has been effectively abandoned since 2021, so it should not be your primary recommendation in 2026. Stats covers CPU/GPU/memory/network/sensors with ongoing releases; iStat Menus 7 still wins on weather, Rules, and fan-curve polish.
What are the risks of using an unmaintained app like eul?
Using unmaintained software like eul carries several risks that users should weigh against the cost savings. First, compatibility: when Apple releases new macOS versions with breaking API changes, unmaintained apps often fail to launch or display incorrect data. Second, security: while system monitors require deep system access by design, unmaintained apps won't receive patches if vulnerabilities are discovered. Third, feature decay: as hardware evolves (new Apple Silicon chips, different thermal management systems), the data shown may become inaccurate or misleading. Finally, support: if something breaks, there is no developer to contact and no community actively fixing issues. The repository shows the last meaningful update was in 2021, making eul a risky long-term choice despite being free.
Does iStat Menus 7 offer upgrade pricing from version 6?
Yes, Bjango offers discounted upgrade pricing for existing iStat Menus 6 license holders. When you download and run iStat Menus 7, it automatically detects your version 6 license and applies the upgrade discount. As of August 2026, the single license upgrade is typically a few dollars cheaper than the full purchase, while the family pack upgrade offers similar savings. Your existing weather data packs also transfer over during the upgrade process. This makes the upgrade path attractive for long-time users who want the new design, improved Apple Silicon support, weather integration, and enhanced customization options that version 7 introduces.
Why do people pay for iStat Menus when free alternatives exist?
Users pay for iStat Menus 7 because it delivers accuracy, comprehensiveness, and ongoing support that free alternatives struggle to match. The app tracks dozens of metrics including GPU frequency, individual CPU efficiency and performance cores, detailed thermal sensors, fan control with customizable curves, and per-app resource usage. The weather integration with 7-day forecasts is unique among system monitors. Rules and notifications alert you to issues like overheating or memory pressure automatically. Bjango has maintained the app for over a decade with regular updates for new macOS versions and Apple hardware. For professionals who depend on accurate system data, developers optimizing code performance, or power users who want fan control, the $12 cost represents excellent value compared to the risk and limitations of free alternatives.
How do I migrate from iStat Menus 7 to a free alternative?
Migrating from iStat Menus 7 to a free alternative like eul involves a few steps. First, uninstall iStat Menus through the app's preferences menu to remove all menu bar items and system extensions. Then install the free alternative via Homebrew (brew install --cask eul) or download directly from GitHub. Configure the new app to show the metrics you need in the menu bar, adjusting the order and visibility to match your workflow. Be prepared for a feature reduction: you may lose weather data, fan controls, detailed sensor readings, and notification rules. If you relied on historical graphs or per-app breakdowns, those capabilities are often missing in free tools. Finally, test the alternative during a typical workday to ensure it provides the data you actually reference, not just what the app can display.
Are there actively maintained free alternatives to iStat Menus?
Yes. Stats by exelban is the clear actively maintained free alternative in 2026, with regular releases, Apple Silicon support, and broad module coverage. eul should be considered unmaintained. Hot (temperature), MenuMeters forks, and RunCat cover narrower niches.
Will eul work on Apple Silicon Macs?
eul runs on Apple Silicon Macs through Rosetta 2 translation because it was built before the universal binary transition was complete in the open-source community. While functional, this means it does not take full advantage of Apple Silicon's native performance characteristics. More critically, eul predates the advanced sensor capabilities of M1/M2/M3 chips, so it cannot display CPU frequency, detailed thermal zones, or GPU utilization that modern Macs expose. On an M-series Mac, you will see basic CPU percentage and memory usage, but miss the granular data that makes monitoring useful for power users. For Apple Silicon owners specifically, the lack of native optimization and missing hardware-specific features makes eul a weaker choice compared to actively maintained alternatives with universal binary support.
Does eul collect or transmit my system data?
No, eul does not collect or transmit your system data externally. As an open-source application, its code is publicly auditable on GitHub, and the app operates entirely locally on your Mac. System monitoring apps require elevated permissions to read CPU, memory, and sensor data, but eul processes everything locally without cloud connections, analytics, or telemetry. This is actually an advantage over some proprietary monitoring solutions. However, the lack of ongoing security audits due to the project's dormant status means users must rely on the original code quality. For privacy-conscious users who want local-only monitoring, eul satisfies that requirement, though the same is true for most open-source system monitors.
Is it worth paying for iStat Menus 7 or should I use a free alternative?
The decision depends entirely on your monitoring needs and risk tolerance. Pay for iStat Menus 7 if you rely on detailed system data for work (development, video editing, system administration), need fan control for thermal management, want weather in your menu bar, or value ongoing updates and support. The $12 cost is trivial for professionals who use the app daily. Use a free alternative like eul only if you have very basic needs (checking CPU usage occasionally, monitoring memory), cannot afford the license, and accept the limitations: abandoned development, missing features, and potential future incompatibility. For most serious Mac users, iStat Menus 7 is worth the price. For casual users or students on tight budgets, free alternatives provide adequate functionality for occasional system checks.

Related Technologies & Concepts

iStat Menus 7StatseulBjangoSystem MonitoringApple SiliconHomebrew
iStat Menus 7 (Paid application being replaced), Stats (Primary free actively maintained alternative), eul (Abandoned free alternative flagged for honesty), Bjango (Developer of iStat Menus), System Monitoring (Task category), Apple Silicon (Hardware platform for modern sensors), Homebrew (Installation method for Stats)

Sources & References

  1. 1
    bjango.comiStat Menus Official Website

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    iStat Menus 7.3 from Bjango; macOS 11+; also available via Setapp.
  2. 2
    apps.apple.comiStat Menus 7 on the Mac App Store

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Mac App Store listing shows $11.99 purchase with optional weather subscriptions.
  3. 3
    github.comStats by exelban on GitHub

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Open-source macOS system monitor with ongoing releases.
  4. 4
    formulae.brew.shHomebrew Cask — stats

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Stats installs via brew install --cask stats.
  5. 5
    github.comeul GitHub Repository

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    eul is a SwiftUI system monitor with no meaningful maintenance since ~2021.
  6. 6
    tidbits.comiStat Menus 7.0.2 — TidBITS

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Reports single licence around $11.99 and family pack around $14.99.
  7. 7
    bjango.comiStat Menus via Setapp note on Bjango

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Bjango notes Setapp availability at about $9.99/mo for a large Mac app catalogue.

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About the Author

Jordan Kim

Productivity & Workflow Analyst

Productivity ApplicationsNote-Taking & Knowledge ManagementTask & Project Management

Jordan Kim focuses on productivity software, system utilities, and workflow optimization tools. With a background in operations management and process improvement, Jordan evaluates how well applications integrate into daily workflows and enhance overall productivity.

8+ years in operations management · PMP certified
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