xbar
xbar puts information from scripts and programs in the macOS menu bar, where it can be checked at a glance.
What xbar is
xbar puts information from scripts and programs in the macOS menu bar, where it can be checked at a glance. Its library has hundreds of ready-made plugins for areas such as AWS, finance, email, music, networks, system details, and weather. Examples include network status, YubiKey OATH TOTP codes, an OKX price ticker, Bluetooth trackpad battery status, miner statistics, and an RSS reader. Users can also write plugins in any language. The app provides plugin discovery and management under Preferences > Plugins, and the plugin directory is ~/Library/Application Support/xbar/plugins. xbar is free and open source under the MIT License. The project says it was rewritten in Go by Mat Ryer and Leah Anthony using Wails. It supports grouped and custom menu items and keyboard shortcuts, but not hiding or rearranging menu items. The latest release requires macOS Catalina (10.15) or newer. In v2.1.7-beta, the plugin timeout was changed from one minute to two minutes.
Good
- Free and open source under the MIT License
- Hundreds of plugins across varied categories
- Custom plugins can use any language
- Supports grouped and custom menu items
- Includes keyboard shortcuts
Watch out
- Requires macOS Catalina or newer
- Cannot hide or rearrange menu items
Who it suits
xbar suits macOS users who want selected script or program output in the menu bar, or who want to create or manage plugins. Its plugin examples span practical information such as network status, weather, and finance.
Verdict
xbar is a free macOS menu-bar option for users who want at-a-glance information through ready-made or custom plugins. Check the Catalina-or-newer requirement and its menu-item limits before choosing it.
Plans and prices
From xbar's own pricing page, checked 7 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Open source · MIT License |
The facts
Each one read from xbar's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- At-a-glance information
- The site describes xbar as a way to see information you care about at a glance.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Custom plugins
- Users can write their own plugins in any language.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Examples
- Featured plugins include network status, YubiKey OATH TOTP codes, an OKX price ticker, Bluetooth trackpad battery status, miner statistics, and an RSS reader.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Implementation
- The project says xbar was rewritten in Go by Mat Ryer and Leah Anthony using Wails.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Open source
- The project describes xbar as completely open source and links to an MIT license.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Plugin library
- The site offers hundreds of pre-built plugins across categories including AWS, finance, email, music, network, system, and weather.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Plugin location
- The plugin directory is ~/Library/Application Support/xbar/plugins.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Plugin management
- The GitHub README says users can discover and manage plugins from Preferences > Plugins in the xbar app.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- xbar puts output from scripts or programs into the macOS menu bar.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Release detail
- The v2.1.7-beta release notes say the plugin timeout was increased from one minute to two minutes.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- The site asks users who use xbar to consider supporting it through GitHub sponsorship.checked 7 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Platform requirement
- The latest release requires macOS Catalina or newer (10.15 or later).checked 7 Oct 2026
