Better Resource Monitor: a macOS Stats and iStat Menus alternative
Processor. Memory. Network. GPU in the menu bar, no extra windows, no root helper.
What it shows
Four metrics in the menu bar, each individually hideable from the menu. On Apple Silicon it stays under 0.1% CPU and around 15 MB of memory. Binary is under 7 MB.
macOS Stats alternative
If you want menu-bar stats without a root helper or private GPU APIs, Better Resource Monitor is a lighter Stats alternative.
Better Resource Monitor: free, under 0.1% CPU, around 15 MB of memory, public GPU API, no root privileges (sandboxed).
Stats: free, around 1% CPU, around 50 MB of memory, private GPU API, requires a root helper.
iStat Menus alternative
Looking for an iStat Menus alternative that stays sandboxed and App Store friendly? Same metrics in the menu bar, without the paid root helper.
Better Resource Monitor: free, under 0.1% CPU, around 15 MB of memory, public GPU API, no root privileges (sandboxed).
iStat Menus: $14.99, around 1% CPU, 100+ MB of memory, proprietary GPU API, requires a root helper.
How it works
Rust and Tauri. CPU, memory, and network come from the sysinfo crate. GPU activity on Apple Silicon comes through IOAccelerator (public IOKit, no private API, no root helper). Sandboxed and ships on the Mac App Store with GPU monitoring still enabled.
No analytics, no telemetry. Open source under the MIT license.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a free iStat Menus alternative for macOS?
- Better Resource Monitor is a free, open-source alternative that shows CPU, memory, network, and GPU metrics in the menu bar. In my measurements on Apple Silicon it stays under 0.1% CPU and around 15 MB of memory.
- How can I show CPU usage in the macOS menu bar?
- Install Better Resource Monitor and enable the CPU metric in its settings. The app shows CPU, memory, network, and GPU directly in the menu bar, with each metric independently hideable.
- Does Better Resource Monitor need root privileges?
- No. It runs sandboxed, uses a public GPU API, and does not need a root helper.
- Is Better Resource Monitor open source and compatible with the Mac App Store?
- Yes. It is open source under the MIT license and uses public IOKit GPU data, so it can run sandboxed and ship through the Mac App Store without a root helper.