Compare software

Thaw vs Pelmet: catalog facts
Thaw	Pelmet
Best for: Mac users with crowded menu bars, especially on notched displays	Best for: Mac users who want to organize a crowded menu bar
Free Free and open source under the GPL-3.0 licence.	Free Free and open source under GPLv3.
macOS	macOS
Many ways to reveal hidden items, plus keyboard search Conditional triggers and per-display or per-Focus profiles All 4 strengths for Thaw Many ways to reveal hidden items, plus keyboard search Conditional triggers and per-display or per-Focus profiles Menu bar styling with tints, gradients and shapes Actively developed with frequent commits	Arranges icons into visible and hidden groups Reveals hidden icons on hover or click All 3 strengths for Pelmet Arranges icons into visible and hidden groups Reveals hidden icons on hover or click Can search for and launch menu bar apps
macOS only The large number of options can take time to set up	Requires macOS 27 or later
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-3.0	License: GPL-3.0
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Thaw github.com/thaw-app/Thaw Catalog checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Pelmet pelmet.fif7y.com Catalog checked October 8, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.