Compare software

Thaw vs Vanilla: catalog facts
Thaw	Vanilla
Best for: Mac users with crowded menu bars, especially on notched displays	Best for: Mac users who want a cleaner menu bar with little setup
Free Free and open source under the GPL-3.0 licence.	Free + paid options Free to use, with a paid Vanilla Pro upgrade for extra features.
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	Very simple setup Free version covers basic icon hiding All 3 strengths for Vanilla Very simple setup Free version covers basic icon hiding Pro adds a toggle shortcut and auto-hide
macOS only The large number of options can take time to set up	Shortcut, auto-hide and start at login require Pro macOS only
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Not open source
License: GPL-3.0	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
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 Vanilla matthewpalmer.net/vanilla Catalog checked October 1, 2026

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