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Vanilla vs Ice: catalog facts
Vanilla	Ice
Best for: Mac users who want a cleaner menu bar with little setup	Best for: Mac users with more menu bar icons than space
Free + paid options Free to use, with a paid Vanilla Pro upgrade for extra features.	Free Free and open source.
macOS	macOS
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	Hides and reveals menu bar items to reduce clutter Free and open-source alternative to paid menu bar tools All 3 strengths for Ice Hides and reveals menu bar items to reduce clutter Free and open-source alternative to paid menu bar tools Large user base on GitHub
Shortcut, auto-hide and start at login require Pro macOS only	macOS only Still in active development, with some features not finished
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Not open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-3.0
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Vanilla matthewpalmer.net/vanilla Catalog checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Ice github.com/jordanbaird/Ice Catalog checked September 23, 2026

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