This is a list of menubar apps for Mac OS X. The intention of this list is to capture apps that have some kind of additional or special functionality from the menubar rather than just apps that have a menubar icon and menu.
This older list of "super OS X menubar items" preceded this one and serves as a compliment to this one.
Late additions:
- JumpCut and Tunnelblick /via @kastner
- Hahlo, PTHPasteboard, Desktopple, WeatherDock, MenuItems /via @AceTracer
- Gmail Notifier, ScrnShots Desktop, Last.fm. /via @veganstraightedge
- BackBlaze /via @RodBegbie @Dripps
- MagicPrefs /via @Dripps
- Isolator /via @jon_fabritius
- QuickCursor, SimpleText, Default Folder X, TextExpander, Viscosity /via @gtcaz
- Sound Source. Spirited Away. Hazel. Camouflage. SlimBatteryMonitor. BusySync. LittleSnitch. FuzzyClock, Quicksilver, Overflow, CoconutWifi, IPMenulet, Alarm Clock 2, Fluid for its ability to make a MenuBar SSB /via @JosephRooks
Blasted
Blasted keeps track of the files you’ve been using on your computer and gives you super easy access to them.
http://www.blastedapp.com/
Caffeine
Caffeine is a tiny program that puts an icon in the right side of your menu bar. Click it to prevent your Mac from automatically going to sleep, dimming the screen or starting screen savers. Click it again to go back. Right-click (or ⌘-click) the icon to show the menu.
http://lightheadsw.com/caffeine/
/via @carstenpoetter @holgr
Clarke
A small OS X application for updating your Fire Eagle location, using Skyhook's wifi triangulation API
http://tomtaylor.co.uk/projects/clarke/
/via @veganstraightedge
ClipMenu
A clipboard manager for Mac OS
/via @howardliptzin @carstenpoetter
Cloud
Cloud is a workflow-driven app that makes it easy to share files, screenshots and URLs.
http://getcloudapp.com and http://cld.ly
CoverSutra
CoverSutra gives you a handy and attractive way to control iTunes without having to leave your current application
http://www.sophiestication.com/coversutra/
/via @RodBegbie
DataLore
Lightning Fast Searching - Locally, on the Network, or External Hard Drives
http://xtralean.com/DLOverview.html
/via @carstenpoetter
Dropbox
Dropbox is the easiest way to store, sync, and, share files online. There's no complicated interface to learn. Dropbox works seamlessly with your operating system and automatically makes sure your files are up-to-date.
https://www.dropbox.com/home
Droplr
Droplr Desktop allows you to upload things to Drolr by either drag&drop on the menubar icon, drag&drop on the dock icon or using a system-wide keyboard key combination. Once uploaded, Droplr returns a URL in which a user can share with anyone.
http://droplr.com
Evernote
Use Evernote to save your ideas, things you see, and things you like. Then find them all on any computer or device you use. For free.
http://evernote.com
/via @nipper
ExpanDrive
Access remote files over SSH/SFTP in Finder.
http://www.expandrive.com/mac
Facebook Notifications
For Mac OS X, Adds Notifications to your desktop, alerting you when interesting activity happens on Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=219303305471
FastScripts
Instant access to your scripts, by keyboard shortcut or menubar.
http://www.red-sweater.com/fastscripts/
/via @splorp
F.lux
f.lux makes your computer screen look like the room you're in, all the time. When the sun sets, it makes your computer look like your indoor lights. In the morning, it makes things look like sunlight again.
/via @RodBegbie
Growl
Growl lets Mac OS X applications unintrusively tell you when things happen.
http://growl.info/
/via @nphase
Hyperspaces
Hyperspaces works with Apple’s Spaces to let you customize each Space so that it’s recognizably different from the others.
http://thecocoabots.com/hyperspaces/
I Love Stars
"I Love Stars" is a freebie application that shows the rating of iTunes' currently playing song in the menu bar.
http://www.potionfactory.com/blog/2008/05/15/i-love-stars
/via @RodBegbie
iStat Menus
iStat menus lets you monitor your system right from the menubar. Included are 8 menu extras that let you monitor every aspect of your system.
http://www.islayer.com/apps/istatmenus/
/via @howardliptzin
JungleDisk
http://jungledisk.com
/via @holgr
JustNotes
A simple, beautiful and powerful notes app.
http://selfcoded.com/justnotes/
/via @EnderVR
MacLoc ME
This simple application activates the Fast User Switching feature built-in to Mac OS X. After activating MacLoc, it will appear that you've logged out, however upon entering your username and password, all open documents and applications will be right where you left them.
http://ourapples.com/downloads/macloc
MainMenu
MainMenu is a powerful maintenance tool to keep your Mac running like new, packed in a slick and simple interface. Improve application performance, make searching faster and speed up your disk access.
http://creativebe.com/mainmenu/
/via @carstenpoetter
MenuCalendarClock
MenuCalendarClock is an iCal compatible menu calendar and a configurable menu clock. Besides an elegant and streamlined look, it offers many compelling features to make it the ultimate calendaring utility for the Mac.
http://www.objectpark.net/mcc.html
Notify
Notify is an awesome email notifier for Mac OS X. It fits seamlessly into your menubar, only vying for your attention when you have new mail. Notify supports mutliple accounts, including Gmail/Google Apps, MobileMe, and Rackspace Email.
http://vibealicious.com/apps/notify/
Path Finder
/via @carstenpoetter
PopChar X
PopChar makes "typing" of unusual characters easy without having to remember keyboard combinations.
http://www.ergonis.com/products/popcharx/
/via @skry
PunchClock
Menubar time tracking utility.
http://fuelcollective.com/punchclock
Quick Search Box
Google Quick Search Box is an open source search box that allows you to search data on your computer and across the web.
With Google Quick Search Box you can search for information from just about anywhere. You can then perform actions on the search results, such as launching applications, emailing friends, or playing a song.
http://code.google.com/p/qsb-mac/
/via @veganstraightedge
ShoveBox
ShoveBox catches all those little scraps of information that you can't act on now but would rather not forget. It sits up in your menubar, waiting for you to drag in text, images, urls, and more.
http://www.wonderwarp.com/shovebox/
/via @carstenpoetter
Skitch
skitch.com is a webservice that works hand in hand with our application Skitch to give you 1-click uploading of images for fast and fun image sharing.
http://skitch.com/
SlimBatteryMonitor
Variants:
SlimBatteryMonitor is a replacement power gauge for Apple's Mac OS X that tracks both laptop batteries and many UPS batteries. Multiple-battery systems (e.g. older powerbooks) are supported as well. A graphical icon shows the power remaining, and can be accompanied by a text description (battery charge in percent, or time remaining). Colours can indicate whether the system is fully charged, charging or on battery.
http://www.orange-carb.org/SBM/index.html
/via @RodBegbie
SnagIt
SnagIt creates an image of what you see on your computer monitor.
http://www.techsmith.com/snagitmac/
Snippet
Snippet is a way for developers to quickly save and search their snippets of code to use later on future projects. Store all sorts of code and notes, and sync across multiple macs with MobileMe or Dropbox.
http://snippetapp.com
Swatch
Grab colors from the menubar and copy into your favorite app.
http://fuelcollective.com/swatch
Synergy
Synergy gives you total control over your music without interrupting your workflow. It puts attractive, unobtrusive buttons in your menu bar that allow you to navigate your music collection and control iTunes without ever having to leave your current application.
https://wincent.com/products/synergy
Teleport
Teleport is a simple prefpane utility to let you use one single mouse and keyboard to control several of your Macs.
http://www.abyssoft.com/software/teleport/
/via @nphase
TinyGrab
TinyGrab is a simple yet extremely powerful utility for Mac OS X and Windows. Harnessing the power of pre-existing and new OS screenshot taking capabilities, TinyGrab instantly uploads and allows you to share with a small URL— all in under thirty-seconds.
http://tinygrab.com
Visor
Visor provides a systemwide terminal window accessible via a hotkey, much like the consoles found in games such as Quake. Visor requires elements of Quartz only found in 10.4.
http://visor.binaryage.com/
/via @nphase
You Control: Tunes
You Control: Tunes is a free utility that gives you complete control over iTunes from the Mac OS X menu bar. You don’t have to stop whatever it is you may be doing, switch to iTunes, take care of business and then go back to your original app. You can now simply pull down your very own custom menu that gives you access to the iTunes controls (Next, Previous, Volume, Play/Pause, Stop) as well as displaying the current track, artist and album. You can also navigate your entire iTunes music library from this menu as well so you never leave your current application.
/via @placenamehere
Comments (1)
Howard Liptzin said
at 4:02 pm on Dec 27, 2009
I use http://www.islayer.com/apps/istatmenus/ (system monitoring) and http://www.clipmenu.com/ (clipboard history manager) and love them both. Say hello to Dolores Park for me.
You don't have permission to comment on this page.