1MachineTool vs iStat Menus
The deepest menu bar readout on the Mac, or a readout that tells you what the numbers mean and what to do.
Checked against iStat Menus’s own site, 18 October 2026
Short answer
iStat Menus is the better gauge. 1MachineTool is the better mechanic: it turns the readings into one sentence and a fix.
- iStat Menus has more readouts: GPU, sensors and fans, weather, world clocks.
- 1MachineTool's monitor names the app behind the load and links it to a finding: "Chrome Helper is using 4.2 GB, so macOS is swapping".
- iStat Menus is $11.99 one-time on the Mac App Store. 1MachineTool's monitor is free; Pro adds the fixes and ten other tools.
Two ways to do the job.
1MachineTool
The monitor is free: CPU and memory by app name with history, hogs, background jobs, chip temperatures (no driver), drive health and performance sessions. The tray shows CPU %; the diagnosis question uses the same facts.
iStat Menus
Bjango's menu bar monitor (7.5 direct, 7.30 on the App Store): CPU and GPU, memory, disks, network, battery and power, temperature and fan sensors, weather, clocks and rules that notify. $11.99 one-time on the Mac App Store, 14-day trial direct.
bjango.com/mac/istatmenusSide by side.
| Feature | 1MachineTool | iStat Menus |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Price | Free, or Pro $29 once (one year of updates) | $11.99 one-time (Mac App Store); 14-day trial direct |
| Runs on | macOS now; Windows (v1.1) and Linux (v1.3) on the same licence | macOS |
| What it covers | Eleven tools: launcher, clipboard, windows, monitor, clean, power, battery, menu bar, network, security, VMs (when shipped) | Menu bar readouts and history |
| Tells you why the machine is slow, hot, full or draining | Yes: one sentence, the evidence, the fix and an undo | Shows readings and notifies on rules; no fixes |
| Monitoring | ||
| CPU and memory per app | Yes | Yes |
| GPU, fans, weather, world clocks | No | Yes |
| Temperatures | Chip temperatures, no driver | Temperature and fan sensors |
| Drive health | SMART verdict, plus wear when smartctl is installed | Disk usage and activity |
| Menu bar items | One tray icon with CPU %; notch readout optional | One item per sensor, highly configurable |
| Acting on it | ||
| Explains why it's slow or hot | Yes | No |
| One-click fix with undo | Pro | No |
| Clean, battery limit, keep-awake | Pro | No |
| Alerts | Memory very tight, battery low; disk filling in Plus | Rules and notifications |
Scroll the table sideways.
Which one is for you.
Choose 1MachineTool if
- You look at the numbers mostly to work out what to quit.
- You'd rather have one tray icon than a row of gauges.
- You want the cleaner, battery and power tools in the same app.
Choose iStat Menus if
- You want GPU, fan and every sensor in your menu bar.
- You like a dense, customised readout.
- You only need monitoring, at $11.99.
Questions.
Is 1MachineTool's monitor free?
Yes. The readout, the hogs list and the diagnosis question with one finding are in the Free tier. The fixes are Pro.
Does 1MachineTool show fan speed?
Not today. It reads chip temperatures without a kernel driver; iStat Menus is the better pick if you watch fans.
How much is iStat Menus?
$11.99 one-time on the US Mac App Store in October 2026, with optional weather subscriptions. Bjango also sells a Family licence for up to five people.
iStat Menus’s column comes from its own site on 18 October 2026. Prices and plans change; if something here is out of date, tell us and we will fix it.
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