MenuMeters is a compact and efficient system monitoring tool for macOS that displays vital system statistics—CPU, memory, disk, and network—right in your menu bar. Originally developed by Alex Harper and later updated by Yuji Kosugi for modern macOS versions, MenuMeters offers real-time insights without cluttering your desktop or draining your system resources.
It’s perfect for users who want quick access to system info at a glance.
🧠 What Is MenuMeters?
MenuMeters embeds live system metrics directly into the macOS menu bar. It’s a set of small, customizable graphs and indicators that show how your Mac is performing, without needing to open a separate app or window.
Unlike Apple’s built-in Activity Monitor, MenuMeters provides persistent, always-visible monitoring, making it ideal for developers, power users, and anyone who wants to keep an eye on system health.
📊 Key Features
✅ CPU Meter
- Real-time CPU usage with system, user, and idle differentiation
- Load averages for deeper performance insight
- Optional floating window view
✅ Memory Meter
- Shows active, wired, compressed, and free memory
- Graphical and text display formats
- Warns about high memory pressure
✅ Disk Meter
- Displays disk I/O activity in reads/writes per second
- Monitors disk bandwidth over time
✅ Network Meter
- Upload/download speed visualization
- Graph or numeric display
- Helps identify network-heavy processes
🛠️ Customization Options
- Choose between graphs, numbers, or both
- Adjust update intervals
- Customize colors, widths, and styles
- Enable/disable individual meters based on preference
💻 Installation Guide
- Download the modern version of MenuMeters (compatible with macOS High Sierra and later) from Yuji Kosugi’s GitHub.
- Move the app to your
/Applications folder.
- Launch the app and grant permissions in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
- Configure meters via MenuMeters in System Settings or the app menu.
Note: On newer macOS versions (like Ventura and Sonoma), some features may require additional permissions.
✅ Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Lightweight and efficient
- Customizable and non-intrusive
- Menu bar visibility keeps stats always accessible
- Open-source and free
Cons:
- No process-level details (unlike Activity Monitor)
- Some setup steps are manual
- Interface is dated compared to modern macOS apps
👤 Ideal For
- Developers and sysadmins monitoring system loads
- MacBook users who want to optimize battery and memory usage
- Anyone needing a minimalist performance dashboard
- Users who prefer open-source and privacy-respecting tools
📦 Alternatives to MenuMeters
- iStat Menus (more advanced, but paid)
- Stats (another free, customizable option)
- Activity Monitor (built-in, but not always visible)
🖥️ Compatibility
- Works on macOS High Sierra to macOS Sonoma
- Compatible with Intel and Apple Silicon Macs
- Requires accessibility permission for full functionality
🔚 Conclusion
MenuMeters is a simple yet powerful way to keep track of your Mac’s performance metrics in real time. Its low-resource usage, customizable display options, and always-visible status indicators make it an excellent choice for users who want ongoing insights without the bloat of full-featured system monitors.
If you want a free, lightweight, and open-source tool to monitor your Mac at a glance, MenuMeters is a timeless classic that still holds up today.