vs
Stats
ActiveStat · A Stats (exelban) alternative
ActiveStat vs Stats
Stats by exelban is one of the best free, open-source Mac monitors out there — feature-rich, actively maintained, and rightly popular. ActiveStat is a different shape of the same need: a paid, sandboxed Mac App Store app that ships with calm defaults instead of dozens of toggles.
At a glance
| ActiveStat | Stats (exelban) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $6.99 one-time, 7-day trial | Free, open source |
| License | Closed source, EULA | MIT |
| Distribution | Mac App Store, sandboxed | GitHub releases, Homebrew Cask |
| Setup | Sensible defaults | Many modules, configurable |
| Metrics | CPU (P/E cores), RAM, disk, battery, GPU, thermal | + network, bluetooth, fans, broader sensor surface |
| Apple Silicon | Native | Native |
| Visual style | Calm glass dropdown | Compact, dense |
Where they're similar
Both are excellent menu bar monitors
Both are native macOS apps. Both run on Apple Silicon. Both put live system data in the menu bar, both can sit there all day at low cost, and neither requires an account.
If Stats has been working well for you, this isn't a "switch" page — it's a "you might also like" page.
Where they differ
Open source breadth vs. opinionated calm
Stats is a community project with deep configurability. You can enable a module for almost anything — bluetooth, network, fans, broader sensors — and tune it. That depth is its strength.
ActiveStat is opinionated. It tracks CPU (with separate Performance and Efficiency core readouts), RAM, disk, battery, GPU, and thermal state — chooses good-enough defaults, and asks you to do almost nothing on first run. The menu bar shows what you picked (CPU + RAM, CPU only, RAM only, or disk usage). The dropdown shows the rest. There are fewer toggles because we made the calls for you.
Distribution model
Stats lives on GitHub, with a community-driven release cadence. ActiveStat is on the Mac App Store, sandboxed, and updates are managed by Apple. Pick the model that fits your workflow.
Cost
Stats is free. ActiveStat is $6.99 once. The price funds active development and macOS-version compatibility work.
Pick the right one
Which should you choose?
Choose Stats if you love open source, want full control over which modules show up, and don't mind doing some configuration to match your taste.
Choose ActiveStat if you want a Mac App Store app, sandboxed and notarized, with calm defaults that just work — and you're willing to pay a small one-time price for that.
FAQ
I love open source. Why would I switch?
You may not. Stats is genuinely excellent. ActiveStat is for people who'd rather pay $6.99 once and get a sandboxed App Store app with fewer choices to make.
Can I run both?
Yes. They don't conflict. Some people use Stats for deep readings and ActiveStat for the calm dropdown.
Does ActiveStat have a Stats-style modular UI?
No. The menu bar is a single picker (CPU + RAM, CPU only, RAM only, or disk). The detailed view lives in the dropdown.
Is there a free trial?
Yes — 7 days through the Mac App Store.
If you'd rather pay once and skip the toggles
Stats and ActiveStat are doing the same job from different angles. If calm defaults and Mac App Store distribution sound appealing, the trial is the easiest way to compare.