iStat Menus is a system monitoring tool for macOS that provides detailed information about your system's performance.
Best btop Alternatives ranked by AI · updated Aug 2026
btop is a terminal-based resource monitor for Linux, macOS, and FreeBSD, with limited support on other Unix-like systems. It provides interactive views of processes, CPU, memory, disks, and network activity with keyboard and mouse controls.
Top 6 btop alternatives
Macs Fan Control allows you to monitor and control the fan speed of your Mac to maintain optimal temperature and prevent overheating.
StatusPilatus is a free, open-source system monitor for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Its desktop interface displays CPU, memory, disk, network, battery, and...
Pros
- Cross-platform desktop interface for Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Combines hardware, resource, storage, network, and process data
- Free and open source
Cons
- Less actively developed and less widely adopted than Glances or btop
- Electron-based packaging uses more memory than native system monitors
- Fewer alerting, remote-monitoring, and automation features than Glances
Stats is a free, open-source macOS menu bar monitor covering CPU, GPU, memory, disks, network, battery, and sensors. It suits users who...
Pros
- Free and open source
- Covers most of the core metrics offered by SystemPal
- Provides extensive module and display customization
Cons
- Interface is less polished than SystemPal
- Some sensor data depends on the Mac model and macOS version
- Configuration can feel technical for new users
Glances is a cross-platform system monitoring tool for desktops, servers, and remote machines. It provides terminal, web, and API interfaces with extensive...
Pros
- Works across Linux, macOS, Windows, and other Unix-like systems
- Offers more remote monitoring and export options than StatusPilatus
- Supports terminal, web, client-server, and API-based use
Cons
- Less visually approachable than StatusPilatus's desktop dashboard
- Requires more setup for advanced remote monitoring
- Uses more technical terminology than consumer-oriented monitors
Free, open source
powermetrics is a macOS command-line utility for sampling CPU, GPU, thermal, battery, and system power metrics. It is intended for developers, administrators,...
Pros
- Provides low-level power and performance counters unavailable in most GUI monitors
- Includes CPU, GPU, thermal, battery, and idle-wake sampling on supported Macs
- Works from Terminal and supports scripted or repeatable measurements
Cons
- Requires elevated privileges for many useful samplers
- Terminal output is less accessible than a graphical dashboard
- Available metrics vary by Mac hardware and macOS version
Free, included with macOS
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