Why people are switching from Bartender
Bartender has been the go-to menu bar manager for years. But after its acquisition in 2024, users discovered the app was making unexpected network requests. Combined with a move toward subscription pricing, many macOS users started looking for a clean alternative.
The core ask is simple: hide the icons I don't need, show the ones I do, and don't run anything in the background I didn't ask for. That's exactly what Tuck is built to do.
Tuck vs. Bartender — feature comparison
| Feature | Tuck | Bartender 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Hide menu bar icons | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| One-click toggle | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Global keyboard shortcut | ✓ Yes (⌘⇧B) | ✓ Yes |
| MacBook notch support | ✓ Shelf Mode | ✓ Yes |
| Auto-hide & hover reveal | ✓ Pro | ✓ Yes |
| Per-icon rules | ✓ Pro | ✓ Yes |
| Zero network requests | ✓ Always | ✗ Disputed |
| No subscription | ✓ One-time | ✗ Annual plan |
| Free tier | ✓ Unlimited | ✗ Trial only |
| App size | ✓ 5 MB | ~ 20+ MB |
| macOS 14+ (Sonoma / Tahoe) | ✓ Native | ✓ Yes |
What makes Tuck different
Zero telemetry — provably
Tuck makes zero network requests. Not reduced tracking — zero. You can verify this yourself with Little Snitch or any network monitor. The app has no analytics, no crash reporting, no license servers to phone home to.
Shelf Mode for notched MacBooks
On MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with a notch, Tuck automatically switches to Shelf Mode. Instead of hiding icons off-screen, hidden icons appear in a panel that slides down below the menu bar — so nothing is lost, just tucked away.
Pay once, done
Tuck is a one-time purchase. No annual renewal, no seat limits, no subscription tiers. The free version is genuinely free with no time limit — it includes Push Mode, the global shortcut, and launch at login.
5 MB, nothing extra
The entire app is under 5 MB. It launches instantly at login and uses negligible memory. There is no helper process, no browser extension, no background daemon.
How to switch from Bartender to Tuck
- Quit Bartender and remove it from login items
- Download and install Tuck
- Grant Accessibility permission when prompted
- Hold ⌘ and drag your menu bar icons — everything to the left of Tuck gets hidden
- Click the Tuck icon to toggle. That's it.
Ready to make the switch?
Download Tuck free. No time limit, no card required.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Tuck covers the same core use case — hide and organize menu bar icons — with a cleaner permission model, zero telemetry, and a one-time price. Users who switched from Bartender report the transition takes under five minutes.
Yes. Tuck is built for macOS 14 (Sonoma) and later, including macOS Tahoe. It auto-detects the notch on supported MacBook models and enables Shelf Mode automatically.
No. Zero network requests. No telemetry, no analytics, no tracking. You can verify this with any network monitor tool on your Mac.
Yes — the same as Bartender. macOS requires Accessibility access for any app that interacts with the menu bar. Tuck only uses this permission to detect and manage menu bar icon positions.
Yes. The free version includes Push Mode, the ⌘⇧B global shortcut, and launch at login. No time limit, no credit card required.