Alternatives
docktor vs iStat Menus
Want the everyday numbers from iStat Menus without paying? docktor shows live CPU, memory, disk, and network beside your Dock for free. It skips the deep sensor stuff, so here's the honest comparison.
A native widget, not a menu-bar readout
iStat Menus is the serious monitor — every sensor, fan speeds, GPU history — and if you live in that data, it’s worth paying for. docktor takes the other approach: the four numbers most people actually watch (CPU, memory, disk, network), shown for free in a Liquid Glass widget that looks like part of macOS 26 rather than a menu-bar graph. No temperatures or fan sensors — I’d rather say that plainly — but the same app also does music, calendar, weather, and Dock previews.
docktor vs iStat Menus, feature by feature
| Feature | docktor | iStat Menus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, notarized | Paid (one-time license or Setapp) |
| CPU, memory, disk, network | Yeslive glass widget | Yesdetailed, with history graphs |
| Temperature and fan sensors | No | Yes |
| GPU monitoring | No | Yesdetailed |
| Where the stats live | Floating glass widget beside the Dock | macOS menu bar |
| Beyond system stats | Music + lyrics, calendar, weather, Dock previews, switcher | Menu-bar clock and calendar |
| Built for macOS 26 (Tahoe) Liquid Glass | Yesnative Liquid Glass look | Runs on macOS as a menu-bar app |
Need sensors and history? Pay for iStat Menus. Want the basics free and native-looking? docktor. If free-and-detailed is the goal, the open-source Stats is worth weighing too — see iStat Menus vs Stats.
Frequently asked questions
- Can docktor replace iStat Menus?
- It depends on what you use iStat Menus for. If it's the daily CPU/RAM/disk/network glance, then yes, docktor covers that for free. If you rely on temperatures, fan speeds, or GPU history, no — docktor doesn't read those, and iStat Menus stays the right tool.
- Does docktor show CPU, memory, disk, and network?
- Yes, all four, updating live. They sit in a widget next to the Dock instead of the menu bar, so you can actually read them without squinting at tiny menu-bar graphs.
- What am I giving up versus iStat Menus?
- The deep stuff: per-sensor temperatures, fan control, detailed GPU readouts, and long-term history graphs. iStat Menus has years of polish there. docktor deliberately doesn't go that deep.
- Is docktor actually free, or free-with-an-asterisk?
- Free, no asterisk. It's notarized by Apple and needs no account or license. iStat Menus is a paid app, either a one-time license or through Setapp.