FavTray vs Stats
Stats is the best free, open-source system monitor for the Mac menu bar, with sensors and fan control. FavTray's System is a free glance with per-app detail in Pro, inside a menu bar app that also runs eye rest, AI usage and a Dynamic Island. Here's the honest side-by-side.
See it in action
Feature comparison
| Feature | FavTray | Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free glance; Pro with the $4.99 one-time Lifetime licence | Free |
| Open source | No | Yes, MIT |
| macOS support | macOS 14 Sonoma and later | macOS 12 Monterey and later |
| Latest version | 2.0.2 (28 September 2026) | 3.0.18 (27 September 2026) |
| Install | DMG from favtray.com | DMG from GitHub, or brew install stats |
| Menu bar | One FavTray icon; System opens from it | A widget per module, each configurable |
| CPU and memory | Usage, memory pressure, top processes | CPU and memory modules |
| GPU | Load, memory and the app using the GPU most (every app in Pro) | GPU module |
| Temperatures and sensors | Thermal state macOS reports; no sensor temperatures | Temperature, voltage and power sensors |
| Fans | No | Fan control |
| Disk | Reads and writes per disk, SSD SMART status (by app in Pro) | Disk module |
| Network | Per interface, Wi-Fi details, router latency, VPN state (by app in Pro) | Network module |
| Battery and power | System and charger watts, condition, capacity, cycles, what keeps the Mac awake | Battery module |
| Bluetooth | AirPods and Magic device battery; connect or disconnect paired devices | Bluetooth module |
| Audio | Switch devices; per-app volume 0–150% (Pro, macOS 14.2+) | Not listed |
| Camera and mic | Whether each is in use; names the app using the mic (macOS 14.2+) | Not listed |
| History and alerts | 1-hour and 24-hour history free; 7- and 30-day history, alerts and export in Pro | Not listed as a feature |
| Beyond monitoring | Eye rest, AI usage, ports, window snapping, Dynamic Island and more | System monitor only (plus a world clock module) |
Stats details checked on 2026-09-28 from its GitHub README and releases. We'll correct anything its maintainers tell us is out of date. FavTray details reflect version 2.0.2.
The verdict
Pick Stats if you want live numbers in the menu bar all the time, temperatures, fan control and open source, for free. Nothing else free does sensors as well.
Pick FavTray if you'd rather check your Mac when you need to, with answers Stats doesn't list: which app keeps the Mac awake, which one has the mic, per-app volume, SMART status and history with alerts, in the same icon as eye rest, AI usage, ports and a Dynamic Island. The glance is free; Pro is a one-time $4.99.
Comparing the paid option too? Read Stats vs iStat Menus vs FavTray or FavTray vs iStat Menus.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stats better than FavTray for system monitoring?
For sensors, yes. Stats is free, open source (MIT) and reads temperature, voltage and power sensors, with fan control and a separate menu bar widget per module. FavTray doesn't read sensor temperatures or fan speeds. FavTray's System adds things Stats doesn't list: per-app volume, camera and mic status, what's keeping the Mac awake, SMART status, and history with alerts.
Is Stats free?
Yes. Stats is free and open source under the MIT licence. Install it from its GitHub releases or with brew install stats. Version 3.0.18 shipped on 27 September 2026, and it supports macOS 12 Monterey and later.
Is FavTray's system monitor free?
The glance is: every System section with current values and 1-hour and 24-hour history, on every install. Pro adds per-app volume, alerts, 7- and 30-day history, full process, GPU and disk tables, network and disk by app, and export, for a one-time $4.99 Lifetime licence.
Can I use Stats and FavTray together?
Yes. They don't conflict. A common setup is Stats for always-visible CPU and temperature widgets and FavTray for everything else, with FavTray's System as the deeper view when something's wrong.
Which one shows CPU temperature?
Stats. FavTray shows the thermal state macOS reports (nominal, fair, serious, critical) and how long you spent in each today, not per-sensor temperatures.