Pulse vs iStats Menus
Side-by-side comparison for macOS
Pulse
5.5System activity monitor for CPU, memory, GPU, disk and network
iStats Menus
8.0System monitoring app
| Metric | Pulse | iStats Menus |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Utilities | System Tools |
| AI Score | 5.5 | 8.0 |
| 30-day Installs | 100 | 630 |
| 90-day Installs | 100 | 1.5K |
| 365-day Installs | 100 | 8.8K |
| Version | 0.1.28 | 7.50.1 |
| Auto-updates | Yes | Yes |
| Deprecated | No | No |
| GitHub Stars | 1 | — |
| GitHub Forks | - | — |
| Open Issues | 6 | — |
| License | — | — |
| Language | — | — |
| Last GitHub Commit | 5d ago | — |
| First Seen | Oct 15, 2026 | Aug 9, 2023 |
Reviews
Pulse
Pulse is a cross-platform system activity monitor that tracks CPU, memory, GPU, disk, and network usage. It offers real-time insights into system performance, making it ideal for users who need to monitor resource usage across Mac, Windows, and Linux.
Monitors system resources including CPU, memory, GPU, disk, and network usage in real-time.
Pros
- + Cross-platform support for Mac, Windows, and Linux
- + Free and open-source
- + Real-time monitoring of system resources
Cons
- - Early-stage project with limited community traction
- - UI issues on macOS 26
iStats Menus
iStats Menus is a comprehensive system monitoring app that provides real-time statistics for CPU, GPU, memory, and disk usage. It offers customizable menu bar displays and alerts, making it ideal for users who need detailed performance tracking.
Displays real-time system statistics in the menu bar.
Pros
- + Real-time monitoring of key system metrics
- + Customizable menu bar display and alerts
- + Comprehensive data on CPU, GPU, memory, and disk usage
- + Regular updates and auto-updates feature
Cons
- - Compatibility issues with newer macOS versions
- - Uninstallation process can be problematic