Activity Monitor alternatives/Vitals vs Stats

Vitals vs Stats

Atta 🐬

Founder, Vitals

Stats checked

Quick answer

Vitals is the better choice if you want to replace Activity Monitor. It lists your apps with their helper processes counted in, keeps 30 days of history and alerts you when an app misbehaves. Stats is a free, open-source menu bar monitor for CPU, GPU, memory, disk, network, battery and sensors, and a good pick if free menu bar figures are all you need.

StatsVitals
What it is
StatsA menu bar monitor
VitalsAn Activity Monitor replacement with a menu bar item
List of what is running
StatsNot described in its README
VitalsEvery app, with its helper processes counted in
Helper processes counted under their app
StatsNot stated
VitalsYes
History
StatsNot stated
Vitals30 days for every metric, per app
Alerts
StatsNot stated
VitalsWhen an app keeps the CPU busy, keeps growing in memory, or hammers the disk or network
Sensors
StatsTemperature, voltage and power; fan control marked unmaintained
VitalsCPU and GPU temperature, fan speed
Bluetooth device batteries
StatsYes
VitalsYes
Dev servers and open ports
StatsNot stated
VitalsGrouped by project, idle ones pointed out
Open source
StatsYes, MIT
VitalsNo
Price
StatsFree
Vitals$5 during the launch, $29 after, once
Requirements
StatsmacOS 12 or later
VitalsmacOS 15 or later

Choose Stats if

  • You want menu bar figures and do not want to pay
  • You want open source you can read and build yourself
  • You are on macOS 12 to 14
Stats website

Choose Vitals if

  • You want to know which app is responsible, not just the total
  • You want 30 days of history and alerts
  • You want a window that replaces Activity Monitor, not only the menu bar
Get Vitals for $5

How we compared

The Stats column comes from its maker's own site on September 22, 2026. Where the site does not say whether it does something, the cell says "Not stated". If a cell is out of date, email us and we will fix it.

See all 10 Activity Monitor alternatives, Vitals vs iStat Menus, or read why apps show so many helper processes.