OnlySwitch is live · free · last verified 8 Nov 2026 · viability monitor
OnlySwitch
Free, open-source macOS menu bar app that puts 20+ system toggles, widgets, and natural-language AI control in one panel.
Install OnlySwitch first if you want a free toggle panel on a Mac. AI System Control plus the notch hider, Xcode Data Cleaner and the new Screenshots, Schedules and App Uninstaller modules cover real daily friction that paid menu bar tools like Bartender charge for. The gaps are workflow depth and multi-Mac sync, not switch coverage. If you need heavy scripting or settings that follow you across machines, budget for a paid manager alongside it.
Verdict generatedVerified 6d ago · liveness 66/100 · cite: rightaichoice.com/tools/onlyswitch
- Mac users who want one menu bar panel for routine system toggles
- MacBook Pro owners who want to hide the notch
- Users who prefer typing a natural-language command over memorizing shortcuts
- Power users who want keyboard shortcuts, schedules and open-source software with no subscription
- Windows or Linux users — OnlySwitch is macOS only
- Users who need cloud sync of settings across multiple Macs
- Teams whose automation needs go well beyond Apple Shortcuts
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Skip OnlySwitch if you need your menu bar configuration and toggles to sync across several Macs, or if your automation runs on something heavier than Apple Shortcuts.
The app itself is free under MIT, but AI System Control and Aphrodite depend on the AI provider and model you choose — any API usage is billed by that provider, not OnlySwitch.
OnlySwitch's only published tier is $0 — an MIT-licensed app installed from the site, with no subscription. That puts it well below paid menu bar managers that charge a licence for advanced menu bar control, and on par with other free open-source system utilities, though it trades away scripting depth and multi-Mac sync that paid tools sell.
In short
OnlySwitch — Free, open-source macOS menu bar app that puts 20+ system toggles, widgets, and natural-language AI control in one panel. Best for Mac users who want one menu bar panel for routine system toggles, MacBook Pro owners who want to hide the notch, Users who prefer typing a natural-language command over memorizing shortcuts. Free to use.
What is OnlySwitch?
OnlySwitch — Free, open-source macOS menu bar app that puts 20+ system toggles, widgets, and natural-language AI control in one panel. Best for Mac users who want one menu bar panel for routine system toggles, MacBook Pro owners who want to hide the notch, Users who prefer typing a natural-language command over memorizing shortcuts. Free to use.
OnlySwitch is a free, MIT-licensed macOS menu bar app that gathers the system switches you reach for most into one dropdown panel. From it you can toggle Dark Mode, hide desktop icons for a clean screenshot or presentation, black out the top of the menu bar to hide the MacBook notch, show hidden files, lock the screen, keep the Mac awake, run online radio, and clear Xcode Derived Data when a build breaks. The app is designed for macOS, is open source, and updates itself through Sparkle. A recent build adds Screenshots browsing with pinning, scheduled switch runs at times you set (the site shows 08:00, 19:00, 21:00 examples), a Sound Mixer with per-app EQ and multiple audio outputs, an App Uninstaller that scans an app's files and lets you review before removing, Display Brightness in its own tab, Tailscale control, media controls, and desktop plus Notification Centre widgets. AI System Control is the natural-language layer: you phrase a command in plain English and the matching system setting is applied, with your choice of AI provider and model behind the parsing. Aphrodite, the newest preview feature, takes a described mini app, lets you pick the AI provider and model, and generates a runnable mini app inside OnlySwitch. The OnlyRemote iOS/iPad companion, downloadable on the App Store, mirrors the same controls on your phone. It's built for Mac users who want breadth of toggles at no cost rather than a paid menu bar manager, and it suits Xcode developers and presenters especially.
Key features
- 20+ one-click system toggles in a single menu bar panel
- AI System Control: run system settings from plain-English commands
- AI provider and model selection for command parsing
- Aphrodite: describe a mini app, pick a model, generate it inside OnlySwitch
- Hide Desktop Icons in one click for presentations or screenshots
- Toggle system-wide Dark Mode from the menu bar
- Hide the MacBook notch by blacking out the top menu bar
- Screenshots browser with pinning of the ones you need
- Schedules to run switches automatically at set times
- Sound Mixer with per-app EQ and multiple audio outputs
- App Uninstaller that scans an app's files for review before removing
- Radio Player for streaming online radio stations
- Keep Awake, with an option to stop after manual sleep
- Xcode Data Cleaner to clear Derived Data and fix build errors
- Desktop and Notification Centre widgets, plus Display Brightness and Tailscale controls
Behind the verdict
OnlySwitch's appeal is breadth at zero cost. The core panel already covers the switches most people dig through System Settings for: Dark Mode, hiding desktop icons, hiding the MacBook notch by blacking the top of the menu bar, Do Not Disturb, hidden files, lock screen and screen saver, Keep Awake, a Radio Player, a System Monitor and keyboard shortcuts. The current site shows the project has widened well beyond toggles: Screenshots with pinning, Schedules that run switches automatically at set times, a Sound Mixer with per-app EQ and multiple audio outputs, an App Uninstaller that scans an app's files for review before removal, Display Brightness in its own tab, Tailscale control, media controls, and desktop and Notification Centre widgets. That is a lot of surface area for an MIT-licensed utility that installs from a download button and updates itself through Sparkle. AI System Control is the differentiator versus other free system utilities. You configure settings by typing plain English, and you choose the AI provider and model that parse the command, so the layer is not locked to one backend. Aphrodite goes further as a preview: describe the mini app you need, pick a provider and model, and it generates a ready-to-run app inside OnlySwitch. Treat Aphrodite as an experiment rather than a development platform — it makes small tools, not production software. The honest weak points: it is macOS only, the interface is a menu bar panel rather than a full configuration window, automation outside Apple Shortcuts hooks is thin, and there is no cloud sync, so your setup does not travel between Macs. The site also notes a solo-maintainer project, which means feature requests can be slow to land. OnlyRemote on the App Store is the answer for phone-side control, not multi-Mac sync. Compare it with Bartender if you need advanced menu bar management or scripting; keep OnlySwitch if you want wide switch coverage, open source and no subscription.
Limitations
- OnlySwitch is a macOS menu bar app, with features focused on system toggles and a companion iOS/iPad app (OnlyRemote) for remote control.
- AI System Control and Aphrodite require you to choose a preferred AI provider and model, so AI features depend on your own configuration.
- Aphrodite generates small 'mini apps' inside OnlySwitch rather than serving as full development tooling.
as of 2026-11-08
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Is OnlySwitch still active?
OnlySwitch is live · free · last verified 8 Nov 2026 · viability monitor.
Viability score
How well maintained and how widely used is OnlySwitch? Built from what the vendor actually publishes (docs, changelog, tutorials, integrations, pricing), whether the site is live, and how much real users discuss it. How we calculate this
Last calculated: November 2026
How we score →What do users say about OnlySwitch?
What people actually say about OnlySwitch — is it worth it?
We ran a structured research pass across product reviews, community discussions, and post-purchase forum threads to surface the patterns vendors won't publish themselves. Below: the recurring strengths, the hidden costs people mention most, and the cohort that consistently regrets adopting this tool.
ResearchedDiscussed by users across 3 sources (YouTube, Product Hunt, GitHub) · researched Sep 24, 2026.
Weighted by the 30 posts each of 3 sources contributed.
- +Completely free and MIT-licensed — no subscription, no upsell, no Bartender-style paywall
- +20+ toggles in one menu bar panel, from Dark Mode to notch hiding to empty Trash
- +AI System Control lets you type natural-language commands like 'hide desktop icons'
- +5,943 GitHub stars signals a real, active user base and ongoing development
- +Auto-updates via Sparkle keep the app current without manual reinstall
- −Hide Menu Bar Icons is broken on macOS 27 and still unresolved on GitHub
- −Users can't set system keyboard shortcuts — an open issue with no workaround posted
- −No cloud sync or settings export/import, so migrations and team sharing are manual
- −Support is community-only via GitHub — no vendor SLA or paid help tier
- −Product Hunt traction is tiny (2 upvotes), so discovery and external docs are thin
- • No monetary hidden costs — the app is genuinely free and open source
- • Hidden 'time cost': no export/import means rebuilding configuration manually on a new Mac
- • Community-only support means your time is the support cost if something breaks
How we verified this
Every listed fact about OnlySwitch — pricing, features, links, status — is re-read from the vendor's own pages by our verification pipeline and each change is logged with a date; the last pass ran on 8 Nov 2026. Analysis is drafted with AI models and checked against our editorial standards before publishing; see how we verify.
Verification history
We have re-verified OnlySwitch 11 times since . Each pass re-reads the vendor's own pages and re-checks every listed field against that evidence; passes where nothing had changed are marked as such.
- — changed platforms, pricing page, limitations
- — changed who should skip it, switching in, description, switching out, summary, our verdict, setup time, who it suits, pricing fit, features, use cases, hidden costs, integrations, limitations
- — changed domain expiry
- — changed pricing tiers, features, who it suits, summary, description, who should skip it, our verdict
- — changed our verdict, summary, integrations, who it suits, features, description, pricing tiers, who should skip it
- — changed pricing fit, description, our verdict, features, limitations, switching in, switching out, who should skip it, pricing tiers, setup time, summary, use cases
Showing the 6 most recent of 11 verification passes.
Free to cite with attribution — this page re-verifies continuously.
How much does OnlySwitch cost in 2026?
OnlySwitch: Free to use. Pricing last verified 8 Nov 2026.
Plans compared
Every published OnlySwitch tier, its price as the vendor publishes it, who it fits, and what it adds over the tier below. The 12-month cost projection follows.
| Plan | Price | Billing | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | — | Any Mac user on macOS who wants a broad toggle panel, AI command control and widgets without paying a subscription.Adds: The only published tier: $0, open source under MIT, covering all switches, AI System Control, widgets and OnlyRemote compatibility. |
12-month cost
Project the real annual outlay, including the implied monthly cost when only an annual tier is published.
Vendor list price only. Add-on usage, seat overages, and contract minimums are surfaced under Hidden costs & gotchas.
Where the pricing makes sense
The company stage and team size where OnlySwitch's pricing actually pencils out — and where peers do it cheaper.
OnlySwitch's only published tier is $0 — an MIT-licensed app installed from the site, with no subscription. That puts it well below paid menu bar managers that charge a licence for advanced menu bar control, and on par with other free open-source system utilities, though it trades away scripting depth and multi-Mac sync that paid tools sell.
Has OnlySwitch's pricing changed?
No plan price for OnlySwitch has moved since we began logging in Aug 2026; the pricing page is re-read on every verification pass.
Who should pick OnlySwitch?
Pick OnlySwitch if you are Mac users who want one menu bar panel for routine system toggles, MacBook Pro owners who want to hide the notch, Users who prefer typing a natural-language command over memorizing shortcuts, Power users who want keyboard shortcuts, schedules and open-source software with no subscription.
Look elsewhere if you are Windows or Linux users — OnlySwitch is macOS only, Users who need cloud sync of settings across multiple Macs, Teams whose automation needs go well beyond Apple Shortcuts, Anyone expecting Aphrodite mini apps to replace real development work.
Skip it if Skip OnlySwitch if you need your menu bar configuration and toggles to sync across several Macs, or if your automation runs on something heavier than Apple Shortcuts.
GeneratedReal-world workflow fit
Concrete scenarios for the personas OnlySwitch actually fits — and what changes day-one when you adopt it.
You're about to share your screen and want a clean desktop with no notch and no icons.
Outcome: You open the OnlySwitch panel, hit Hide Desktop Icons and Hide Notch, and present without digging through System Settings.
A build fails and you suspect stale Derived Data while working with hidden files in Finder.
Outcome: You clear Xcode Derived Data from the menu bar and flip hidden files on in the same panel, then get back to the build.
You want Dark Mode to flip at set times and your audio routed per app without opening separate utilities.
Outcome: You set a Schedule for the switch, then use the Sound Mixer's per-app EQ and multiple outputs from the same panel.
Use cases
- Toggle Dark Mode instantly without opening System Settings
- Hide the MacBook Pro notch to reclaim screen space during presentations
- Run switches automatically on a schedule at set times
- Clear Xcode Derived Data when a build breaks
- Show hidden files in Finder while working on development projects
- Mix per-app audio with EQ and multiple outputs from the menu bar
- Scan and review an app's files before uninstalling it
- Control your Mac's toggles from an iPhone or iPad via OnlyRemote
Setup time & first value
How long it actually takes to get something useful out of OnlySwitch — broken out by persona, not the marketing-page minute.
Most Mac users reach first value in about five minutes: download the app, grant it the permissions its toggles need, and pick which switches appear in your tabs. Typing a first AI System Control command adds a few minutes while you choose a provider and model; scheduling switches and adding widgets takes another short session.
Switching to or from OnlySwitch
How to bring data in from common predecessors and how to get it back out — written for the switcher, not the buyer.
- →From System Settings: move the switches you use most (Dark Mode, hidden files, Do Not Disturb) into the OnlySwitch panel and stop opening the Settings panes.
- →From Apple Shortcuts: keep existing shortcuts and hook OnlySwitch toggles into them from the menu bar.
- →From Bartender or other paid menu bar managers: run OnlySwitch alongside for system toggles first, then decide whether the paid tool is still needed.
- ↗To Bartender or another paid menu bar manager: re-create your menu bar layout there if you need advanced scripting and icon management OnlySwitch doesn't cover.
- ↗To a shortcut-driven setup: export the actions you automate into Apple Shortcuts, since OnlySwitch's own automation outside Shortcuts is thin.
Integrations
Resources & guides
Tutorials & Learning
YouTube returned 6 videos for “OnlySwitch”, and we withheld 6: 6 could not be judged, because “OnlySwitch” is a single word that other videos use for other things. We are showing none, because we could not prove any of them are about OnlySwitch.
Official links
What are the best OnlySwitch alternatives?
The closest alternatives to OnlySwitch we list are Tally, Maxclaw and Clawdbot. Ranked by direct product-type match, not category overlap.
| Alternative | Pricing | Starts at | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tally | Freemium | Pricing not published | — |
| Maxclaw | Free | Free | — |
| Clawdbot | Free | Free | — |
Alternatives to OnlySwitch
View all
Tally
Free form builder with unlimited forms and submissions — type questions like a doc, add conditional logic, payments and e-signatures.
Tools that pair well with OnlySwitch
Common stack mates teams adopt alongside OnlySwitch, with the specific reason each pairing earns its keep.
Tally
Free form builder with unlimited forms and submissions — type questions like a doc, add conditional logic, payments and e-signatures.
Maxclaw
Free, open-source (MIT) desktop AI assistant that runs fully locally in Go, with browser automation, a real terminal, and multi-channel chat.
Clawdbot
OpenClaw is a self-hosted, open-source AI agent you control from WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, or any chat app you already use
OnlySwitch vs its closest rival
OnlySwitch's closest head-to-head is with Poke Interaction Co.
Our OnlySwitch vs Poke Interaction Co verdict written Jul 3, 2026 is more than 90 days old, so it is being re-reviewed against current data and is not shown.
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