Pear Desktop vs xbar
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Unofficial desktop app for YouTube Music, with a plugin system, for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Open source · MIT
A macOS menu bar app that shows the output of your scripts and programs.
The short answer
Choose Pear Desktop if you need…
- People who want YouTube Music in a standalone desktop window
- Users who want to customize the look of YouTube Music with CSS themes
- Developers who want to write their own plugins for the player
- Windows, macOS, or Linux users who want one installer-based option
Choose xbar if you need…
- Mac users who want a script's output always visible in the menu bar
- People moving from BitBar who want a maintained successor
- Developers who want quick status readouts from their own scripts
- Users who want to install community plugins from the plugin directory
Side-by-side
| Pear Desktop | xbar | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 34k | 18.1k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Download the app |
| Main language | TypeScript | Go |
| Last code update | 5 days ago | 2 years ago |
What each one is
Pear Desktop
Pear Desktop is a free, open-source desktop application that wraps YouTube Music in its own window so you can use it like a regular program rather than a browser tab. It is built with Electron and TypeScript. It also supports plugins and custom CSS themes that change how the app looks and behaves. The project states it is unofficial and not affiliated with Google or YouTube.
xbar
xbar is a free, open-source app for macOS that displays the output of any script or program in the menu bar at the top of your screen. It is a rewrite of the older BitBar app, built in Go using the Wails framework. People use it to keep small pieces of information, such as status checks or custom readouts, visible without opening a window.
Best for
Pear Desktop
- People who want YouTube Music in a standalone desktop window
- Users who want to customize the look of YouTube Music with CSS themes
- Developers who want to write their own plugins for the player
- Windows, macOS, or Linux users who want one installer-based option
xbar
- Mac users who want a script's output always visible in the menu bar
- People moving from BitBar who want a maintained successor
- Developers who want quick status readouts from their own scripts
- Users who want to install community plugins from the plugin directory
Strengths
Pear Desktop
- Open source under the MIT license, with a public codebase on GitHub
- Offers install paths through several package managers, including Homebrew, Scoop, Winget, and AUR
- Supports a plugin system and CSS themes for customization
xbar
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Plugins can be any script or program, so it is flexible
- Built-in plugin discovery and management from within the app
Not ideal for
Pear Desktop
- Users who need an official YouTube Music client, since the project is unofficial and unaffiliated with Google or YouTube
- People without a YouTube Music account who expect a standalone music library, since the README does not describe offline music of its own
- Users on very old or unsupported operating systems, since the README does not list supported versions
xbar
- Windows or Linux users, since the README describes it only as a macOS app
- People on macOS older than Catalina (10.15), which the README lists as the minimum
- Users who want to submit code changes, because the README asks people not to send pull requests and to open an issue first
Trade-offs
Pear Desktop
- Unofficial and not endorsed by Google or YouTube, and the README says it is provided as-is with no liability
- Some install steps, such as the macOS quarantine fix and Windows SmartScreen warnings, may confuse non-technical users
- Plugin development requires TypeScript and familiarity with Electron concepts
xbar
- The README lists the latest release as a beta (v2.1.7-beta), so it may change
- The README does not explain how to write plugins in detail and points to another repository for that
- Pull requests are discouraged, so outside code contributions are limited
Getting started
Pear Desktop
Install on macOS with Homebrew
brew install pear-devs/pear/pear-desktopInstall on Windows with Winget
winget install pear-devs.pear-desktopFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Pear Desktop and xbar?
Pear Desktop: Unofficial desktop app for YouTube Music, with a plugin system, for Windows, macOS and Linux. xbar: A macOS menu bar app that shows the output of your scripts and programs. Pear Desktop suits people who want youtube music in a standalone desktop window, while xbar suits mac users who want a script's output always visible in the menu bar.
Are Pear Desktop and xbar free?
Pear Desktop: Free and open source. xbar: Free and open source.
Is Pear Desktop or xbar more popular?
Pear Desktop has more GitHub stars (34k) than xbar (18.1k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Pear Desktop and xbar?
Other options people compare them with include Listen 1, YesPlayMusic, Alger Music Player, Koel, Rubick.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.