{
  "@context": [
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    {
      "nuanyue": "https://www.nuanyue.com/ns#"
    }
  ],
  "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
  "@id": "https://www.nuanyue.com/software/vanilla/#software",
  "name": "Vanilla",
  "description": "Free Mac app that hides menu bar icons behind a divider, with a one-time Pro upgrade for keyboard shortcuts, a fully removed icons section and auto-hide.",
  "url": "https://www.nuanyue.com/software/vanilla/",
  "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.nuanyue.com/software/vanilla/",
  "operatingSystem": "macOS",
  "applicationCategory": "UtilitiesApplication",
  "publisher": {
    "name": "Matthew Palmer",
    "url": "https://matthewpalmer.net"
  },
  "sameAs": [
    "https://matthewpalmer.net/vanilla/"
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  "softwareVersion": "3.0",
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "10",
    "priceCurrency": "USD"
  },
  "nuanyue:record": {
    "schemaVersion": 1,
    "id": "software:vanilla",
    "slug": "vanilla",
    "name": "Vanilla",
    "type": "SoftwareApplication",
    "entityType": "menu bar manager",
    "description": "Free Mac app that hides menu bar icons behind a divider, with a one-time Pro upgrade for keyboard shortcuts, a fully removed icons section and auto-hide.",
    "shortDescription": "Free Mac app that hides menu bar icons, with a one-time Pro tier.",
    "answer": "Vanilla hides the menu bar icons you choose behind a small divider, so the ones you actually watch are easier to find. The free app does that and nothing more, and it has been around long enough to be a default recommendation in the Mac press. Vanilla Pro is a one-time $10 upgrade that adds a keyboard shortcut for toggling the menu bar and desktop icons, a Completely Removed section for icons that should only be visible when the preferences window is open, auto-hide five seconds after you toggle, and start-at-login. A single licence code can be activated up to ten times, so one purchase covers all your Macs. The app is closed source and is not on the Mac App Store; it is downloaded from the developer's own site.",
    "page": "https://www.nuanyue.com/software/vanilla/",
    "dataUrl": "https://www.nuanyue.com/data/software/vanilla.json",
    "categories": [
      "system-tools"
    ],
    "tags": [],
    "platform": [
      "macOS"
    ],
    "minOsVersion": "macOS 12.4",
    "architecture": [
      "arm64",
      "x86_64"
    ],
    "featured": false,
    "pricing": "freemium",
    "pricingDescription": "The app itself is free. Vanilla Pro is a one-time $10 purchase, not a subscription, with a 30-day money-back guarantee; each licence code can be activated up to ten times. Pro adds keyboard shortcuts, the Completely Removed icons section, auto-hide and start-at-login.",
    "price": {
      "amount": 10,
      "currency": "USD"
    },
    "currentVersion": "3.0",
    "releaseDate": "2026-09-24",
    "openSource": false,
    "website": "https://matthewpalmer.net/vanilla/",
    "documentation": "https://matthewpalmer.net/vanilla/help.html",
    "download": "https://macrelease.matthewpalmer.net/distribution/appcasts/Vanilla-82.dmg",
    "developer": {
      "name": "Matthew Palmer",
      "website": "https://matthewpalmer.net"
    },
    "icon": "/apps/vanilla.png",
    "features": [
      "Hides the menu bar icons you choose behind a divider, toggled by clicking its arrows",
      "Vanilla Pro adds a customisable keyboard shortcut to toggle the menu bar and desktop icons",
      "Vanilla Pro adds a Completely Removed section for icons that are only visible while the preferences window is open",
      "Vanilla Pro adds auto-hide, which hides the icons five seconds after you toggle them",
      "Vanilla Pro adds start-at-login so the app is running from the moment you sign in",
      "A single Pro licence code can be activated up to ten times, covering multiple Macs"
    ],
    "useCases": [
      "Reducing a menu bar with more icons than fit before they start disappearing behind the notch",
      "Keeping status icons available without leaving them on screen all the time",
      "Toggling the whole menu bar and desktop icons from a keyboard shortcut while presenting or recording",
      "Hiding an icon so completely that it only appears when you open Vanilla's preferences"
    ],
    "formats": [],
    "integrations": [],
    "pros": [
      {
        "text": "The app itself is free, and the Pro upgrade is a one-time $10 rather than a subscription.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "One licence code activates up to ten times, so a single purchase covers every Mac you own.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "Ships as a universal build, so it runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs alike.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "The Pro tier's Completely Removed section hides icons so thoroughly that they only appear while the preferences window is open.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "Has been recommended by The Verge, Business Insider and OS X Daily, and is written by the developer of Rocket and Horo.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ],
    "cons": [
      {
        "text": "The features most people want — keyboard shortcuts, auto-hide and start-at-login — are behind the Pro purchase.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "Version 3.0 requires macOS 12.4, so older Macs are out of support.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "Closed source and not on the Mac App Store, so purchases, refunds and installs all run through the developer's own site.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "text": "Apple's dynamic date setting on macOS 12.4 and later can leave a visible gap around the divider until the Show Date option is changed.",
        "status": "developer-stated",
        "source": "documentation",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ],
    "whoIsItFor": [
      "Mac users who want a free, long-established menu bar hider with no setup",
      "People who want to pay once for a Pro upgrade rather than subscribe",
      "Anyone who prefers to buy directly from the developer rather than through the App Store"
    ],
    "notFor": [
      "Users on macOS 12.3 or earlier, since version 3.0 declares a minimum of macOS 12.4",
      "Anyone who wants rule-based or automatic hiding — Vanilla hides the group you place behind the divider",
      "People who require open-source software, since Vanilla is closed source"
    ],
    "limitations": [
      "Requires macOS 12.4 or later; the developer's support page documents the app as running on macOS Catalina and above but version 3.0 declares a higher floor",
      "Vanilla Pro is a separate purchase: keyboard shortcuts, auto-hide, start-at-login and the Completely Removed section are not in the free app",
      "Closed source, and not distributed through the Mac App Store, so there is no App Store purchase history or refund route",
      "On macOS 12.4 and later, Apple's dynamic date setting in the menu bar can leave a gap around Vanilla's arrow until the Show Date option is changed from When space allows to Always or Never",
      "The in-app update feed still carries old build-numbered entries alongside the newer version numbers, so the release history reads in two different schemes"
    ],
    "firstUse": {
      "installation": {
        "value": "Download the disk image from matthewpalmer.net/vanilla, open it and drag Vanilla into Applications. The current release is 3.0, build 82.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      "firstLaunch": {
        "value": "Vanilla asks for Screen Recording permission on first launch and shows a setup prompt; the app takes screenshots of the menu bar area to blend it with the hidden icons, and the developer states those screenshots are neither saved nor transmitted.",
        "status": "developer-stated",
        "source": "documentation",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      "systemIntegration": {
        "value": "Adds a divider with arrows to the menu bar, and can start at login on the Pro tier. Accessibility permission is only needed if the app gets stuck on its permissions screen and the entries have to be removed and re-added.",
        "status": "developer-stated",
        "source": "documentation",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      "appleSilicon": {
        "value": true,
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      }
    },
    "updates": [
      {
        "version": "3.0",
        "date": "2026-09-24",
        "summary": "Current release, published to the developer's update feed as build 82 and declared compatible with macOS 12.4 and later.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official"
      },
      {
        "version": "2.2",
        "date": "2025-09-16",
        "summary": "Release preceding 3.0; the update feed also raises the floor to macOS 12.4 at this point.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official"
      },
      {
        "version": "2.1.1",
        "date": "2023-09-28",
        "summary": "Maintenance release following 2.1, with a minimum of macOS 12.0.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official"
      }
    ],
    "faq": [
      {
        "question": "Is Vanilla free?",
        "answer": "Yes. The app is free to download and use. Vanilla Pro is a one-time $10 purchase that adds keyboard shortcuts, the Completely Removed icons section, auto-hide and start-at-login.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "question": "Is Vanilla Pro a subscription?",
        "answer": "No. The developer describes it as a one-time purchase, and each licence activation code can be used up to ten times so it covers all your Macs. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "question": "Which macOS version does Vanilla need?",
        "answer": "Version 3.0 declares a minimum of macOS 12.4. The developer's support page describes the app as running on macOS Catalina and above, which reflects earlier versions rather than the current release.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "question": "Why is there a gap around Vanilla's arrow?",
        "answer": "On macOS 12.4 and later, Apple added a dynamic date setting to the menu bar. The developer's fix is to open System Settings, go to Control Centre or Dock and Menu Bar, find Clock in the Menu Bar and change Show Date from When space allows to Always or Never.",
        "status": "developer-stated",
        "source": "documentation",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "question": "Is Vanilla open source?",
        "answer": "No. Vanilla is closed-source software distributed by its developer, and it is not sold through the Mac App Store.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "question": "Does Vanilla hide icons automatically?",
        "answer": "Not by default. It hides the icons you place behind its divider and toggles them when you click. Auto-hide, which hides them five seconds after you toggle, is part of Vanilla Pro.",
        "status": "verified",
        "source": "official",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ],
    "relationships": [
      {
        "target": "hidden",
        "type": "alternative",
        "reason": "Both hide menu bar icons behind a divider arrow, but Hidden Bar is free and open source under the MIT licence while Vanilla is closed source with a paid Pro tier.",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "target": "dozer",
        "type": "alternative",
        "reason": "Both hide a chosen group of menu bar icons and neither applies rules, but Dozer uses two or three dots and has not been released since 2020.",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "target": "ice",
        "type": "competitor",
        "reason": "Both declutter the menu bar with a divider, but Ice is free and open source and adds arrangement, profiles and appearance controls.",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "target": "bartender",
        "type": "competitor",
        "reason": "Both manage menu bar icons, but Bartender decides visibility with rules and a full customisation layer while Vanilla only hides the group you place behind its divider.",
        "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ],
    "sources": [
      {
        "id": "vanilla:official",
        "type": "official_website",
        "url": "https://matthewpalmer.net/vanilla/",
        "title": "Vanilla — official website",
        "trustLevel": "B",
        "accessedAt": null
      },
      {
        "id": "vanilla:developer",
        "type": "developer",
        "url": "https://matthewpalmer.net",
        "title": "Matthew Palmer — developer website",
        "trustLevel": "B",
        "accessedAt": null
      },
      {
        "id": "vanilla:documentation",
        "type": "documentation",
        "url": "https://matthewpalmer.net/vanilla/help.html",
        "title": "Vanilla — documentation",
        "trustLevel": "C",
        "accessedAt": null
      }
    ],
    "claims": [
      {
        "id": "software:vanilla.isA",
        "subject": "software:vanilla",
        "predicate": "isA",
        "value": "menu bar manager",
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        "lastVerified": null
      },
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        "id": "software:vanilla.supportsPlatform",
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        "id": "software:vanilla.officialWebsite",
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      },
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        "id": "software:vanilla.listedInCategory",
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        "id": "software:vanilla.pricingModel",
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        "status": "developer-stated",
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        "id": "software:vanilla.price",
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        "id": "software:vanilla.ownership",
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        "predicate": "ownership",
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        "id": "software:vanilla.currentVersion",
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          "Keeping status icons available without leaving them on screen all the time",
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          "Mac users who want a free, long-established menu bar hider with no setup",
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        "id": "software:vanilla.audienceNotFor",
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        "value": [
          "Users on macOS 12.3 or earlier, since version 3.0 declares a minimum of macOS 12.4",
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          "On macOS 12.4 and later, Apple's dynamic date setting in the menu bar can leave a gap around Vanilla's arrow until the Show Date option is changed from When space allows to Always or Never",
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        ],
        "status": "editorially-reviewed",
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        "lastVerified": null
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        "id": "software:vanilla.advantage.0",
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        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
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        "id": "software:vanilla.advantage.1",
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        "value": "One licence code activates up to ten times, so a single purchase covers every Mac you own.",
        "status": "verified",
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        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
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        "id": "software:vanilla.advantage.2",
        "subject": "software:vanilla",
        "predicate": "advantage",
        "value": "Ships as a universal build, so it runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs alike.",
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        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:vanilla.advantage.3",
        "subject": "software:vanilla",
        "predicate": "advantage",
        "value": "The Pro tier's Completely Removed section hides icons so thoroughly that they only appear while the preferences window is open.",
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
          "vanilla:official"
        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:vanilla.advantage.4",
        "subject": "software:vanilla",
        "predicate": "advantage",
        "value": "Has been recommended by The Verge, Business Insider and OS X Daily, and is written by the developer of Rocket and Horo.",
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
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        "id": "software:vanilla.drawback.0",
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        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:vanilla.drawback.1",
        "subject": "software:vanilla",
        "predicate": "drawback",
        "value": "Version 3.0 requires macOS 12.4, so older Macs are out of support.",
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:vanilla.drawback.2",
        "subject": "software:vanilla",
        "predicate": "drawback",
        "value": "Closed source and not on the Mac App Store, so purchases, refunds and installs all run through the developer's own site.",
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
      {
        "id": "software:vanilla.drawback.3",
        "subject": "software:vanilla",
        "predicate": "drawback",
        "value": "Apple's dynamic date setting on macOS 12.4 and later can leave a visible gap around the divider until the Show Date option is changed.",
        "status": "developer-stated",
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        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      },
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        "id": "software:vanilla.supportsAppleSilicon",
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        "value": true,
        "status": "verified",
        "sourceIds": [
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        ],
        "lastVerified": "2026-10-05"
      }
    ],
    "lastUpdated": "2026-10-07T00:00:00.000Z",
    "lastReviewedAt": null
  }
}