Byter
Download Byter
The best free data usage monitor for Mac
For tracking how much data you use on each network, with daily and monthly history, Byter is free and made for it. TripMode is best for blocking apps from using data, and iStat Menus or Stats are best for general system monitoring.
If your data is limited, you want two things: to know how much you’ve used, and to know which network it went through. Here’s how the main options compare.
| App | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Byter | Data usage per network (Wi‑Fi, hotspot, Ethernet), history, live speed and speed tests in the menu bar | Free |
| Activity Monitor | Seeing which apps used data since the last restart | Built in |
| TripMode | Blocking apps from using data on a hotspot | Paid |
| iStat Menus | Detailed system stats: CPU, memory, network | Paid |
| Stats | Open-source system monitor for the menu bar | Free |
Why Byter
Byter is built for people who pay for data. It counts usage on every network separately, so your free office Wi‑Fi doesn’t hide what your phone hotspot used. History goes from the last 30 minutes to a full year, and your live speed and a one-click speed test are in the same place.
- Free, with no ads and no account
- Private: never reads the websites you visit, and history stays on your Mac
- Available in 10 languages
- macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple silicon and Intel
When to use something else
If you want to stop specific apps from using data at all, TripMode does that well, and it works alongside Byter. If you mainly want CPU, memory and temperature stats, iStat Menus or Stats are better fits.
Questions
What is the best free app to monitor data usage on Mac?
Byter is a free menu bar app that tracks data usage on each network, with history, live speed and speed tests. Activity Monitor is built in but resets on restart.
Can I monitor hotspot data usage on a MacBook?
Yes. Byter records how much data you use on each network, so your phone hotspot usage is shown separately from your Wi‑Fi.
Does Byter block apps from using data?
No. Byter shows and records your usage and speed. To block apps, you can use TripMode alongside it.