BatteryBud is a coconutBattery alternative for people who want every battery in the menu bar. coconutBattery is a diagnostics tool for the Mac, iPhone and iPad, free with a paid Plus version. BatteryBud is a $19 menu bar monitor that adds AirPods, Beats, Bluetooth accessories and other Macs, with charts and alerts.
The two apps do different jobs. The facts about coconutBattery on this page come from its own site.
What is coconutBattery?
coconutBattery is a battery diagnostics app for Mac. Its maker calls it “the standard for battery reading since 2005”, so it is about 21 years old. It shows live information about the battery in your Mac, iPhone and iPad.
The current version is coconutBattery 4.4, released in September 2026. It needs macOS 12 Monterey or later. It is not in any App Store. You download it from coconut-flavour.com.
The free version does a lot.
- Mac battery diagnostics.
- iPhone and iPad battery diagnostics.
- Saved battery health readings, which you can look back on in its History Viewer.
- Mac battery details in the menu bar.
What does coconutBattery Plus add?
coconutBattery Plus is a paid upgrade. It is a one-time purchase, not a subscription.
- Wi-Fi support. After you turn it on, you can check an iPhone or iPad without a USB cable.
- iPhone and iPad battery details in the menu bar.
- Notifications. For your Mac, when the battery drops below a percentage or a remaining time. For your iPhone or iPad, when the battery drops below a percentage.
- Battery Lifetime Analyzer. It shows maximum, minimum and average temperature, voltage, charge and discharge rate ranges, and battery operating time.
- Advanced viewer. It adds details such as read and write statistics for your Mac’s SSD.
- Custom printing templates for device reports.
There are two editions. On October 3, 2026, the United States prices were $12.95 for the coconutBattery 4 edition, which gets updates for version 4 only, and $17.95 for the Lifetime Edition, which includes all future Plus updates. The page showed $19.95 crossed out next to the Lifetime price. Both editions cover unlimited devices. Prices in other countries differ.
You can try Plus for free. The trial lets you start coconutBattery 10 times in Plus mode.
Where does coconutBattery stop?
coconutBattery covers three kinds of device: Mac, iPhone and iPad. Its site does not list these.
- AirPods or Beats.
- Bluetooth keyboards, mice or trackpads.
- Other Macs on your network.
- Charts of battery level by day, week, month or year.
- Desktop widgets.
That is not a fault. coconutBattery tells you how healthy a battery is. It does not watch every battery you own through the day.
coconutBattery and BatteryBud compared
| Capability | coconutBattery 4 | BatteryBud |
|---|---|---|
| Mac battery health | Yes | Yes. Maximum capacity and charge cycles |
| iPhone and iPad battery health | Yes | Yes. Maximum capacity and charge cycles |
| iPhone and iPad over Wi-Fi | Yes, in Plus | Yes, after a one-time setup with a cable |
| Mac battery in the menu bar | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone and iPad in the menu bar | Yes, in Plus | Yes |
| AirPods and Beats | Not listed on its site | Yes. Left bud, right bud and case |
| Bluetooth keyboards, mice and trackpads | Not listed on its site | Yes |
| Other Macs on your network | Not listed on its site | Yes, with a sync code |
| Battery health history | Yes. Saved readings in the History Viewer | Yes. Charted over time |
| Battery level charts by day, week, month and year | Not listed on its site | Yes |
| Charging sessions | Not listed on its site | Yes |
| Alerts | Yes, in Plus. Low battery for Mac, iPhone and iPad | Yes. Low battery, charged to a level, not seen, battery health |
| Lifetime temperature and voltage data | Yes, in Plus | No |
| SSD statistics | Yes, in Plus | No |
| Custom printing templates | Yes, in Plus | No |
| Desktop widgets | Not listed on its site | Yes |
| Charge limiting | Not listed on its site | No |
| Free version | Yes | No |
| Price | Free. Plus is $12.95 or $17.95, paid once | $19, paid once |
| Free trial | Plus: 10 launches | No. Refund within 14 days if it does not work on your Mac |
| Mac App Store | No | No |
Features and prices checked October 3, 2026.
Who should keep coconutBattery
Keep coconutBattery if any of these is true.
- You want a free answer. For a quick look at the health of a Mac, iPhone or iPad battery, the free version is enough. macOS also shows some of this itself. See how to check battery health on a Mac and how to check your MacBook’s battery cycle count.
- You want deep diagnostics. The Battery Lifetime Analyzer shows temperature and voltage ranges. BatteryBud does not show temperature.
- You check or repair devices for other people. Both Plus editions cover unlimited devices, and Plus can print device reports with your own templates.
- You only care about your Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Who BatteryBud suits
BatteryBud suits you if you want to watch batteries, not diagnose them.
- You own more than a Mac and an iPhone. BatteryBud shows AirPods and Beats with the left bud, the right bud and the case. It also shows Bluetooth keyboards, mice and trackpads, and your other Macs.
- You want levels in view. One click on the menu bar shows every battery, and you can pin any device there. BatteryBud also has desktop widgets.
- You want history. BatteryBud charts each device by day, week, month and year, and it lists charging sessions.
- You want more kinds of alert. It can alert you when a device is low, when it has charged to a level, when BatteryBud has not seen it for a while, or when battery health drops.
For your phone, BatteryBud works over Wi-Fi after a one-time setup with a cable. The steps are in how to check your iPhone battery from a Mac.
BatteryBud has gaps too. It has no free version and no free trial. It does not limit charging, and it does not show temperature or energy use per app. If you need charge limiting, see the best Mac battery apps, sorted by the job.
What does BatteryBud cost?
BatteryBud costs $19, paid once. There is no subscription and no account. The price includes one year of updates, and the versions released in that year keep working forever. Another year of updates costs $9. One license works on one Mac at a time, and you can move it.
Full details are in the BatteryBud pricing section.