Popular macOS app Bartender changes ownership secretly, sparking user concerns

Bartender, a well-known macOS app for customizing the menu bar, has recently changed ownership in a secretive transaction that has left many users concerned. The sale was discovered by a Reddit user who received warnings from MacUpdater indicating that the company behind Bartender had been silently replaced. MacUpdater cautioned users that updates to the app from version 5.0.52 could be potentially unsafe due to the lack of transparency.

The new owners confirmed the acquisition on Reddit but did not provide reasons for the lack of customer notification or the certificate change. This has led to significant unease among users, with some describing the new owners' responses as “shady” and “not reassuring”. Requests for more information about the new owners went unanswered.

This lack of transparency is particularly troubling given that Bartender can access all screen activity on a Mac. The only known detail about the new entity is that a company named Bartender App LLC was established earlier this year in Delaware. Additionally, the app's latest update is more substantial than a simple certificate change, with increased app size suggesting the addition of usage statistics.