MacPulse vs TG Pro
TG Pro is a solid thermal monitor. MacPulse gives you the same fan control and thermal data — plus full system monitoring, a rule-based Insights Engine, and performance sessions.
The short version
TG Pro focuses narrowly on thermals and fan control. MacPulse covers all of that and extends into CPU, memory, disk, network, GPU, and battery monitoring with a rule-based Insights Engine that tells you what your thermal data actually means in plain English. One app instead of two.
| Feature | MacPulse | TG Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | €14.99 one-time | $20 one-time (+ paid upgrades) |
| Insights Engine (rule-based) | ✓ Thermal throttling detection, pattern analysis | ✕ Not available |
| Performance Sessions | ✓ 1-second interval recording with FPS | ✕ Not available |
| Thermal Monitoring | ✓ All sensors + sustained heat alerts | ✓ All sensors + diagnostics |
| Fan Control | ✓ Custom curves, 4 presets, per-fan | ✓ Manual + auto rules |
| Fan Curve Effectiveness | Measures temp change after curve activation | No feedback on curve performance |
| CPU Monitoring | ✓ Full per-core usage, load, frequency | ✕ Temperature only |
| Memory Monitoring | ✓ Pressure, compression, weekly trends | ✕ Not available |
| Disk Monitoring | ✓ Usage, I/O, SMART, growth rate | ✕ Not available |
| Network Monitoring | ✓ Throughput, per-app, anomaly detection | ✕ Not available |
| Wi-Fi & Latency | ✓ Signal, channel, link rate, latency & packet loss | ✕ Not available |
| GPU Monitoring | ✓ Utilization, temp, power, CPU correlation | Temperature only |
| Battery Health | ✓ Cycles, drain rate, temperature alerts | Battery temperature only |
| Historical Data | 30-day history with SQLite | Session-length logging |
| Power Sensors | ✓ System, charger & component wattage (where the Mac exposes it) | ✓ Power readings |
| Desktop Widgets | ✓ Native WidgetKit (S/M/L) | ✕ Not available |
| Menu Bar | ✓ 4 modes with sparklines | ✓ Temperature display |
| Bluetooth Batteries | ✓ AirPods, controllers, mice, keyboards, iPhone & iPad with battery health | ✕ Not available |
| Energy by App | ✓ Real watt-hours per app, 24h & 7-day history | ✕ Not available |
| Top Processes | ✓ By CPU and memory, real-time | ✕ Not available |
| Notifications | ✓ CPU, GPU, thermal, battery, charger, fan, network, devices | ✓ Temperature alerts |
| Privacy | Zero telemetry, all data on-device | License validation online |
More than just thermals
Complete System Monitor
TG Pro shows temperatures and fan speeds. MacPulse monitors everything: CPU, memory, disk, network, GPU, battery, thermals, Bluetooth devices, power sensors, and top processes. One app replaces TG Pro and Activity Monitor combined.
Insights Engine
MacPulse doesn't just show you that your CPU hit 95°C — it tells you it's been throttling for 30 minutes, correlates GPU load with the temperature spike, and suggests what to do about it. TG Pro leaves interpretation to you.
Performance Sessions
Recording a Blender render or gaming session? MacPulse captures every metric at 1-second resolution including FPS and frame times. Export to CSV for analysis. TG Pro has no recording feature.
Fan Curve Effectiveness
After you activate a fan curve, MacPulse compares temperatures before and after to tell you if the curve is actually working or if it's too conservative. No other app measures the real-world impact of your fan settings.
30-Day History
Every data point stored locally with intelligent downsampling. See your thermal trends over weeks, spot degradation over time, and compare workload patterns day over day.
Energy by App
TG Pro tells you how hot your Mac is running. MacPulse also tells you which apps are responsible: real watt-hours per app from macOS's own counters, over 24 hours or 7 days, filterable to time on battery.
Your devices too
Battery for AirPods (left, right and case), Bluetooth mice and keyboards, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. iPhone and iPad show battery health (maximum capacity and cycle count) too, and you can get an alert when any device runs low.
Native Widgets
Glanceable system stats on your desktop through real WidgetKit widgets in three sizes. Monitor thermals, CPU, memory, and more without opening any app.
Get the complete picture
Download MacPulse free and see what your Mac is really doing — beyond just temperatures.