BloomGauge vs. Darkbloom Monitor
Updated
We make BloomGauge, so weigh this accordingly. Darkbloom Monitor is a native menu bar app by justin-schroeder on GitHub. Everything we say about it comes from its README as of September 29, 2026. Both are community projects; BloomGauge is independent and not affiliated with Darkbloom.
At a glance
| BloomGauge | Darkbloom Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs as | Mac app with a local dashboard (macOS 14+, Apple Silicon) | Native Swift menu bar app (macOS 14+) |
| Earnings | Confirmed credits per model and hour, base rewards separate, live Pulse meter against your usual rate | Balance, lifetime and hourly earnings split by base reward and model, end-of-hour projection, job counts |
| History | Local history database | Local seven-day hourly ledger |
| Network demand | Demand, capacity and pricing per model | Not in its README |
| Hardware | CPU, GPU, memory and temperature | Memory, fan speed, CPU and GPU temperatures |
| Provider controls | Start or switch models, from the Mac or a phone | Start, stop and restart |
| Model management | Manager keeps the best-paying model loaded (observe-only by default) | None |
| Recovery | Restores a model after a failed load, restarts a drained provider | Not in its README |
| Several Macs | Up to ten Macs in one view | My Macs list with each Mac’s model when more than one is online |
| Phone | In a browser over your own Tailscale | Not in its README |
| License | MIT | No license listed on GitHub |
| Latest release | Signed, notarized builds from bloomgauge.io | v1.5.1, August 22, 2026 (GitHub releases) |
What they have in common
- Both read the provider’s own state file and your earnings through the Darkbloom CLI’s existing login. Neither needs a separate account.
- Both split earnings into base rewards and model earnings, which is the quickest way to spot a Mac that is online but getting no paid work.
- Both are free downloads.
Choose Darkbloom Monitor if…
- You want a status light in the menu bar and not much else. Its README sums it up: green when earning, orange while connecting, red when stopped.
- You want the lightest possible app. Its README reports 0.0% CPU, and it is plain Swift with no dependencies, which makes it easy to read through.
- You choose your model yourself and don’t want any app that can change it.
Choose BloomGauge if…
- You want to know which model actually pays on your Mac: confirmed earnings per model and hour, kept over time.
- You want the model handled for you, with switches only on strong evidence: minimum run times, daily switch limits, and memory, power, temperature and idle checks. It starts observe-only.
- You want recovery when a load fails or the provider is left drained, network demand per model, or phone access through your own Tailscale.
Worth knowing
- Darkbloom Monitor’s latest release is v1.5.1 from August 22, 2026. Darkbloom has shipped many provider releases since, including drain-before-restart in 0.9.9 and live model switching in 0.9.10.
- BloomGauge runs a local dashboard with a bundled Python backend, so it is a bigger app than a menu bar monitor.
Can you run both?
Yes. Monitoring side by side is fine. Run only one tool that switches models. Darkbloom Monitor doesn’t switch models, but if BloomGauge’s Manager is on, start and switch the provider from BloomGauge, so the two apps don’t restart it with different models.
Sources
- Darkbloom Monitor README and releases: github.com/justin-schroeder/darkbloom-monitor
- BloomGauge README: github.com/cookder/bloomgauge
How BloomGauge helps
BloomGauge is free and open source (MIT). It starts in observe mode and changes nothing until you turn the Manager on, so you can try it next to any monitor.
Questions
What is the difference between BloomGauge and Darkbloom Monitor?
Darkbloom Monitor is a lightweight menu bar monitor: a status light, balance and hourly earnings, hardware readings and start/stop/restart. BloomGauge also tracks confirmed earnings per model over time, shows network demand, recovers from failed loads and drained providers, and can manage the model for you.
Can I run BloomGauge and Darkbloom Monitor together?
Yes. Monitoring apps can run side by side. Only run one tool that switches models, and if BloomGauge’s Manager is on, start and switch the provider from BloomGauge.
Is Darkbloom Monitor free?
Yes, it’s a free download from its GitHub releases page. GitHub lists no license for the repository as of September 29, 2026.
Related
- Darkbloom apps for Mac providers compared
- BloomGauge vs. darkbloom-manager
- Darkbloom provider on a Mac: setup checklist
Updated 2026-09-29. Still stuck? Ask in #bloomgauge on the Darkbloom Slack or contact us. BloomGauge is independent and not affiliated with Darkbloom.