Barframe

Custom menu bar apps

Put your daily Mac task in the menu bar.

I build small Mac apps for a specific job, from a local tool to a view of your service's status. A new app starts at $7,000 USD. You'll get a written scope and acceptance tests before you pay, then the source code with your finished app.

Every order comes with a written scope, acceptance tests agreed before you pay, the full source code and 30 days of fixes.

See work and pricesSend a brief

Choose a scope

What I can build

Feature in a Barframe app

You use one of the 7 Barframe apps and need one more function.

From $1,800 USDFrom 5 working days

Fund one addition to an existing app. The feature becomes part of that app for all its users, subject to Apple review.

Includes

  • One function with a written scope and acceptance tests
  • A test build and checks of the affected app behavior
  • An App Store update submission after acceptance, with the changed source and build instructions at handover
  • 30 days of fixes for behavior that doesn't match the scope

Not included

  • A private edition or exclusive ownership of the Barframe app or feature
  • A separate service integration or a redesign of the whole app
  • A promised Apple approval or public release date

See QuotaPace, a Barframe app you could extend ↗

Menu bar app for one job

You have a repeat task on your Mac that deserves a small, dedicated tool.

From $7,000 USDFrom 10 working days

A new native app for one local workflow, with a menu bar view and settings. The starting scope uses SwiftUI MenuBarExtra and targets macOS 14 or later.

Includes

  • One local workflow with written acceptance tests
  • Menu bar interface, settings and a short user guide
  • A sandboxed test build for Apple silicon and Intel, with the tested Macs and macOS versions named in the scope
  • Source code, build instructions and 30 days of fixes

Not included

  • Online service connections, sync or a hosted backend
  • App Store submission or a Developer ID distribution package
  • Payments, subscriptions or a second platform

See MicAnchor, a tool for keeping your preferred microphone selected ↗

Mac App Store preparation and submission

You have a working Mac app and source code, but need help getting it ready for submission.

From $5,000 USDFrom 7 working days, excluding Apple review

Take an existing app through the agreed sandbox fixes and release checks, then submit it through your Apple developer account. Apple decides whether to approve it.

Includes

  • A source review before the quote, followed by the sandbox and entitlement fixes named in the scope
  • Signing and packaging, privacy manifest work and privacy label answers based on the app's actual data use
  • One English listing, 3 screenshots, review notes and submission, with required public support and privacy pages supplied by you
  • Source changes, build instructions and 30 days of fixes, including responses to review issues caused by the agreed work

Not included

  • A major rewrite of an app whose core behavior can't fit the App Store route
  • Apple account fees, agreements, legal advice or policy-page hosting
  • Guaranteed approval, a review deadline or unrelated changes Apple may request

See NativeLedger, built and submitted to the Mac App Store ↗

Your service in the menu bar

Your team keeps opening a dashboard to check the same status or metric.

From $12,000 USDFrom 15 working days

A new menu bar app that reads one documented API and shows the agreed status or metrics. API keys go in the macOS Keychain.

Includes

  • One read-only API connection, menu bar view and connection settings
  • Keychain storage, refresh rules and clear states for stale data, failed requests and rate limits
  • A written list of contacted hosts and sent data, plus tests using sample responses and your test account when available
  • An Apple silicon and Intel test build, source code, build instructions and 30 days of fixes

Not included

  • A second service, API write actions, OAuth or single sign-on unless separately quoted
  • Changes to your API, hosting costs or provider fees
  • App Store submission or a Developer ID distribution package

See CostBar, API cost reports with keys in the Keychain ↗

Private menu bar tool for your team

Your company needs a Mac utility that your IT team can distribute privately.

From $16,000 USDFrom 20 working days, excluding Apple notarization processing

One internal workflow, delivered outside the App Store with Developer ID signing and notarization. MDM-ready means a package and install instructions tested with the deployment setup named in your quote.

Includes

  • One local workflow, a private source repository and written acceptance tests
  • An Apple silicon and Intel app signed with your Developer ID, with notarization and a stapled ticket
  • An installer package with install, update and removal instructions, plus a pilot in one agreed MDM environment with your IT team
  • A handover session, build instructions and 30 days of fixes

Not included

  • API connections, single sign-on or a hosted management console unless separately quoted
  • Apple account fees, MDM licenses, fleet administration or support for every MDM product
  • Automatic updates, privileged helpers, system extensions or ongoing maintenance

Delivered with Developer ID signing, notarization and an MDM-ready installer

Rescue or port a menu bar app

Your workflow depends on an abandoned app or an older build that needs work on newer Macs.

From $8,000 USDFrom 15 working days

Repair the code you have rights to use, or quote a replacement if repair isn't practical. The scope names the macOS 26 or 27 build to target and the Apple silicon work needed.

Includes

  • A source, dependency and license review before the quote, at no charge
  • Fixes for the named defects and an Apple silicon build, with Intel support if included in the scope
  • Acceptance tests on the agreed available macOS builds and migration notes for existing settings or data
  • Source changes, build instructions and 30 days of fixes

Not included

  • Code you can't authorize me to modify, or a full rewrite at the starting price
  • Promises about unavailable macOS releases, untested hardware or obsolete dependencies
  • App Store submission, a Developer ID distribution package or new features outside the repair scope

See NativeLedger's architecture inventory, related work rather than a client rescue ↗

Add-ons

Work you can add

macOS care plan

$900 USD per month

For one app after handover. Covers up to 4 hours in total each month for defect fixes and macOS update repair. Unused hours don't roll over. Extra work needs a separate quote; new features and API changes aren't included. No fixed response time. Cancel before the next monthly renewal. Billing starts after the included 30-day fix period.

App Store listing kit

$2,400 USD once

One English listing with title, subtitle, description and keywords, plus 3 screenshots from your working app and one revision round. No submission, approval promise or sales forecast. Already included in Mac App Store preparation and submission, so you won't pay for it twice.

Starting estimate

Plan the first payment

Select one work type and any eligible add-ons. The final scope and price come in a written quote.

Listed starting prices in USD
WorkFrom
$1,800
$7,000
$5,000
$12,000
$16,000
$8,000
$900 / month
$2,400 once
Starting estimate before tax$7,000First payment, 50%$3,500

Monthly care is separate.

For example, a $7,000 app with the $2,400 listing kit starts at $9,400 before tax. The first payment is $4,700.

Portrait of Michael Lip

Who builds your app

Michael Lip

Independent full-stack developer, Warsaw, Poland

I build every Barframe app myself, from the first SwiftUI view to the App Store submission. Your project gets the same hands and the same standard. No handoff to a junior team and no outsourcing.

I have written code in public on GitHub since 2019. My profile holds 1,644 public repositories across Mac apps, web apps, websites and AI integrations, so you can read my work before you hire me.

I hold every order to the quality bar of my own apps. Each build passes the same 57-check release gate before you see it, and you keep the full source code at handover.

  • 1,644Public repositories on GitHub
  • 2019Writing code in public since
  • 57Checks in every release gate
See my work on GitHub ↗

Work you can inspect

What the portfolio shows

  • 7Mac apps built by the same developer and submitted to Apple
  • 57Checks in the local release gate used for each app
  • 6Paid apps with Data Not Collected privacy labels
  • 1Documented NativeLedger Command Line Tools build processed VALID by Apple

Each figure comes from the 7 Barframe apps. They're built with SwiftUI, sandboxed, universal for Apple silicon and Intel, and checked against the same 57-check release gate a custom app goes through.

From brief to handover

Six steps, in writing

  1. 01

    Send the brief

    Email custom@barframe.com with the task your app must do. Use the template below or write a few lines. Send sample data, not passwords, API keys or other people's personal data.

  2. 02

    Get a written quote

    I'll reply within 2 working days with an initial fit check and price range. The free written quote follows once the scope is clear. It names the acceptance tests, delivery route, tested Macs and macOS versions, final price and schedule. You owe nothing until you accept it.

  3. 03

    Reserve the build

    Accept the scope and pay the 50% first invoice. The delivery clock starts on the agreed start date once payment, required access and sample data are in place. I'll confirm that date in writing.

  4. 04

    Test it on your Macs

    You'll get a test build and the acceptance checklist. Allow up to 10 working days to try it in your actual workflow. Report anything that doesn't match the scope so I can fix it before acceptance. If you need longer, we'll record a new review date.

  5. 05

    Accept the work and take the source

    Confirm in writing that the acceptance tests pass. Pay the remaining 50% and receive the source code and build instructions. If you ordered submission or private distribution, the quote names its handover checks; Apple review time is separate.

  6. 06

    Use the included fixes

    For 30 days after acceptance, fixes for behavior that doesn't match the scope are included. After that, keep the source for another developer, request a repair quote or use the monthly care plan.

Start here

Email your app brief

Tell me what the app should do. Keep passwords and personal data out of the first email.

Email your app brief ↗

Before we start

Terms

Scope and price

From prices are starting prices in USD, excluding any applicable tax. The written quote names the final price, tax, seller details and acceptance tests before you pay. Changes need a separate written quote. I can decline work that isn't a fit.

Payment and timing

Pay 50% by invoice before work starts and 50% after written acceptance. Working days are Monday to Friday, excluding holidays named in the quote. Delivery means the agreed build or submission milestone, not an Apple approval date. Missing access, feedback or third-party processing can move the schedule; I'll record the revised dates with you.

Acceptance and a failed build

Acceptance follows the written tests, not silence. If the work fails them, I fix it before the second invoice. If it still doesn't pass 20 working days after the agreed delivery date, you can cancel and I'll return the first payment within 10 working days. Apple approval isn't an acceptance test; correcting submission defects caused by my agreed work is.

Source and ownership

After full payment, you receive the source and build instructions, and I transfer the rights I hold in new code written solely for your custom app. The quote lists shared and third-party code, which keeps its own license. A feature in a Barframe app remains part of that app; you receive its source changes without exclusive ownership or a right to redistribute the whole app.

Fixes and updates

Every order includes 30 days of fixes from acceptance for behavior that doesn't match the scope on the agreed systems. A later macOS release, API change or new feature is separate work. The care plan covers macOS repair within its monthly limit; other work gets a quote.

Accounts and distribution

You supply the Apple developer account, necessary access and any paid service accounts for your app. You keep control of agreements and account payments. Apple controls review and notarization processing. Work beyond the scope after an Apple decision needs a new quote. A Barframe feature is submitted through Barframe's account.

Confidentiality and access

Your brief and private code won't become public examples without your written consent. Before you share private source or business data, we'll agree which people and tools may access them, including any AI services. Send no secrets by email; test credentials use an agreed secure route.

Limits

What to plan around

  • One developer, Michael Lip, scopes, builds and answers for every order, from the first quote to handover. You always know who's doing the work.
  • The existing apps use SwiftUI MenuBarExtra and App Sandbox, target macOS 14 or later and have universal x86_64 and arm64 builds. A universal binary doesn't prove testing on every Mac. Each quote lists the hardware and OS versions actually tested.
  • Sandbox permissions and public macOS APIs set limits on what an app can do. I'll check feasibility before quoting. Work requiring private APIs, permission bypasses or hidden monitoring isn't offered.
  • macOS 26 or 27 support means the specific available build named in your scope. Beta testing doesn't guarantee compatibility with the final release or a later update.
  • API tests use sample responses unless you supply a test account. They don't prove live billing accuracy or every provider failure. Your app's network traffic and privacy disclosures follow its actual behavior.
  • Developer ID delivery and Setapp setup are services you can order. Apple decides App Store approval and Setapp decides admission, so the quote covers the work and the submission, not their decisions.

Questions

Good to know

How much will my app cost?

A local app for one job starts at $7,000 USD. One feature in an existing Barframe app starts at $1,800. The listed prices are minimums for the described scope; your written quote is the final price. You don't need to choose a category before emailing.

How do I estimate the total?

Add one work type and any eligible one-time add-ons. A $7,000 app plus the $2,400 listing kit starts at $9,400 before tax, with a $4,700 first payment. That combination supplies listing assets, not submission. Care is separate at $900 per month after the included fix period. Don't add the listing kit to App Store preparation, where it's already included.

Combining a build with distribution

A custom app or API integration starts with a test build and source handover. If you need App Store submission or private distribution, say so in the brief. I'll quote the combined work with shared tasks counted once. The private team tool already includes its Developer ID package and MDM pilot.

What the Barframe apps show

They show how I build: native SwiftUI menu bar apps, sandboxed, universal for Apple silicon and Intel, with privacy labels of Data Not Collected on the paid apps. Apple processed a NativeLedger build made with the same toolchain I use for custom work.

Keeping the app private

Choose the private team tool for distribution outside the App Store. Its scope includes Developer ID signing, notarization and a pilot with your IT team. Your code stays private under the agreed access terms. You supply the account and deployment environment.

Data and API keys

The scope names what the app reads, what it stores and which services it contacts. API keys belong in the macOS Keychain. The existing paid apps' Data Not Collected labels don't automatically apply to yours; the privacy work must describe your app's real data flow.

Setapp and paid features

These aren't fixed-price add-ons yet. My portfolio doesn't show a Setapp integration or an in-app paid tier. Include either in your brief if needed; I'll assess the account, distribution route and testing work before offering a separate scope. I can't promise Setapp admission.

An app without usable source code

Send its name and the behavior you depend on. I'll check what code is available and what its license permits before quoting. If a repair isn't possible, a replacement needs its own scope and price. An architecture inventory alone doesn't establish that an old app can be ported.