Top Mac benchmark apps (2026 guide)

Benchmark tests are a key part of my laptop maintenance routine. After much trial and error, I’ve selected Mac benchmark tools I believe are the best for this purpose and want to share them with you. These tools will help you easily perform tests (even if you're a beginner or experienced) and provide insights on how to improve your Mac’s performance.

Whether you're a casual user or a power user, running a Mac performance test now and then can help you spot issues early and keep your Mac running smoothly.

Seven apps for quick Mac speed tests

Spoiler: I used the Productivity Tools GPT assistant when building my Mac maintenance routine. It asked a few questions about how I use my Mac and pointed me toward the tools that made the most sense:

• Novabench: All-in-one CPU, GPU, memory, and storage benchmark
• Geekbench 6: Industry-standard CPU and GPU performance scores
• Blackmagic Disk Speed Test: Drive read/write speed testing
• WiFi Explorer: Real-time Wi-Fi signal and interference analysis
• iStat Menus: Continuous live system monitoring from the menu bar
• Usage: At-a-glance performance widgets on your desktop
• CleanMyMac: Fixing performance issues after low benchmark scores

Let me walk you through the apps that have become essential parts of my Mac maintenance toolkit. Here are the seven best apps to help you perform Mac speed tests quickly and effectively.

1. Benchmark CPU, GPU, and storage with Novabench

I’ll start with my go-to Mac performance testing tool, Novabench, which I consider an all-in-one solution. It runs a series of tests on your Mac and compares the results to other Macs (thousands are in their database) as well as a baseline. 

Here’s what Novabench does: 

• checks CPU, GPU, memory, and storage; 
• runs stress, bottleneck, and stutter tests;
• checks temperature, sensors, and battery health.

Despite the comprehensive list of tests, it usually takes my Mac no more than 2-5 minutes to complete them, which is fantastic. Once the tests are done, you’ll get a report that’s easy to interpret. Instead of a list of confusing numbers, you get clear explanations like "CPU is performing significantly below the expected range." Take a look at the screenshot:

When I see such a result, I know exactly that I need to lower the CPU usage and take action. In my opinion, Novabench is one of the most reliable, visually appealing, and user-friendly benchmarking tools. 

2. Run CPU and GPU tests with Geekbench

If you only need to test the CPU and GPU, I recommend giving Geekbench a try. Geekbench is a cross-platform (Mac, Linux, Windows) GPU and CPU test utility that measures the performance of your Mac against a widely publicized and well-known standard.

If you're mostly interested in processor and graphics performance, Geekbench 6 is the name to know. It's a cross-platform utility that's become the industry standard for CPU and GPU tests. The current baseline for Geekbench 6 is 2,500, based on an Intel Core i7-12700 chip.

Take a look at the screenshot. The interface is more than straightforward, right?

Source: geekbench.com

A couple of things to keep in mind:

• First, the $99 price is a bit steep for a single tool with limited features (though that’s just my opinion).
• Second, the app can be a bit finicky — you’ll see a warning before the test: "Geekbench works best when it is the only application running." I wish I didn’t have to adjust my workflow for the application.

Otherwise, this tool is very good. With it, you can always be aware of how your Mac performs and potentially consider various tactics to improve it (closing Safari tabs, using fewer apps, etc.) or replace it altogether.

3. Measure drive speed with Blackmagic

The second most important parameter after CPU and GPU benchmarks is the hard drive speed test, which Macs can perform with the help of the Blackmagic Disk Speed Test Mac utility.

Blackmagic is as straightforward an app as possible, with only one large interface button — Speed Test Start. Simply press the button to calculate your user benchmark score based on the performance of your hard drives. Done!

Source: blackmagicdesign.com

Make sure to undergo the tests regularly (once a quarter or so) to consider swapping your storage disks when they get too slow. It's helped me catch when drives start slowing down before it becomes a real problem.

4. Analyze Wi-Fi health with WiFi Explorer

Another crucial Mac performance test, especially since nearly all our work today takes place online, is measuring the efficacy of your network. After all, maybe it’s not your MacBook that should be replaced but your Wi-Fi provider? 

WiFi Explorer is exactly the app you need to see how good your internet connection really is. It clearly maps out the strength of your signal, displays signal quality, and calculates the level of interference.

Anytime you think your Wi-Fi has been underperforming, just turn on WiFi Explorer, and it’ll start to do its job automatically (press the play icon if not). Then you have the precise information to tell your ISP and get them to fix it or agree on a discount (hopefully), or both.

5. Track live system stats with iStat Menus

iStat Menus is one of the most comprehensive and unobtrusive Mac monitors on the market today. This utility lives in your menu bar and gives you a complete overview of what’s going on with your processor, graphics card, hard drives, memory, and various sensors.

Tools that I mentioned earlier require you to run tests. If you’re looking for a solution to consistently monitor your Mac in real time, I don’t think you’ll find anything better than iStat Menus.

Unlike many other GPU and CPU benchmark tools, iStat Menus provides you with a real-time picture of what’s going on, so you can react to any issues as soon as they come up or see the dip in performance over time more clearly. All the best Mac performance tests in one!

6. Monitor performance with Usage widgets

Usage is another app that tracks processor load, memory usage, network connectivity, battery health, and more. What sets it apart from similar apps is how it presents all this data in concise and visually appealing widgets on your desktop. With just one glance, you have all the information you need. I love it.

Read also:

• Macbook Stuck Loading Finder
• Lower Cpu Usage
• Fix macOS problems like a pro

Or get CleanMyMac standalone via Marketplace — no membership needed.

7. Fix performance issues with CleanMyMac

When iStat Menus and Usage are giving you clear indicators of user benchmarks not being reached, what do you do? I highly recommend CleanMyMac, which is often regarded as the best optimization app on the market, able to perform a variety of tests to free up RAM, speed up your hard drives, clear useless cache files, and smooth out your Mac’s performance overall.

Here's how I use it when my Mac starts to drag:

1. Go to the Smart Scan tab.
2. Click Scan.
3. Review details.

I've seen real improvements after running these steps, especially when my benchmarks were lower than expected.

Which metrics do Mac benchmarks measure?

While user benchmarks are great, what exactly do they measure? In general, there are six common metrics that Mac benchmark software performs:

• CPU speed (processor performance)
• GPU rendering (graphics performance)
• RAM bandwidth (memory speed)
• Disk read/write speeds (storage performance)
• Network throughput (Wi-Fi/Ethernet speed)
• Overall system stability (stress and thermal tests)

Knowing which metric to test can help you pinpoint exactly what's slowing you down. Apple's official support page offers more details on hardware performance metrics.

Mac performance test: Try these benchmark tools for free

Depending on what you need, there's a tool here for every type of Mac performance test. Personally, I always start with Novabench, but I love having options. If you want to try several tools at once, a Setapp subscription gives you access to Novabench, Usage, CleanMyMac, WiFi Explorer, iStat Menus, and more. There's a 7-day free trial — no hidden fees, just a chance to see what works for you.

One subscription covers every tool in this guide — test all of them free. Novabench, iStat Menus, Usage, WiFi Explorer, and CleanMyMac are all included in Setapp. 7-day free trial, cancel before Day 7 — $0 charged. Get 250+ Mac Apps. Already know which app you need? Browse Setapp Marketplace for standalone options.