diff --git a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarAnalyticsView.swift b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarAnalyticsView.swift
index d2a1ffc8..225abc81 100644
--- a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarAnalyticsView.swift
+++ b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarAnalyticsView.swift
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ struct BarAnalyticsView: View {
   /// top-models detail placed below the pool accounts.
   enum Section { case spend, breakdown }
   var section: Section = .spend
+  /// Controls whether the spend sparkline renders as bars or a line graph.
+  /// Passed in by BarMenuView so it reflects the user's persisted choice live.
+  var spendChartStyle: SpendChartStyle = .bars
 
   private var lastActive: String? {
     BarFormatting.lastActiveLabel(
@@ -74,8 +77,10 @@ struct BarAnalyticsView: View {
           .font(.caption2)
           .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
         if !sparklineIsEmpty {
-          Sparkline(values: analytics.byDay.map(\.cost), accent: theme.accent)
-            .frame(height: 18)
+          // height: 30 (up from 18) so daily spend gradations are clearly readable.
+          Sparkline(values: analytics.byDay.map(\.cost), accent: theme.accent,
+                    style: spendChartStyle)
+            .frame(height: 30)
         }
       } else {
         Text(idleCaption)
diff --git a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarMenuView.swift b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarMenuView.swift
index b80b190c..625c3bd7 100644
--- a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarMenuView.swift
+++ b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarMenuView.swift
@@ -50,9 +50,12 @@ struct BarMenuView: View {
             accountsSection
 
             // (3) SPEND — demoted to a thin informational strip below the cockpit.
+            // spendChartStyle is threaded from the viewModel so a live change in
+            // Settings immediately updates the chart without a refresh.
             if let analytics = viewModel.analytics {
               Divider()
-              BarAnalyticsView(analytics: analytics, section: .spend)
+              BarAnalyticsView(analytics: analytics, section: .spend,
+                               spendChartStyle: viewModel.spendChartStyle)
             }
 
             // (4) POOL ACCOUNTS — compact generic rows, subordinate.
@@ -72,17 +75,18 @@ struct BarMenuView: View {
           .padding(14)
         }
         .scrollIndicators(.never)
-        // 620 fits the full reordered layout (subscription cards + spend strip +
-        // pool rows + surface/models) plus the added vertical breathing room
-        // before scroll engages, for a typical 1-4 account setup. Scroll engages
-        // gracefully only on real overflow.
-        .frame(maxHeight: 620)
+        // 700 gives more vertical breathing room before scroll engages — useful
+        // for 3-4 subscription cards each carrying multiple quota windows.
+        // Scroll still engages gracefully on genuine overflow.
+        .frame(maxHeight: 700)
       }
 
       Divider()
       footer
     }
-    .frame(width: 380)
+    // 360 is narrower than the old 380, keeping the popover compact while still
+    // fitting the bar-list fixed column widths (label 32 + bar 110 + pct 32 + chip 48).
+    .frame(width: 360)
     .onAppear {
       viewModel.onOpen()
       // Disarm quit on every popover open so a stale armed state never persists.
diff --git a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarPreferencesView.swift b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarPreferencesView.swift
index e9e7da13..59f493af 100644
--- a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarPreferencesView.swift
+++ b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarPreferencesView.swift
@@ -51,10 +51,9 @@ struct BarPreferencesView: View {
     .padding(.vertical, 10)
   }
 
-  /// Theme picker — placed first because it affects the whole dropdown, so it is
-  /// the most prominent setting. Bound directly to `$viewModel.appearance` (NOT
-  /// the alert-pref draft): appearance is global chrome, its `didSet` persists,
-  /// and @Published drives the live re-render — no writeThrough() needed.
+  /// Theme + chart style. Appearance affects the whole dropdown; chart style is
+  /// scoped to the spend sparkline. Both are bound directly to viewModel properties
+  /// whose `didSet` persist — no writeThrough() needed here.
   private var appearanceSection: some View {
     Section("Appearance") {
       Picker("Menu bar theme", selection: $viewModel.appearance) {
@@ -63,6 +62,13 @@ struct BarPreferencesView: View {
         Text("Dark").tag(BarAppearance.dark)
       }
       .pickerStyle(.segmented)
+      // Changing this live-updates the spend chart in the open dropdown because
+      // viewModel.spendChartStyle is @Published and SpendChartStyleStore persists it.
+      Picker("Spend graph", selection: $viewModel.spendChartStyle) {
+        Text("Bars").tag(SpendChartStyle.bars)
+        Text("Line").tag(SpendChartStyle.line)
+      }
+      .pickerStyle(.segmented)
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarSubscriptionCard.swift b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarSubscriptionCard.swift
index fc2a162a..dd3b33b8 100644
--- a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarSubscriptionCard.swift
+++ b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarSubscriptionCard.swift
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ struct BarSubscriptionCard: View {
   }
 
   var body: some View {
-    VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 6) {
+    // spacing: 4 (down from 6) and vertical padding: 8 (down from 11) keep the
+    // card compact so 2-3 cards fit in the dropdown without triggering scroll.
+    VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 4) {
       titleRow
       if windows.isEmpty {
         emptyState
@@ -33,7 +35,7 @@ struct BarSubscriptionCard: View {
         staleFootnote
       }
     }
-    .padding(.vertical, 11)
+    .padding(.vertical, 8)
     .padding(.horizontal, 10)
     .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
     .background(
@@ -71,7 +73,9 @@ struct BarSubscriptionCard: View {
     let ordered = orderedWindows
     let bindingKey = binding?.key
 
-    return VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 5) {
+    // spacing: 4 (down from 5) — rows are already compact; tighter gap fits more
+    // without hurting legibility.
+    return VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 4) {
       ForEach(ordered) { w in
         windowBarRow(w, isBinding: w.key == bindingKey)
       }
diff --git a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarViewModel.swift b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarViewModel.swift
index f0283e76..a1843f50 100644
--- a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarViewModel.swift
+++ b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/BarViewModel.swift
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ final class BarViewModel: ObservableObject {
   /// Which figure leads the always-on title. Persisted; a change re-derives
   /// `statusTitle` live because it is @Published.
   @Published var glanceMode: BarGlanceMode
+  /// Render style for the spend sparkline (bars or line). Persisted via
+  /// SpendChartStyleStore; didSet mirrors the BarAppearance/iconStyle pattern.
+  @Published var spendChartStyle: SpendChartStyle {
+    didSet { SpendChartStyleStore.save(spendChartStyle) }
+  }
   /// The alerts the most recent evaluation wanted delivered, surfaced in the
   /// dropdown so users who deny notifications still see the conditions.
   @Published var activeAlerts: [BarNotification] = []
@@ -51,6 +56,7 @@ final class BarViewModel: ObservableObject {
     self.iconStyle = MenuBarIcon.loadStyle()
     self.appearance = BarAppearanceStore.load()
     self.glanceMode = prefs.load().glanceMode
+    self.spendChartStyle = SpendChartStyleStore.load()
     reconnect()
   }
 
diff --git a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/Sparkline.swift b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/Sparkline.swift
index 2e4f0705..fb403ad0 100644
--- a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/Sparkline.swift
+++ b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarApp/Sparkline.swift
@@ -1,27 +1,95 @@
 import SwiftUI
 import CCSBarCore
 
-/// A compact bar sparkline for daily values (e.g. cost per day over 7 days).
-/// Zero-value days render as faint placeholders so the cadence stays readable.
+/// A compact sparkline for daily values (e.g. cost per day over 30 days).
+///
+/// Two render styles controlled by `style`:
+///  - `.bars` (default): the original RoundedRectangle bar chart. Zero-value days
+///    render as faint placeholders so the cadence stays readable.
+///  - `.line`: a Path-based polyline through the normalized points, stroked ~1.5pt,
+///    with a subtle area fill (accent at ~0.15 opacity) under the curve. Better for
+///    reading trend direction over a long window. Falls back to a flat baseline when
+///    count < 2 or all values are zero.
 struct Sparkline: View {
   let values: [Double]
   // Default is the dark preset's accent: a default argument can't read the
   // environment, so this is the static fallback. Live callers pass the themed
   // `theme.accent` from the parent so the rendered bar follows the chosen theme.
   var accent: Color = BarTheme.dark.accent
+  /// Render mode. Default `.bars` preserves the original look; `.line` draws a
+  /// trend line instead.
+  var style: SpendChartStyle = .bars
 
   var body: some View {
     GeometryReader { geo in
-      let peak = max(values.max() ?? 0, 0.0001)
-      HStack(alignment: .bottom, spacing: 3) {
-        ForEach(Array(values.enumerated()), id: \.offset) { _, value in
-          let height = CGFloat(value / peak) * geo.size.height
-          RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 2)
-            .fill(value > 0 ? accent : Color.secondary.opacity(0.2))
-            .frame(height: max(2, height))
-        }
+      switch style {
+      case .bars:
+        barsBody(in: geo.size)
+      case .line:
+        lineBody(in: geo.size)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  // MARK: Bar render (original)
+
+  private func barsBody(in size: CGSize) -> some View {
+    let peak = max(values.max() ?? 0, 0.0001)
+    return HStack(alignment: .bottom, spacing: 3) {
+      ForEach(Array(values.enumerated()), id: \.offset) { _, value in
+        let height = CGFloat(value / peak) * size.height
+        RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 2)
+          .fill(value > 0 ? accent : Color.secondary.opacity(0.2))
+          .frame(height: max(2, height))
+      }
+    }
+    .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, maxHeight: .infinity, alignment: .bottom)
+  }
+
+  // MARK: Line render
+
+  /// Polyline path connecting the normalized data points. x is evenly spaced
+  /// across the width; y is inverted so a larger value is higher (closer to 0).
+  @ViewBuilder private func lineBody(in size: CGSize) -> some View {
+    let peak = max(values.max() ?? 0, 0.0001)
+    let count = values.count
+    let allZero = values.allSatisfy { $0 <= 0 }
+
+    if count < 2 || allZero {
+      // Flat baseline — nothing to show; render a faint hairline so the area
+      // is not invisible on an idle spend strip.
+      Path { p in
+        p.move(to: CGPoint(x: 0, y: size.height))
+        p.addLine(to: CGPoint(x: size.width, y: size.height))
+      }
+      .stroke(accent.opacity(0.2), lineWidth: 1)
+    } else {
+      // Build points: x evenly spaced, y inverted (0 = top = max value).
+      let pts: [CGPoint] = values.enumerated().map { i, v in
+        let x = CGFloat(i) / CGFloat(count - 1) * size.width
+        let y = size.height - CGFloat(v / peak) * size.height
+        return CGPoint(x: x, y: y)
+      }
+
+      // Area fill: close the path by dropping to the bottom edge.
+      let fillPath = Path { p in
+        p.move(to: CGPoint(x: pts[0].x, y: size.height))
+        p.addLine(to: pts[0])
+        for pt in pts.dropFirst() { p.addLine(to: pt) }
+        p.addLine(to: CGPoint(x: pts[pts.count - 1].x, y: size.height))
+        p.closeSubpath()
+      }
+
+      // Stroke path.
+      let strokePath = Path { p in
+        p.move(to: pts[0])
+        for pt in pts.dropFirst() { p.addLine(to: pt) }
+      }
+
+      ZStack {
+        fillPath.fill(accent.opacity(0.15))
+        strokePath.stroke(accent, lineWidth: 1.5)
       }
-      .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, maxHeight: .infinity, alignment: .bottom)
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarCheck/main.swift b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarCheck/main.swift
index 5687ae46..5bbc2db7 100644
--- a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarCheck/main.swift
+++ b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarCheck/main.swift
@@ -1347,6 +1347,38 @@ do {
   defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: suiteName)
 }
 
+// MARK: SpendChartStyle — enum stability + store round-trip
+
+// Default is .bars (the pre-existing render mode; no visual regression on upgrade).
+check(SpendChartStyle.bars.rawValue == "bars", "SpendChartStyle .bars rawValue stable")
+check(SpendChartStyle.line.rawValue == "line", "SpendChartStyle .line rawValue stable")
+check(SpendChartStyle(rawValue: "bars") == .bars, "SpendChartStyle round-trip bars")
+check(SpendChartStyle(rawValue: "line") == .line, "SpendChartStyle round-trip line")
+check(SpendChartStyle(rawValue: "unknown") == nil, "SpendChartStyle unknown rawValue -> nil")
+check(SpendChartStyle.allCases.count == 2, "SpendChartStyle has exactly 2 cases")
+
+// Store round-trip: save .line -> load() == .line; absent key defaults to .bars.
+do {
+  let suiteName = "ccs-bar-check-chart-\(ProcessInfo.processInfo.globallyUniqueString)"
+  let defaults = UserDefaults(suiteName: suiteName)!
+  // Absent key -> .bars (the default).
+  let raw = defaults.string(forKey: SpendChartStyleStore.defaultsKey)
+    ?? SpendChartStyle.bars.rawValue
+  check(SpendChartStyle(rawValue: raw) == .bars,
+    "SpendChartStyleStore defaults to .bars on absent key")
+  // Save .line -> load .line.
+  defaults.set(SpendChartStyle.line.rawValue, forKey: SpendChartStyleStore.defaultsKey)
+  let back = SpendChartStyle(rawValue:
+    defaults.string(forKey: SpendChartStyleStore.defaultsKey) ?? "")
+  check(back == .line, "SpendChartStyleStore round-trips save(.line) -> .line")
+  // Garbage -> nil (coalesces to .bars on live load).
+  defaults.set("nonsense", forKey: SpendChartStyleStore.defaultsKey)
+  let g = SpendChartStyle(rawValue:
+    defaults.string(forKey: SpendChartStyleStore.defaultsKey) ?? "")
+  check(g == nil, "SpendChartStyleStore garbage raw -> nil (coalesces to .bars)")
+  defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: suiteName)
+}
+
 // cleanup
 try? FileManager.default.removeItem(atPath: tmp)
 
diff --git a/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarCore/BarChartStyle.swift b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarCore/BarChartStyle.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b4befb45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/macos-bar/Sources/CCSBarCore/BarChartStyle.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import Foundation
+
+// MARK: - SpendChartStyle
+
+/// User-selectable render style for the spend sparkline in the dropdown.
+///
+/// `.bars` (default) draws the existing RoundedRectangle bar chart.
+/// `.line` draws a Path-based line graph with a faint area fill, which is
+/// better for spotting trend direction across the 30-day window.
+///
+/// Sendable + CaseIterable so the harness can iterate all cases and the value
+/// can cross actor boundaries safely.
+public enum SpendChartStyle: String, CaseIterable, Sendable {
+  case bars
+  case line
+}
+
+// MARK: - SpendChartStyleStore
+
+/// Persists the chosen spend-chart style. Mirrors the BarAppearanceStore pattern:
+/// a UserDefaults key, a static load, and a static save. The `?? .bars` fallback
+/// on a nil/unrecognized raw value is the sole source of the default.
+public enum SpendChartStyleStore {
+  public static let defaultsKey = "ccsbar.spendChartStyle"
+
+  public static func load() -> SpendChartStyle {
+    let raw = UserDefaults.standard.string(forKey: defaultsKey)
+      ?? SpendChartStyle.bars.rawValue
+    return SpendChartStyle(rawValue: raw) ?? .bars
+  }
+
+  public static func save(_ style: SpendChartStyle) {
+    UserDefaults.standard.set(style.rawValue, forKey: defaultsKey)
+  }
+}