Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Artifact VS DockGroups

Compare Artifact VS DockGroups and see what are their differences

Artifact logo Artifact

Artifact is a Multiplayer and Collectible Card video game published by Valve Corporation.

DockGroups logo DockGroups

The app-grouping feature the Mac Dock never shipped.
  • Artifact Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-26
  • DockGroups Main window
    Main window //
    2026-07-30
  • DockGroups Settings
    Settings //
    2026-07-30
  • DockGroups Tray icon
    Tray icon //
    2026-07-30

App Groups

  • Organize apps into named groups, each with a custom emoji icon, stored by bundle ID.

  • Pin important groups to the top of the sidebar.

  • Create and delete groups directly from the main panel โ€” no detour into Settings.

  • Default starter groups (Work, Creative, Utilities) appear on first launch.

  • Group data is saved atomically with owner-only file permissions, and the app tolerates missing fields so updates never wipe your groups.

The Floating Panel

  • A panel anchored next to your Dock that positions itself correctly whether your Dock sits at the bottom, left, or right of the screen.

  • Opens from the Dock icon or the menu bar; closes automatically when it loses focus.

  • A collapsible sidebar toggles between full labels (with shortcut badges) and a compact icon-only rail.

  • Frosted-glass or solid panel style, plus System / Light / Dark themes.

Open All / Close All โ€” the signature feature

  • Open All launches every app in a group with a small stagger (so macOS doesn't choke on simultaneous launches).

  • Close All does the reverse, and this is something no competing dock app offers:

  • Plain click โ†’ hides every app in the group

    • โŒฅ-click โ†’ quits them gracefully
    • โŒ˜-click โ†’ force-quits them
  • Live indicators show which apps in a group are currently running, and clicking a running app restores its windows โ€” including minimized ones.

In-Panel App Management

  • Add and remove apps right in the panel grid.

  • Drag to reorder apps within a group.

  • Right-click any app for Quit, Force Quit, or Show in Finder.

Keyboard Shortcuts

  • โŒ˜1โ€“9 switches groups inside the panel.

  • โŒฅโ‡ง1โ€“9 are true system-wide hotkeys that work even in full-screen apps โ€” with no Accessibility or Input Monitoring permissions needed.

Menu Bar Mode

  • An optional menu bar icon for quick access without using the Dock.

Artifact

Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Release Date
-

DockGroups

$ Details
freemium $9.99 / One-off (Pro)
Release Date
2026 May

Artifact features and specs

  • Deep Strategic Gameplay
    Artifact offers a rich and strategic gameplay experience that leverages the mechanics of Dota 2, providing depth and complexity for players who enjoy mastering intricate strategies.
  • High Production Quality
    With Valve behind its development, Artifact features high-quality graphics, animations, and sound design, contributing to an immersive gaming experience.
  • Innovative Card Mechanics
    Artifact introduces unique card mechanics and lane-based gameplay that differentiate it from other digital card games, offering an innovative approach to the genre.

Possible disadvantages of Artifact

  • High Learning Curve
    The complexity and uniqueness of Artifact's mechanics can be challenging for new players to grasp, potentially alienating casual gamers or those unfamiliar with Dota 2.
  • Monetization Model
    Artifact's initial monetization strategy involved purchasing packs of cards, which some players felt was too costly and reminiscent of traditional pay-to-win models.
  • Player Base Decline
    Following its launch, Artifact experienced a significant decline in its player base, leading to longer queue times and difficulty finding opponents.

DockGroups features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

Artifact videos

Artifact Review

More videos:

  • Review - Death of a Game: Artifact
  • Review - Artifact Uprising - Lay Flat/Hardcover Photo Book Review

DockGroups videos

No DockGroups videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Artifact and DockGroups)
Productivity
94 94%
6% 6
Mac Tools
0 0%
100% 100
News
100 100%
0% 0
AI
100 100%
0% 0

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Artifact and DockGroups.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

DockGroups's answer:

SwiftUI & AppKit

User comments

Share your experience with using Artifact and DockGroups. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Artifact seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 2 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Artifact mentions (2)

  • Things you enjoy in a piece of media, but it's kind of messed up when you think about it?
    This all comes from Artifact the DotA card game, the ENTIRE game is the said group of people trying to map out the would-be draw ending and had a comic where this all came from. Don't know if the comic is still available anywhere because Valve killed playartifact.com (it now redirects to the steam page for it) but if you can find it then yeah theres your source. There IS however a rock paper shotgun screencap of a... Source: over 4 years ago
  • Ten Reasons why Artifact will be the biggest eSport title, ever
    None of the details have been released yet, but if you play close attention to the Artifact website and the Official twitter @PlayArtifact, theyโ€™ll be announcing it soon, hopefully. Many players hoping to take a stab at that prize pool are anxiously waiting to hear how they could potentially qualify for the big tournament, myself included. Source: over 5 years ago

DockGroups mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of DockGroups yet. Tracking of DockGroups recommendations started around Jul 2026.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Artifact and DockGroups, you can also consider the following products

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DockIt Space - Organize your Mac Dock like never before with custom profiles for different workflow, manual profiles and automatic dock ordering!.

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