Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

HiDock VS DockGroups

Compare HiDock VS DockGroups and see what are their differences

HiDock logo HiDock

Set custom Dock settings for when on different displays

DockGroups logo DockGroups

The app-grouping feature the Mac Dock never shipped.
  • HiDock Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05
  • 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.

HiDock

Website
hidock.app
Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Release Date
-

DockGroups

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

HiDock videos

HiDock - Hybrid Work Booster for Productivity & Privacy

More videos:

  • Review - HiDock REVIEW: Must-Have For Work At Home or In The Office!
  • Review - HiDock - Hybrid Work Booster for Productivity & Privacy

DockGroups videos

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

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to HiDock and DockGroups)
Productivity
75 75%
25% 25
Mac Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Web Browsers
100 100%
0% 0
Apple
100 100%
0% 0

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing HiDock and DockGroups.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

DockGroups's answer:

SwiftUI & AppKit

User comments

Share your experience with using HiDock 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, HiDock seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time 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.

HiDock mentions (1)

  • lo-rain was just released! Check it out on lo.cafe/lo-rain
    It seems there are some issues with https://hidock.app/, sometimes splashes are not shown at all, sometimes too much above. I'm guessing it's certainly because hidock completely override dock's settings, so I couldn't help with how to solve that, but, you know, just in case ;) . Source: over 3 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 HiDock and DockGroups, you can also consider the following products

Modoki - Modoki lets you effortlessly create multiple Dock layouts and automatically applies them when changing macOS Focus modes (or manually if you prefer). Lightweight, intuitive, and nicely integrated with macOS. Let your Dock follow your flow.

DockFlow - Switch between dock presets on MacOS instantly

Pictogram - Customize macOS app icons with ease

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

Dockey - Make your macOS Dock faster

TinkerTool - Tinker with the hidden settings of your Mac