ActiveDock vs Appetizer
ActiveDock
noteifyapp.comAppetizer
appetizer.cozic.netSide by side
| Figure | ActiveDock | Appetizer |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · App Launcher Software | 8.0 (#13) | 8.7 (#4) |
| Spec score · App launchers | 7.1 (#35) | 8.5 (#8) |
| Spec score · App Launchers | 7.1 (#36) | 8.6 (#6) |
| Organization | Groups and folders organize apps and documents by topic and reduce dock clutter. | Users can drag and drop icons, group shortcuts in menus, and use a wizard to import shortcuts from various locations. |
| Support | The maker invites questions, feedback, and support requests by email. | Forum registration is closed because of spam, and the site says users may contact the maker if needed. |
Plans
ActiveDock
- ActiveDock 2 Single License$19.99, paid once
- ActiveDock 2 Pro Lifetime$59.99, paid once
In their own words
ActiveDock
ActiveDock has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Appetizer
Appetizer is a free, open-source application launcher dock for Windows that organizes shortcuts and folders. A wizard imports shortcuts from different locations, after which icons can be arranged by drag and drop or grouped in menus. The dock can resize and display horizontally or vertically, with small, large, and extra-large icons, custom icons, and skins; two skins are included. It supports launching several items together, a hotkey to hide or show the dock, and minimizing it to the tray. Special items provide controls for the desktop, Recycle Bin, and Control Panel. With the standard PortableApps.com folder structure, Appetizer should detect applications and documents automatically. Version 1.4 is offered as a Windows installer or portable ZIP; the ZIP can run from a hard drive or USB stick and saves settings in the application directory. The download page lists Windows 2000, XP, and Vista. Plugins add functions such as USB document encryption, shortcut grouping, and closing the dock after launch, but require a restart after installation. Multilingual help and an API reference are provided.