Appetizer vs PStart
Appetizer
appetizer.cozic.netPStart
pegtop.netSide by side
| Figure | Appetizer | PStart |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · App Launcher Software | 8.7 (#4) | 7.3 (#26) |
| Spec score · App Launchers | 8.6 (#6) | 7.3 (#28) |
| Spec score · App launchers | 8.5 (#8) | 7.3 (#28) |
| Maker | The site copyright identifies Laurent Cozic. | PEGTOP Software describes itself as a one-person software company in southern Germany, founded in 1996. |
| Purpose | Appetizer is a free application launcher, or dock, for Windows that organizes shortcuts and folders. | PStart is a tray tool for launching user-defined applications, including portable applications on USB keys and removable disks. |
| Support | Forum registration is closed because of spam, and the site says users may contact the maker if needed. | The FAQ directs users whose questions are not answered to contact the maker. |
Plans
In their own words
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.