AutoShelf vs DesktopBox

AutoShelf organizes files in watched folders according to rules you create. Rules can match file type, source URL, downloading app, size, age, and filename, then move, copy, rename, tag, trash, archive, or optimize files. Dry runs show which files match and what actions are planned without changing files while the preview is active. Quick Action Zones let you drop files onto a zone assigned to one action, and you can create as many zones as you like. Five built-in templates cover Downloads, old DMGs, Desktop cleanup, sorting by source, and installers. AutoShelf can inspect document text to route invoices, receipts, and contracts or tag confidential content; for photos, it reads six EXIF fields including location and date taken. The macOS app requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later and supports Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. The Free plan allows one rule for one folder and its subfolders. Unlimited rules costs $19.99, paid once. The companion CLI requires the app, and the local MCP server supports clients including Claude Desktop, Codex, Cursor, and Windsurf.

DesktopBox is a free, open-source organizer for 64-bit Windows 10 and 11. One-click Tidy sorts desktop files by type into a tabbed box, and later runs process only new files. Boxes store file paths rather than copies, so arranging items does not move the originals. Users can create boxes for apps, files, folders, shortcuts, and URLs, then convert, merge, or split them into tabbed containers. Tabs can be reordered by dragging. The app can hide or show desktop icons and place This PC, Recycle Bin, Control Panel, and Network in a box. A separate optional helper adds the native Windows right-click menu; the main app runs without it. Downloads include a portable executable, installer, and optional helper. The portable build includes its runtime, so a separate.NET installation is unnecessary. The project says DesktopBox has no telemetry and makes no network connections. Its repository uses the MIT license. The README lists the portable executable as 74 MB and warns that the unsigned program may trigger a SmartScreen warning on first run. The Free plan costs nothing.