AutoShelf vs Paddock

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.

Paddock is a free, open-source Windows desktop icon organizer that groups icons into styled zones. Users can create resizable areas and set each zone’s transparency, background color, corner radius, and title visibility. Icons can be sorted by name, modification date, file type, or file size, in either direction. Zones can be hidden or shown from the tray icon or with the default Ctrl+F12 shortcut, then rolled up to their title strips. Named layout profiles can be saved, switched, and exported as .paddock files for sharing. Paddock adds native Windows context menus such as Open, Open With, and Properties. Items moved into zones are stored in hidden folders under the Desktop; removing a zone or dragging an item out returns them without deleting or overwriting files. It requires Windows 10 version 1903 or later, or Windows 11.