AutoShelf vs Portals: Desktop Organization

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.

Portals: Desktop Organization displays selected folder contents directly on a Windows desktop in customizable portals. Users can adjust colors, fonts, borders, margins, header position, icon sizes, and backgrounds, with individual portals able to override settings such as color and font. Portals can be minimized, sorted using custom or predefined orders, and arranged in tabs linked to separate folders. The folders can be stored outside the desktop, such as in Documents. Users can save portal arrangements as layouts and apply them automatically when display setups change; settings profiles can also be linked to layouts. A configurable keyboard shortcut brings all portals to the top. The app supports command-line actions for creating portals and applying layouts or profiles, and it can use QuickLook or Seer for file previews. The installer can add registry keys for Portals buttons in Windows folder and desktop-background context menus. The maker describes the app as lightweight with minimal background resource usage. It is free, with a pay-what-you-want license that allows users to enter any amount.