Coodesker vs DesktopBox

Coodesker organizes Windows desktop shortcuts, icons and running tasks in multi-tab boxes designed to save desktop space. Users can hide file names to leave icons visible, create rules that direct new icons into selected boxes, and mirror PC folders onto the desktop as boxes. The software supports saved layouts and hardware-accelerated rendering, and is designed to use little hardware resource. It runs on Windows 7 and later, with x64, x86 and ARM64 installers. A free plan and free trial are listed. The Download version costs $5.70, paid once, while the Steam version costs $8.70, paid once; each plan includes Windows 7+, three computers and lifetime updates. One license can activate three devices simultaneously. Offline activation is available, but an offline activation code cannot be unbound. The privacy policy says the software does not collect personally identifiable information, while hardware identifiers are collected for activation. It also says personal information collected in China is stored in China. Support is provided through email, QQ and a user forum.

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.