DeskBox vs Dockside
DeskBox
deskbox.fun
Dockside
thedockside.appSide by side
| Figure | DeskBox | Dockside |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Spec score · Desktop Organization Software | 8.6 (#2) | 7.9 (#8) |
| Maker | DeskBox was started and is maintained by Tianyu Zhu, a product manager who describes the project as a solo after-work effort. | Hachipoo Apps says indie developer Prajwal built Dockside as his first macOS app. |
| Privacy | DeskBox requires no account or cloud synchronization; configuration, notes, tasks, history, layouts and managed files remain local by default. | The privacy policy says Dockside does not collect personal or usage data, works offline after license activation, and sends crash data to Sentry only if the user enables it. |
| Support | The maker directs users with questions or suggestions to the feedback channel and its 大雨实验室 public account. | The lifetime license includes support and updates; the maker lists Discord and email as contact channels. |
Plans
In their own words
DeskBox
DeskBox is a free Windows app for organizing desktop files in boxes, mapped folders, stacks, and groups. File boxes support drag and drop, renaming, deletion, opening, and locating items in File Explorer. Mapped folders appear on the desktop without changing the original folder location. Similar files can be stacked manually or automatically, and grouped boxes can be switched with the mouse wheel or Ctrl+Tab. A cleanup flow lets users select files individually, include the public desktop, and resume an interrupted cleanup. Built-in boxes cover files, to-dos, notes, and music controls. DeskBox says files, to-dos, notes, and cache remain on the computer and are not uploaded to the cloud by default. Its built-in boxes have no feature restrictions, ads, or subscriptions; the app is listed as GPL-3.0-only with free personal use. It supports Windows 10 version 21H2 or later and Windows 11, with some materials and animations reduced on Windows 10. Direct installers support x64 or ARM64.