The 7 Best Dock Apps for Mac in 2026 (with Prices)

Quick answer: The best Dock apps for Mac in 2026 are DockDoor for free window previews, DockFix and ActiveDock 2 for replacing the Dock outright, uBar for a Windows-style taskbar, SwitchGlass for a floating app switcher, Modoki for swapping Dock layouts and TinkerTool for free access to hidden Dock settings.

You hover over Safari in the Dock to find one window out of nine. The Dock offers you a dot.

The built-in Dock does plenty, and our guide to customising the Dock on a Mac covers every setting and the Terminal tweaks. Past that point you need an app. We have not run these ourselves. Every price, requirement and permission below comes from the app's own site or store listing, checked on 20 October 2026.

What can a Dock app do that the Mac Dock can't?

Show you windows, not just apps. The Mac Dock has no window previews. Hover an icon and nothing appears, which is the main reason people go looking for an add-on.

The other common requests are app folders, separate layouts for work and evenings, a taskbar with one button per window, and settings Apple hides. Each app below fills one or two of those gaps. None of them fills every one.

Which Dock apps for Mac are worth a look?

Prices are what each developer's site or store showed on the day of writing. DockFix lists euros, and ActiveDock's checkout showed pounds, so you may see a different currency.

The 7 best Dock apps for Mac

1. DockDoor

Window previews for the Dock you already have. DockDoor shows an app's open windows when you hover its Dock icon, and adds an Option-Tab switcher that previews every window. It is free and open source, needs macOS 13 or later on Apple silicon or Intel, and installs from its site, GitHub or brew install --cask dockdoor. Its latest GitHub release is 1.41.0. The developer also sells a separate app, DockDoor Pro, for $20.

2. DockFix

For when you want to redesign the Dock rather than add to it. DockFix hides the system Dock while it runs and draws its own, with colours, opacity, custom icons, folders, a file shelf, widgets and live window previews. It costs €14.99 once, with a seven-day trial that needs no card, and requires macOS 14 or later. Its FAQ says it needs no special permissions and never asks you to turn off System Integrity Protection.

3. uBar

A taskbar for people who miss Windows, or never left. uBar calls itself the taskbar alternative to the Dock, with a button for each window rather than each app. Version 5.0.4 came out on 18 October 2026 and needs macOS 26 Tahoe or later. A Personal licence is $39 for up to two Macs, with a 14-day trial. An optional uBar Cloud subscription is $2.99 a month, though you don't need it. Its knowledge base says it uses the Accessibility API to manage windows.

4. ActiveDock 2

A replacement Dock that has been around a while. ActiveDock replaces the Dock with one that adds window previews, app grouping and a launcher. Version 2.884 arrived on 7 October 2026, needs macOS 14.6 or later, and supports Intel and Apple silicon. Its FastSpring checkout listed a single licence at £15.55 and a three-Mac lifetime licence at £46.65. There is a 14-day trial. The site says it does not replace system files or need SIP turned off, but it does not list the permissions it asks for, so read the prompts on first launch.

5. SwitchGlass

The calm option. SwitchGlass by John Siracusa adds a floating app switcher with one icon per running app, which you can size and place differently on each display. It is $7.99 on the Mac App Store, needs macOS 12, and its privacy label says Data Not Collected. Because it is sandboxed, quitting apps from it needs a free helper app called QuitchGlass. It does not touch the real Dock, so you can run both.

6. Modoki

Several Docks, one at a time. Modoki saves multiple Dock layouts and switches between them when you change Focus mode, or with a keyboard shortcut. It costs $5.99 once, with a seven-day trial, and needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later. Its site says settings stay on your Mac and the internet is used only for licence checks and updates. It does not list permissions.

7. TinkerTool

Hidden settings with a tick box instead of a Terminal command. TinkerTool is free and its current version, 11.71, supports macOS 26 and macOS 27. Its feature list includes adding spacer tiles, changing the delay before a hidden Dock appears, dimming icons for hidden apps and locking the Dock's size or contents. It needs no admin rights and only changes settings for your user account.

What permissions do Dock apps need?

Window previews usually mean Screen Recording. A preview is a picture of a window, which is why DockDoor asks for it. DockFix says it needs no special permissions, so the rule is not universal. Moving and focusing windows usually needs Accessibility, as uBar's documentation says.

Neither is a red flag for this kind of app, as long as the request matches the feature. A layout switcher asking for Screen Recording would be odd. Our guide to why Mac apps need Accessibility access explains what Accessibility can and cannot do, and you can revoke any permission later in System Settings > Privacy & Security.

Should you replace the Dock or add to it?

Add to it first. DockDoor, SwitchGlass, Modoki and TinkerTool all leave Apple's Dock in charge. If one of them misbehaves, you quit it and nothing else changes.

DockFix, ActiveDock 2 and uBar give you more control, but they take over something you use all day, and every macOS update is a chance for the two to disagree. All three offer a trial, so you can find out before paying.

How to choose a Dock app in five minutes

1. Name the one thing that annoys you. Previews, layouts, a taskbar or a hidden setting. Pick the app built for that.
2. Try the free ones first. DockDoor and TinkerTool cost nothing and may be all you need.
3. Check the macOS line. uBar wants macOS 26 and Modoki macOS 15, so older Macs are out.
4. Read the permission prompt. If it asks for more than the feature needs, deny it and see what breaks.
5. Use the trial before paying. DockFix, ActiveDock 2, uBar and Modoki all have one.

Something for the other end of the Dock

Disclosure: this one is ours, so it is not on the ranked list.

The apps above deal with windows, layouts and settings. Spellbin is our small paid Mac app for the far end of the Dock: a pixel-art cauldron that sits beside the Bin. Drop a file on it and a green flame carrying the file's thumbnail rises out and dissolves, and by default the file goes to the real Bin underneath. Drops count towards 19 achievements that unlock 14 more cauldron skins. It won't organise your windows or clean your Mac. It makes deleting things a bit more fun, in the spirit of gamifying your Mac. You can download Spellbin here.

The best Dock app fixes the one thing that annoys you and leaves the rest alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get window previews in the Mac Dock?

The Mac Dock has no built-in window previews, so you need a third-party app. DockDoor is free, open source and shows each app's windows when you hover its icon. DockFix and ActiveDock 2 include previews as part of a full Dock replacement. DockDoor asks for Screen Recording and Accessibility, while DockFix says it needs no special permissions.

What is the best free Dock app for Mac?

The best free Dock app for Mac is DockDoor if you want window previews, and TinkerTool if you want hidden Dock settings such as spacer tiles and a shorter auto-hide delay. Both were current on their own sites in October 2026. DockDoor supports macOS 13 and later, and TinkerTool 11.71 supports macOS 26 and 27.

Is there a Mac Dock replacement?

Several apps replace the Mac Dock. DockFix (€14.99) and ActiveDock 2 (£15.55 for a single licence when we checked) hide the system Dock and draw their own. uBar ($39) swaps the Dock for a Windows-style taskbar. Each has a free trial, which is worth using before you commit to one.

Can you have different Docks for work and home on a Mac?

The Mac Dock only keeps one layout, but Modoki saves several and switches between them when your Focus mode changes or when you press a shortcut. It costs $5.99 once and needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later. You can also reset the Dock by hand, though that gets old quickly.

Are Dock apps safe to use on a Mac?

Dock apps are safest from the developer's own site, GitHub or the Mac App Store; DockDoor's site warns against downloading it anywhere else. Check that each permission matches a feature. DockFix and ActiveDock 2 both say they never need System Integrity Protection turned off, which is worth confirming before installing any Dock app.

Final Takeaways

• Start with DockDoor if all you want is window previews. It is free.
• Use TinkerTool for spacers and auto-hide tweaks without touching Terminal.
• Trial before you buy DockFix, ActiveDock 2, uBar or Modoki.
• Match the permission to the feature. Screen Recording for previews makes sense. For a layout switcher it doesn't.
• Run one Dock replacement at a time. Each of them wants the same strip of screen.