Dropzone vs Yoink
We give Dropzone a 3.0 GPA and Yoink a 2.8, out of 4.0. Dropzone grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Dropzone
Drag-and-drop action grid and file shelf for the Mac menu bar
Yoink
Drag-and-drop shelf for files and snippets on the Mac
How we grade them
| 3.0GPADropzoneVery good | 2.8GPAYoinkGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APro is $35 once from Aptonic, or $19.99 a year on the Mac App Store. Either way that's under what paid utilities here typically cost for a year. We'd skip the $4.99 monthly option, which comes to $59.88 over twelve months. | A$8.99 once, from the developer's site or the Mac App Store, and the site says both versions do the same. That's far less than a year of what paid utilities here typically cost. It's on Setapp too. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe grid, the Drop Bar and the built-in actions for moving, copying and opening files are free for good. But Amazon S3, SFTP, add-on actions and unlimited grids are Pro, and the listing can't say how many grids you get without it. Pro has a 14-day trial. | CThere's no free version. The trial download from the developer's website runs for 28 days, and after that it has to be bought. |
| Features | ADrop a file on an action to move, copy, AirDrop or upload it, park files on the Drop Bar, and sort actions into several grids. You can write your own actions in Ruby or Python and run them from the terminal with the dz tool. It does its one job in full. | AThe shelf holds files, text and images, and stacks several files dropped at once. It keeps a clipboard history, passes files between Apple devices with Handoff and takes photos from an iPhone with Continuity Camera. It works with Shortcuts, Automator and the Terminal. One job, done fully. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Drag a file and the grid shows up by itself, or press F3. There's nothing to wire up unless you want S3 or SFTP. | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Start dragging and the shelf fades in by itself. You can have it appear at the screen edge or at the mouse cursor, and tell it to ignore chosen apps. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, and Dropzone 5 needs macOS 13 or later. It connects to Amazon S3, Imgur, AirDrop, Apple Shortcuts and TinyURL, and it's on Setapp. No Windows and no phone app. | DThis one is the Mac app, for macOS 10.13 High Sierra or newer. Yoink for iPad and iPhone is a separate app, and Handoff with those devices needs it. No Windows version. |
| Best for | drag-and-drop file actions on a Mac | a shelf to park files on while you drag them around a Mac |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Dropzone and Yoink. How we grade
Where they differ
- Dropzone starts at $4.99 / month or $19.99 / year (Mac App Store), or $35 one-time direct. Yoink starts at $8.99 one-time purchase.
- Dropzone has a free plan. Yoink does not, though it has a free trial.
- Dropzone also covers file sharing and menu bar app.
- Yoink also covers clipboard manager.
At a glance
| Dropzone | Yoink | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $4.99 / month or $19.99 / year (Mac App Store), or $35 one-time direct | $8.99 one-time purchase |
| Free plan | Free download with the action grid, Drop Bar and built-in actions for opening apps and moving or copying files. The vendor lists Amazon S3, SFTP, add-on actions, unlimited grids and more as Pro features. | None |
| Free trial | 14-day trial of the Pro features; the Mac App Store subscription also starts with a 14-day free trial | Free for 28 days with the trial download from the developer's website |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Aptonic LLC | Eternal Storms Software |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | eternalstorms.at |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Dropzone
- Mac users who move, copy and upload files by drag and drop all day
- People who want a temporary shelf for files while switching apps
- Scripters who want to write their own drop actions in Ruby or Python
Yoink
- Mac users who drag files between windows, spaces and full-screen apps
- People who prefer a one-time purchase under $10
- Owners of several Apple devices who pass files between them with Handoff
Worth knowing
Dropzone
- macOS only; Dropzone 5 requires macOS 13 or later.
- Amazon S3 and SFTP uploads, add-on actions, action keyboard shortcuts and unlimited grids are Pro features.
- On the Mac App Store, Pro is a subscription unless you buy the $34.99 lifetime unlock, and Pro features stop when a subscription ends.
- Dropzone 5 Pro is a paid upgrade for Dropzone 4 owners, at up to 50% off with a Dropzone 4 serial number.
Yoink
- This is the Mac app, for macOS 10.13 High Sierra or newer. Yoink for iPad and iPhone is a separate app, and Handoff with iOS devices requires it.
- There is no free version: after the 28-day trial it has to be bought.
- Continuity Camera needs macOS Mojave 10.14 or newer and an iPhone or iPad on iOS 12 or newer.
Key features
Dropzone
- Action grid
- Dragging a file makes Dropzone appear at the top of the screen; dropping it on an action moves, copies, shares or uploads it. The grid also opens from the menu bar item.
- Drop Bar
- A temporary holding place for files: drag items on, then drag them off into another app or onto an action. Pro can detach it into a floating window and name its stacks.
- Multiple grids
- Actions can be arranged in several grids and switched between, with adjustable columns and grid size. Adding unlimited grids and categories is listed as a Pro feature.
- Sharing and uploads
- Built-in actions send files by AirDrop, upload images to Imgur for a shareable link and shorten URLs with TinyURL. Amazon S3 and SFTP uploading need Pro.
- Add-on actions
- A library of add-on actions installs from inside the app, and new actions can be written in Ruby or Python. Installing or developing add-ons is listed as a Pro feature.
- Keyboard and terminal control
- F3 or a custom shortcut opens the grid from any application, and the dz command-line tool runs actions, adds files to Drop Bar and switches grids.
Yoink
- Shelf at the screen edge
- The shelf fades in at the edge of the screen when a drag starts. Drop files on it, move to the destination window, space or full-screen app, then drag them out again.
- Files and app content
- Holds files from Finder as well as content such as text from a word processor or images from a website. Several files dropped at once are condensed into a stack.
- Placement and shortcut
- The shelf can appear at once, only near the screen edge or at the mouse cursor, and can ignore chosen apps. Its shortcut also recalls removed files or saves the clipboard.
- Clipboard history
- Stores recently copied items, which can be sent to the shelf or copied again from the app or its Notification Center widget. Popular password managers are excluded by default.
- Handoff and Continuity Camera
- Transfers files between Macs, iPads and iPhones running Yoink, and accepts photos or documents sent from an iPhone or iPad with Continuity Camera.
- macOS integration
- System services, a Quick Action and a Share extension add files without dragging, and it works with the Terminal, Automator and Shortcuts. Previews use QuickLook.
Plans
Dropzone
Dropzone 5 (free)$0
Free download from aptonic.com or the Mac App Store with the action grid, Drop Bar and built-in actions.
Dropzone 5 Pro Monthly$4.99
per month, auto-renewing (US Mac App Store)
Pro features and all app updates while subscribed, after a 14-day free trial. Pro features stop if the subscription is cancelled.
Dropzone 5 Pro Yearly$19.99
per year (US Mac App Store in-app purchase)
The same Pro subscription billed once a year through the Mac App Store.
Dropzone 5 Pro Lifetime (App Store)$34.99
one-time in-app purchase (US Mac App Store)
Lifetime unlock of the Pro features in the Mac App Store edition.
Dropzone 5 Pro Lifetime (direct)$35
one-time purchase, lifetime license
Lifetime license for the version downloaded from aptonic.com, registered with a serial number.
Yoink
Yoink for Mac (website)$8.99
one-time purchase (also listed as 9,99 € and £8.99)
Bought directly from the developer. The site says the website, Mac App Store and Setapp versions have the same functionality.
Yoink for Mac (Mac App Store)$8.99
one-time purchase (US Mac App Store)
The same app through the Mac App Store, with optional tips as in-app purchases. Also sold in the developer's Productivity Bundle.
Ways to pay less
Dropzone
- Lifetime license
Lifetime Pro license for $35
Dropzone 5 Pro is sold as a lifetime license for $35 from aptonic.com, or as a $34.99 lifetime in-app purchase on the Mac App Store.
- Annual discount
Yearly Pro subscription for $19.99
On the Mac App Store, Pro costs $4.99 a month or $19.99 a year. Twelve monthly payments would come to $59.88.
- Other savings
Up to 50% off for Dropzone 4 owners
Entering a Dropzone 4 serial number on the vendor's upgrade page gives a discount of up to 50% on Dropzone 5 Pro.
Yoink
- Other savings
Productivity Bundle at about 20% off
The developer's Mac App Store bundle sells Yoink together with ScreenFloat, Transloader and DeskMat at roughly 20% off.
