Fences vs Hazel

Fences

• Windows users whose desktop is crowded with shortcuts and files
• Keeping game launchers, school work or project files in separate groups
• IT teams that want the same organized desktop on every company PC

Hazel

• Mac users whose Downloads and Desktop folders fill up with unsorted files
• Filing scanned bills and statements by the text inside them
• People who want file automation bought once instead of by subscription

Fences

• Windows 10 and 11 only, including ARM devices; no Mac or Linux version is listed.
• A copy bought as a subscription stops working if the subscription is allowed to lapse.
• A permanent license covers Fences 6 and its 6.x updates but not later major versions, and the Steam edition is permanent-license only.
• The Single plan covers one device; running Fences on up to 5 PCs needs the Multi-Device plan or a 5-pack license.

Hazel

• macOS only; Hazel 6 requires macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or later.
• After the 14-day evaluation, an unlicensed copy drops to Demo mode: one monitored folder, two active rules and no import or export.
• A license covers one major version. Moving from any earlier version to Hazel 6 is a $20 paid upgrade.
• Rule sync works per folder and cannot merge rule sets: a second Mac's existing rules for that folder are overwritten.

Fences

Fence groups

Desktop icons, files and folders sit in shaded areas whose size, color, transparency and sorting can be changed. A fence can be rolled up to keep its contents out of sight until needed.

Automatic sorting rules

Rules place new desktop items into fences by file type, name, time or target location, for example collecting every screenshot in one fence.

Folder Portals

Mirror any folder, including cloud and network folders, onto the desktop as a fence, so its contents can be reached without opening File Explorer.

Peek

Pressing the Windows key and Space brings your fences on top of all open windows for quick access to files, folders and applications.

Tabs, Icon Tint and Chameleon

Fences 6 stacks several fences together as tabs, applies a uniform color tint to desktop icons, and can fade icons into the background to reduce visual noise.

Business deployment

Fences 6 for Business adds tooling to deploy configurations from network drives, content locking, single-key activation and centralized activation management.

Hazel

Folder rules

Hazel monitors the folders you pick and applies rules, much like those in Apple Mail, that match items by name, size, date, type, source website and other attributes.

File actions

A matching item can be moved, copied, renamed, sorted into subfolders, tagged, commented, archived or synced, with patterns that build names and tags from its attributes.

Reading file contents

Hazel 6 uses on-the-fly text recognition to read text in PDFs without OCR and in image files, and reads encrypted PDFs when you supply a password.

Trash management and App Sweep

Deletes items from the Trash by age or when it grows too large. App Sweep notices a discarded application and offers to remove its support files as well.

Scripts, Shortcuts and uploads

Rules can run Shortcuts, AppleScript or JavaScript, Automator workflows and shell scripts, and can upload files to FTP, SFTP or WebDAV servers.

Revert and rule sync

Revert returns a file to its original place and name, with its tags and comments. A folder's rules can sync through a shared file to other Macs or user accounts.

Fences

• Single$9.99

  per year (US dollar price in the page's metadata)

  A 1 Year Subscription for one device, kept on the latest version. Read from India, the page showed ₹1,025.22 with ₹1,206.00 crossed out.

• Multi-Device₹2,411.00

  per year, as shown to a visitor in India

  A 1 Year Subscription with one key and 5 simultaneous activations. The US dollar price could not be read.

• Fences 6 on Steam$29.99

  one-time purchase (US Steam store)

  A permanent license for Fences 6 with a 1 PC activation limit. It gets 6.x updates but not later major versions. A Multi-Device Upgrade add-on is $19.99.

• Object Desktop₹4,820.82

  per year, as shown to a visitor in India

  Stardock's suite of more than a dozen apps including Fences, with up to 5 active installs. Shown with ₹6,026.00 crossed out.

• Fences 6 for BusinessCustom

  Priced in an order builder by number of licenses, with volume discounts, single or per-machine keys and a year of maintenance and premium support.

Hazel

• Hazel 6$42

  one-time purchase, single-user license

  Includes free upgrades within version 6. The license keeps unlocking the version you bought after a new major version ships.

• Hazel 6 Family Pack$65

  one-time purchase, up to 5 household members

  One license for up to 5 members of your household. For private households only.

Fences

• Other savings

  Upgrade pricing for owners of earlier versions

  Owners of Fences 3, 4 or 5 can check their eligibility on the product page for a discounted upgrade to Fences 6. The amount is shown after the check.

Hazel

• Other savings

  $20 upgrade from any previous version

  Owners of any earlier Hazel version can upgrade to Hazel 6 for $20. The price is the same for single-user and family pack licenses.

• Other savings

  Volume pricing on request

  The store page asks buyers interested in volume pricing or with other special pricing needs to contact Noodlesoft.