Fences vs Open-Shell (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Open-Shell grades higher than Fences: 3.0 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Open-Shell grades higher on the free plan and features. They get the same grade on value for money, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Fences
Windows desktop organizer that groups icons into shaded areas
Open-Shell
Free classic-style Start menu and Explorer tweaks for Windows
Which one is for you
Pick Fences if
- Fits if your Windows desktop is buried under shortcuts and loose files
- Works for people who want new files on the desktop filed into boxes by rules
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on a Mac or Linux, as it's Windows 10 and 11 only
- Not for you if you dislike software that switches off, because the subscription copy stops working when it lapses
- Tight if you have more than one PC, since the Single plan covers one device and up to 5 PCs need Multi-Device
- Watch out: the $29.99 Steam license is permanent but stops at 6.x updates, and more devices are a $19.99 add-on
- Watch out: Multi-Device and Object Desktop prices aren't shown in US dollars, and business pricing is built per order
Pick Open-Shell if
- Fits if you want the old Windows Start menu back
- Works for people who like skins and a customised start button
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a help desk, as support is GitHub issues, Discussions, Gitter and Discord
- Watch out: the GitHub page warns against versions older than 4.4.196 on Windows for ARM because login can fail after reboot
- Watch out: the classic copy dialog applies to Windows 7 only
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Linux, as it is Windows only
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAFencesFair | 3.0GPAOpen-ShellVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$9.99 a year for one PC works out at 83 cents a month, under half the low end of this category. Rather pay once? Fences 6 on Steam is $29.99, though that licence stops at 6.x updates, and the Multi-Device Upgrade add-on is another $19.99. | AFree, which is below anything in the category. |
| Free plan and trial | CThere's no free version. You get a 30-day free trial download, and the listing doesn't say whether it asks for a card. After that it's pay or stop. | AFree outright with no cap, released on GitHub. |
| Features | CTidying a desktop is a small job and Fences covers it: shaded boxes you resize, colour and roll up, rules that file new items by type, name or time, Folder Portals, Peek on Windows and Space, and tabs in version 6. Nothing outside the desktop, and a lapsed subscription stops it working. | BClassic Start menu, Explorer toolbar and status bar, skins and custom start buttons, with stable and nightly builds. The classic copy dialog works on Windows 7 only. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating is on record, but there's nothing to set up beyond a normal Windows install, and once the rules are in they do the sorting for you. Windows key and Space brings your fences to the front. | BNo rating on record. Install it and the menu replaces the default. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows 10 and 11 only, ARM devices included, so a single operating system. No Mac or Linux version is listed, and the listing shows no integrations. | DWindows only. Windows only; no Mac, Linux, phone or web version. |
| Best for | tidying a crowded Windows desktop | a classic Start menu on Windows |
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: Fences and Open-Shell. How we grade
Where they differ
- Fences can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Open-Shell is open source, according to its own site.
- Fences also covers file management.
- Open-Shell also covers launcher.
At a glance
| Fences | Open-Shell | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free |
| Starts at | $9.99 per year (Single, 1 Year Subscription) | Free |
| Free plan | None | The whole project is free; releases are published on GitHub. |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial download | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Stardock | Open-Shell |
| Price read from | stardock.com | open-shell.github.io |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Open-Shell
- Windows only. The classic copy dialog applies to Windows 7 alone.
- The GitHub page warns against installing versions older than 4.4.196 on Windows for ARM, because login can fail after a reboot.
- Support is through GitHub issues, Discussions, Gitter and Discord rather than a vendor help desk.
Key features
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.
Open-Shell
- Classic Start menu
- A classic-style Start menu for Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 and 11.
- Explorer toolbar
- Adds a toolbar to Windows Explorer.
- Explorer status bar
- Shows file size and disk space in the Explorer status bar.
- Skins and custom start buttons
- The project site has guides for skinning the Start menu and for custom Start buttons.
- Stable and nightly builds
- A stable release and a nightly build are both offered for download.
Plans
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.
Open-Shell
Free$0
All components, with stable releases and nightly builds on GitHub.
Ways to pay less
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.
Open-Shell
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Fences or Open-Shell?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Open-Shell is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $0.83 a month when paid by the year for Fences. Fences starts at $9.99 per year (Single, 1 Year Subscription), and Open-Shell is free.
Which has a free plan, Fences or Open-Shell?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Open-Shell has a free plan. Fences does not, though it has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.