NameChanger vs Renamer (2026): which should you pick?

Pick NameChanger if

• Fits if you rename photos or files on a Mac and want a free preview-first tool
• Works for quick one-rule jobs, like adding a prefix to 50 files

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want to chain several rules in one pass, as it applies one at a time
• Not for you if you use Windows or Linux, since it is Mac only
• Watch out: the page carries a 2018 copyright line, so how often it is updated isn't clear
• Too light for you if names should come from photo or music tags in bulk

Pick Renamer if

• Fits if you repeat the same renaming jobs and want to save them as workflows
• Works for photo and music libraries named from tags

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want to try before buying, as the pages we read state no trial
• Not for you if your Mac is older than macOS 15, because Renamer 7 won't run
• Pricey if you're upgrading: it needs a valid licence for the previous version
• Watch out: the $26 price comes from the page's structured data, not its visible text

NameChanger

• Mac only; it needs OS X 10.13 or later, with older builds offered for earlier systems.
• Renames files by one rule at a time rather than by chained methods.
• The vendor page carries a 2018 copyright line, so its update cadence is not clear from the page.

Renamer

• Renamer 7 needs macOS 15 or later, or Windows 10 or later; Renamer 6 does not work on macOS Tahoe.
• Upgrading from older versions needs a valid license for the previous version.
• The $26 price comes from the vendor page's structured data, as the buy step does not show it in page text.
• The pages we read do not state whether the download works as a trial before buying.

NameChanger

Live preview of new names

An Original Filename column and a Renamed Filename column update as you type, so every change is visible before you press Rename.

Eleven rename types

Replace first, last or all occurrences, wildcard, append, prepend, date, sequence, character removal, regular expression and case change.

Checkbox control per file

Load a folder of files once and rename only the checked rows, without adding and removing files between runs.

Rename history

The app keeps a history of the renames it has performed, and reports any files it could not change.

Finder service and drag and drop

Right-click files in Finder and choose Rename with NameChanger, or drop files or folders onto the app.

Image browser and EXIF dates

Reorder and name pictures visually, and use EXIF dates, including subseconds when available, in names.

Renamer

Reusable workflows

Save any setup as a Renamerlet and start from dozens of built-in workflows for common renaming jobs.

Chains for complex jobs

Assemble several rules into a chain to handle renames that a single find-and-replace cannot.

Live preview and Smart Undo

See how each file will be renamed before applying, and undo with a file backup if a result is wrong.

Photo and music tags

Add EXIF dates and GPS tags to photo names, and insert artist, album, title and track numbers from ID3 tags.

AI Assist on your computer

Suggests rename rules from a prompt using a local model of about 1.8 GB, downloaded once on opt-in; nothing is sent to a cloud service.

Rule library

Number files, find and replace, change case, use regular expressions, insert or remove text by position, and rename from a CSV file.

NameChanger

• Free$0

  The full app is free. The download page asks for an optional donation of $5 to $40 to fund future development.

Renamer

• Renamer 7$26

  one-time, per license

  License for Renamer 7 on macOS and Windows, AI Assist included. Upgrade discounts apply to owners of Renamer 6 or earlier.

NameChanger

No public discounts listed.

Renamer

• Other savings

  Upgrade discount for Renamer 6 owners

  Owners of a Renamer 6 license can upgrade to Renamer 7 for a discount, per the support page.