The Default Folder X Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Default Folder X in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Default Folder X
The Insider’s Guide
Faster Open and Save dialogs and folder access on the Mac
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Default Folder X’s own pages.
Made by St. Clair Software · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Default Folder X’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Default Folder X’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 7 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade
Default Folder X is a Mac utility from St. Clair Software that adds navigation tools to the Open and Save dialogs of every application. It keeps recent and favorite folders in menus, lets you save into any open Finder window with a click, and sets a default folder per application. The same menus, a Quick Search window and a drawer for parked items are also available in the Finder and the menu bar. It is sold as a one-time, per-user license after a 30-day trial.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Default Folder X, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Clicking a Finder window makes the dialog jump to that folder.
- 1
Best for faster Open and Save dialogs on a Mac
Licenses are per person, free updates stop at the next major release, and it's Mac only.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $39.95 one-time purchase (single-user license).
- 3
You can try it first
Free for 30 days with the download from the vendor's site
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 5
Enhanced Open and Save dialogs
Adds a toolbar to file dialogs in every app, with hierarchical menus that expand as the mouse moves over folders and a larger field for typing file names.
- 6
Recent and favorite folders
Remembers recently used files and folders, re-selects the last file opened, and gives favorite folders their own configurable keyboard shortcuts.
- 7
Click a Finder window
With a file dialog open, clicking any Finder window makes the dialog jump to that folder, so a file can be opened from or saved to it in one click.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 7 of 94
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
Nothing Default Folder X does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 3 things listed below take a company.
Default Folder X at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $39.95 one-time purchase (single-user license)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free for 30 days with the download from the vendor's site
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- St. Clair Software
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for faster Open and Save dialogs on a Mac
Default Folder X adds menus of recent and favorite folders to every Mac app's Open and Save dialogs, and lets you save into an open Finder window by clicking it. It's $39.95 once per user after a 30-day trial, with no free version. Licenses are per person, free updates stop at the next major release, and it's Mac only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | $39.95 once per user, good on every Mac where you're the sole user, and buying two or more drops it to $34.95 each. That's more than a year of this category's middle subscription but well under two, and updates are free until the next major release, which the vendor says comes every 5 to 7 years. |
| Free plan and trial | C | There's no free version. You can try it free for 30 days with the download from the vendor's site, and the listing doesn't say a card is needed. After that it's the $39.95 license. |
| Features | C | Open and Save dialogs are a narrow corner of the Mac, and Default Folder X covers it: a toolbar in every app's dialogs, menus of recent and favorite folders with shortcuts, a default folder per app, Quick Search, and a drawer under Finder windows. One small job, nothing beyond it. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating is on record, but there's nothing to set up: it works inside the Open and Save dialogs you already use, so there's no new app to learn. Clicking a Finder window makes the dialog jump to that folder. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac only, one operating system. Version 6 runs on macOS 10.13 through 27, and macOS 10.10 to 10.12 need the older version 5.6.6. It works with the Finder, iCloud and AppleScript, and it's on Setapp. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Default Folder X is for
- Fits if you open and save files across many folders every day
- Works for people who want a keyboard shortcut straight to a favorite folder
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want something free, as a $39.95 license is needed after the 30-day trial
- Not for you if you're on Windows, since it's macOS only, on 10.13 through 27 for version 6
- Pricey if a household shares it, because licenses are per user and each person needs one
- Watch out: free updates stop at the next major release, which the vendor says comes every 5 to 7 years; upgrades are paid
Good to know
Good for
- Mac users who open and save files across many folders every day
- People who want keyboard shortcuts to favorite and recent folders
- Buyers who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
Worth knowing
- macOS only: version 6 runs on macOS 10.13 through 27, and macOS 10.10 to 10.12 need the older version 5.6.6.
- There is no free version; after the 30-day trial a $39.95 license is required.
- A license covers updates until the next major release, which the vendor says typically comes every 5 to 7 years; upgrades after that are paid.
- Licenses are per user, not per computer, so each additional person needs a license of their own.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$39.95 one-time
To start
Default Folder X is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $39.95 one-time purchase (single-user license).
Single-user license
$39.95
one-time purchase per user
One license per person, usable on every Mac where that person is the sole user. Updates are free until the next major release.
2+ licenses
$34.95
one-time purchase per user, when buying 2 or more
Lower per-license price when two or more single-user licenses are bought together.
Trying it first
Free for 30 days with the download from the vendor's site
Read from stclairsoft.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
$34.95 each for 2 or more licenses
The product page prices a single-user license at $39.95 and drops the price to $34.95 per license when two or more are bought.
Stated on stclairsoft.comEducation
Educational discounts
The product page links to educational discounts, which are sold through the Student App Centre store. The amount is not shown on the vendor's page.
Stated on stclairsoft.comOther savings
Upgrade pricing for earlier licenses
Version 6 is free for licenses bought on or after March 1, 2023, $9.95 for those bought from September 1, 2022, and $19.95 for older ones.
Stated on stclairsoft.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Faster Open and Save dialogs and folder access on the Mac. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, menu bar app, file management.
It works with the Finder, iCloud and AppleScript, and it's on Setapp.
- Enhanced Open and Save dialogs
- Adds a toolbar to file dialogs in every app, with hierarchical menus that expand as the mouse moves over folders and a larger field for typing file names.
- Recent and favorite folders
- Remembers recently used files and folders, re-selects the last file opened, and gives favorite folders their own configurable keyboard shortcuts.
- Click a Finder window
- With a file dialog open, clicking any Finder window makes the dialog jump to that folder, so a file can be opened from or saved to it in one click.
- Quick Search
- Command-Shift-Space opens a search window: typing a few letters of a file, folder or application name brings up recently used items to open in a dialog or the Finder.
- Default folders per application
- A default folder can be set for each application so its dialogs start in the right place, and the app can remember a folder you save into repeatedly.
- Finder drawer and menu bar drop target
- Items can be parked in a drawer below a Finder window, or dragged to the menu bar icon and moved straight to a folder chosen from its menus.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- Finder
- iCloud
- AppleScript
- Setapp
Default Folder X is made by St. Clair Software.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
7/94
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
Default Folder X's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 7 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 33 of 94) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 95 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Default Folder X’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 12 of 94
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 94
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 94
- BEase of useAbove 33 of 94
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 94
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Nothing Default Folder X does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 3 things listed below take a company.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 77 of the 94 other desktop utilities grade higher. It costs $39.95, paid once.
What you could not
- A file manager working directly on your disk.
- A native app living in the menu bar.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Default Folder X’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Path Finder, ForkLift, Yoink and Hazel
The 4 tools Default Folder X is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Path Finder
Free trial · from $2.95/mo
Dual-pane file manager for Mac, built as a Finder alternative.
- Default Folder X can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Default Folder X also covers menu bar app.
- Path Finder also covers file sync.
- 2.6GPA
ForkLift
Free trial · from $19.95 one-time
Dual-pane file manager and file transfer client for macOS.
- Default Folder X also covers menu bar app.
- ForkLift also covers file sync.
- 2.4GPA
Yoink
Free trial · from $8.99 one-time
Drag-and-drop shelf for files and snippets on the Mac.
- Default Folder X also covers menu bar app.
- Yoink also covers clipboard manager.
- 2.0GPA
Hazel
Free trial · from $42 one-time
Rule-based automatic file organization for the Mac.
- Default Folder X also covers menu bar app.
- Hazel also covers workflow automation and disk cleanup.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Default Folder X free?
No, Default Folder X is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free for 30 days with the download from the vendor's site.
How much does Default Folder X cost?
Default Folder X lists 2 plans. Single-user license: $39.95 one-time purchase per user.
What platforms does Default Folder X work on?
Default Folder X is available on macOS.
Does Default Folder X offer any discounts?
Default Folder X publicly lists the following: $34.95 each for 2 or more licenses; Educational discounts; Upgrade pricing for earlier licenses.
Does Default Folder X have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Default Folder X is listed for macOS.
Does Default Folder X have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Default Folder X is listed for macOS.
Is Default Folder X open source?
Default Folder X is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does Default Folder X integrate with?
Default Folder X's listing names Finder, iCloud, AppleScript and Setapp.
Does Default Folder X have a student discount?
Educational discounts. The product page links to educational discounts, which are sold through the Student App Centre store.
Who makes Default Folder X?
Default Folder X is made by St. Clair Software.
What are the alternatives to Default Folder X?
The closest alternatives to Default Folder X in our directory are Path Finder, ForkLift, Yoink and Hazel.
How does Default Folder X compare with other desktop utilities?
Default Folder X's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 7 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 10.
Could I make my own version of Default Folder X?
Nothing Default Folder X does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 3 things listed below take a company.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Default Folder X’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from St. Clair Software's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-08-08.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by St. Clair Software. Prices change, so check stclairsoft.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Default Folder X, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/default-folder-x
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Default Folder X: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/default-folder-x
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/default-folder-x/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded desktop utilities after Default Folder X, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Desktop Utilities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 95 desktop utilities we grade, compared
- LocalSend Insider's GuideOpen-source file sharing between nearby devices, no cloud3.2 GPA
- Ninite Insider's GuideInstalls and updates many Windows apps at once3.2 GPA
- 7-Zip Insider's GuideFree, open-source file archiver with the 7z format3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Default Folder X’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Default Folder X is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by St. Clair Software. Prices and plans change: check stclairsoft.com before you buy.