The DockDoor Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about DockDoor 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.
DockDoor
The Insider’s Guide
Free Dock window previews and Alt-Tab switcher for macOS
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from DockDoor’s own pages.
Made by Ethan Bills · 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 DockDoor’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on DockDoor’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
2.8
GPA, above 57 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade
DockDoor is a free, open-source macOS app that shows previews of an app's open windows when you point at its Dock icon, much like the Windows taskbar. It also adds an Option-Tab switcher that lists every window, shows windows above the built-in Command-Tab switcher, and has optional gestures and Dock widgets. Every feature is free under GPL-3.0. DockDoor Pro, a separate $20 app from the same developer, replaces the Dock entirely.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about DockDoor, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating is on record, but there's nothing to build: install it and point at the Dock.
- 1
Best for Windows-style window previews on the Mac Dock
DockDoor is a free, open-source Mac app that shows an app's open windows when you point at its Dock icon, and adds an Option-Tab switcher that lists every window.
- 2
It is free
DockDoor has no paid plan at all. Every feature is free, with no trial, subscription or paywall. DockDoor Pro, a separate app from the same developer that replaces the Dock, is a $20 one-time purchase.
- 3
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 4
Window previews on Dock icons
Pointing at an app in the Dock shows all of its open windows, including minimized and hidden ones and those on other Spaces and displays, as thumbnails, a list of titles or large previews.
- 5
Window controls on each preview
Buttons on a preview close, minimize or quit without switching apps, and further buttons close or minimize every window of that app at once.
- 6
Option-Tab window switcher
Holding Option and pressing Tab lists every open window, not just every app. Typing searches the list, and Command with W, M or Q closes, minimizes or quits.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 57 of 94
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
DockDoor is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
DockDoor at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Ethan Bills
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for Windows-style window previews on the Mac Dock
DockDoor is a free, open-source Mac app that shows an app's open windows when you point at its Dock icon, and adds an Option-Tab switcher that lists every window. It's Mac only, on macOS 13 or later, and needs Accessibility and Screen Recording permission before it draws anything. Some apps built on unusual frameworks show fewer windows, and per-display Docks need the separate $20 DockDoor Pro.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Every feature is free in a plain download, with no subscription or paywall, open source under GPL-3.0 and paid for by donations. The $20 DockDoor Pro is a separate app that replaces the Dock, and you don't need it for any of this. |
| Free plan and trial | A | It's all free. No trial clock, no locked settings. Previews, the switcher, gestures and widgets come in the one download, and you could stay on it for good. |
| Features | C | Finding the right window is a small job, and DockDoor covers it: previews on every Dock icon, buttons to close or quit, an Option-Tab switcher with search, windows inside Command-Tab, Folder Pop and AppleScript. The FAQ admits some oddly built apps show fewer windows, and per-display Docks are the Pro app. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating is on record, but there's nothing to build: install it and point at the Dock. You do have to grant Accessibility and Screen Recording first, or previews won't draw. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac only, on macOS 13 Ventura or later, so one operating system. It does hook into AppleScript, BetterTouchTool and Karabiner-Elements, and shows synced lyrics for Spotify and Apple Music. |
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 DockDoor is for
- Fits if you've come from Windows and miss taskbar previews and Alt+Tab
- Works for people who keep many windows open in one app and lose track of them
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're on Windows or Linux, as it only runs on a Mac with macOS 13 or later
- Not for you if you want a Dock per display, profiles or the widget library, because those are the separate $20 DockDoor Pro
- Not for you if you won't give a utility Screen Recording and Accessibility permission, which it needs to draw previews
- Watch out: the FAQ says some apps built with unusual UI frameworks show fewer windows or skip some actions
- Watch out: the Liquid Glass look needs macOS 26 or later
Good to know
Good for
- People coming from Windows who miss taskbar previews and Alt+Tab
- Mac users who keep many windows of the same app open
- Anyone who wants a free utility with no analytics or tracking
Worth knowing
- macOS only: it needs macOS 13 Ventura or later, and the Liquid Glass look needs macOS 26 or later.
- It requires both the Accessibility and Screen Recording permissions to find windows and draw their previews.
- The FAQ says a few apps built with unusual UI frameworks may show fewer windows or skip some actions.
- Per-display Docks, profiles and the widget library belong to DockDoor Pro, a separate $20 app, not to this one.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
DockDoor is free to use.
Previews, the switcher, gestures and widgets come in the one download, and you could stay on it for good.
DockDoor
$0
Dock previews, the Option-Tab window switcher, Command-Tab previews, gestures and widgets. Open source under GPL-3.0 and funded by donations.
The free plan
Every feature is free, with no trial, subscription or paywall. DockDoor Pro, a separate app from the same developer that replaces the Dock, is a $20 one-time purchase.
Read from dockdoor.net on Oct 9, 2026.
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
Free Dock window previews and Alt-Tab switcher for macOS. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, works offline, window management.
The FAQ admits some oddly built apps show fewer windows, and per-display Docks are the Pro app.
- Window previews on Dock icons
- Pointing at an app in the Dock shows all of its open windows, including minimized and hidden ones and those on other Spaces and displays, as thumbnails, a list of titles or large previews.
- Window controls on each preview
- Buttons on a preview close, minimize or quit without switching apps, and further buttons close or minimize every window of that app at once.
- Option-Tab window switcher
- Holding Option and pressing Tab lists every open window, not just every app. Typing searches the list, and Command with W, M or Q closes, minimizes or quits.
- Windows in Command-Tab
- While Command-Tab is held, DockDoor shows the highlighted app's windows above the built-in app switcher so a specific window can be picked.
- Folder Pop and music controls
- Hovering a Dock folder lists its contents for opening or dragging, and hovering an app that is playing audio shows a player, with synced lyrics for Spotify and Apple Music.
- AppleScript and command line
- AppleScript commands open the switcher or a preview, focus, close, center or snap windows, and return lists of apps and windows as JSON for scripts.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- AppleScript
- Parall
- BetterTouchTool
- Karabiner-Elements
- Logitech Options+
- Spotify
- Apple Music
DockDoor is made by Ethan Bills.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
57/94
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
DockDoor's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 57 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 26.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 49 of 94) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
DockDoor has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 95 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. DockDoor’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 24 of 94
- AFree plan and trialAbove 49 of 94
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 94
- BEase of useAbove 33 of 94
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 94
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 55 desktop utilities. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. DockDoor is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
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
DockDoor is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could not
- Control over other apps' windows.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, AppleScript, Parall and BetterTouchTool among them.
- Hooks into the device itself: widgets.
What this rests on. DockDoor’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
AltTab, Swish and Rectangle
The 3 tools DockDoor is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
AltTab
Free plan · from $9.99 one-time
Windows-style window switcher for macOS, free and open source.
- AltTab can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
Swish
Free trial · from $16 one-time
Trackpad-gesture window manager for macOS.
- DockDoor has a free plan. Swish does not, though it has a free trial.
- DockDoor is open source, according to its own site.
- Swish can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.8GPA
Rectangle
Free
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 DockDoor free?
Yes. DockDoor is free to use.
How much does DockDoor cost?
DockDoor lists one plan. DockDoor: $0.
What platforms does DockDoor work on?
DockDoor is available on macOS.
Does DockDoor have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. DockDoor is listed for macOS.
Does DockDoor have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. DockDoor is listed for macOS.
Is DockDoor open source?
Yes. DockDoor is open source, according to its own site.
Does DockDoor work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
What does DockDoor integrate with?
DockDoor's listing names AppleScript, Parall, BetterTouchTool, Karabiner-Elements, Logitech Options+, Spotify and Apple Music.
Who makes DockDoor?
DockDoor is made by Ethan Bills.
What are the alternatives to DockDoor?
The closest alternatives to DockDoor in our directory are AltTab, Swish and Rectangle.
How does DockDoor compare with other desktop utilities?
DockDoor's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 57 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 26.
Is DockDoor good value for money?
ToolGPA grades DockDoor A for value for money. DockDoor has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of DockDoor?
DockDoor is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from DockDoor’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 DockDoor's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-03.
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 Ethan Bills. Prices change, so check dockdoor.net 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
- DockDoor, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/dockdoor
- 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, "DockDoor: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/dockdoor
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/dockdoor/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded desktop utilities after DockDoor, 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 DockDoor’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. DockDoor is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Ethan Bills. Prices and plans change: check dockdoor.net before you buy.