The Hazel Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Hazel 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.
Hazel
The Insider’s Guide
Rule-based automatic file organization for the Mac
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Hazel’s own pages.
Made by Noodlesoft, LLC · checked Oct 6, 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 Hazel’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Hazel’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 1 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade
Hazel is a Mac utility from Noodlesoft that watches the folders you choose and files their contents according to rules you write. Rules match items by name, date, type, contents and other attributes, then move, rename, tag, archive or upload them, or hand them to a script. It also manages the Trash and offers to remove an app's leftover support files. Hazel is sold as a one-time license per major version.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Hazel, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It's Mac only, a license covers one major version, and rule sync overwrites rather than merges.
- 1
Best for automatic filing of the folders on your Mac
Hazel watches folders on your Mac and files what lands in them by rules you write, such as moving a scanned bill by the text inside it.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $42 one-time purchase (single-user license).
- 3
You can try it first
14-day Evaluation mode with every feature except rule export, then Demo mode: 1 folder and 2 active rules
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 1 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
To replace Hazel you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Hazel at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $42 one-time purchase (single-user license)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day Evaluation mode with every feature except rule export, then Demo mode: 1 folder and 2 active rules
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Noodlesoft, LLC, since 2006
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for automatic filing of the folders on your Mac
Hazel watches folders on your Mac and files what lands in them by rules you write, such as moving a scanned bill by the text inside it. It's $42 once for version 6, but nothing happens until you've built rules, and after the 14-day evaluation an unpaid copy drops to one folder and two rules. It's Mac only, a license covers one major version, and rule sync overwrites rather than merges.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | $42 once for a single-user licence, with free upgrades inside version 6, and the Family Pack is $65 for up to 5 people at home. That's more than a year of this category's middle subscription, though well under two, and an upgrade from an earlier version is $20. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. You get 14 days of Evaluation mode with every feature except rule export. After that an unlicensed copy falls back to Demo mode, which is 1 folder and 2 active rules. |
| Features | C | Filing folders is one job, and Hazel covers it: rules on name, date, type, source website and the text inside PDFs and images, then move, rename, tag, archive, upload or run a script, plus Trash clearing and App Sweep. Rule sync is the weak spot, overwriting a second Mac's rules rather than merging. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating is on record, and nothing happens until you've written rules. They work much like Apple Mail's, which helps, but you're still picking attributes and building name patterns yourself before a single file moves. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac only, one operating system, and Hazel 6 needs macOS 13.0 Ventura or later. It hooks into Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript, Automator, Photos and Music, and uploads to FTP, SFTP or WebDAV servers. |
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 Hazel is for
- Fits if your Downloads and Desktop fill up with files you never sort
- Works for people who scan bills and statements and want them filed by the text inside
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're on Windows or Linux, as it's macOS only, and Hazel 6 needs macOS 13.0 or later
- Tight if you're not paying, because Demo mode is one folder, two active rules and no import or export
- Not for you if you want every future version included, since a license covers one major version and the upgrade to 6 is $20
- Watch out: rule sync works per folder and overwrites a second Mac's rules instead of merging them
- Not for you if you want filing to work out of the box, since you write every rule yourself first
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$42 one-time
To start
Hazel is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $42 one-time purchase (single-user license).
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.
Trying it first
14-day Evaluation mode with every feature except rule export, then Demo mode: 1 folder and 2 active rules
Read from store.noodlesoft.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on noodlesoft.comOther savings
Volume pricing on request
The store page asks buyers interested in volume pricing or with other special pricing needs to contact Noodlesoft.
Stated on store.noodlesoft.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
Rule-based automatic file organization for the Mac. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, workflow automation, disk cleanup, file management.
Rule sync is the weak spot, overwriting a second Mac's rules rather than merging.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- Apple Shortcuts
- AppleScript
- Automator
- Photos
- Music
- Spotlight
Hazel is made by Noodlesoft, LLC, and has been around since 2006.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
1/94
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
Hazel's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 1 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 12 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. Hazel’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 12 of 94
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 94
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 94
- CEase of useAbove 6 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
To replace Hazel you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 88 of the 94 other desktop utilities grade higher. It costs $42, paid once.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- A file manager working directly on your disk.
- Deleting system files without breaking anything.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Hazel’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
Keyboard Maestro, Hammerspoon, Apple Shortcuts and AppCleaner
The 4 tools Hazel is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Keyboard Maestro
Free trial · from $36 one-time
Macro automation for macOS with triggers and actions.
- Hazel also covers disk cleanup and file management.
- Keyboard Maestro also covers clipboard manager, window management and text expansion.
- 2.6GPA
Hammerspoon
Free
Free, open-source macOS automation scripted in Lua.
- Hammerspoon has a free plan. Hazel does not, though it has a free trial.
- Hazel can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Hammerspoon is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Apple Shortcuts
Free
Free automation app for iPhone, iPad and Mac, built by Apple.
- Apple Shortcuts has a free plan. Hazel does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Apple Shortcuts lists an iOS app.
- Hazel can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.8GPA
AppCleaner
Free
Small Mac utility that uninstalls apps and their leftover files.
- AppCleaner has a free plan. Hazel does not, though it has a free trial.
- Hazel can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Hazel also covers workflow automation and file management.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
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 Hazel free?
No, Hazel is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day Evaluation mode with every feature except rule export, then Demo mode: 1 folder and 2 active rules.
How much does Hazel cost?
Hazel lists 2 plans. Hazel 6: $42 one-time purchase, single-user license.
What platforms does Hazel work on?
Hazel is available on macOS.
Does Hazel offer any discounts?
Hazel publicly lists the following: $20 upgrade from any previous version; Volume pricing on request.
Does Hazel have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Hazel is listed for macOS.
Does Hazel have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Hazel is listed for macOS.
Is Hazel open source?
Hazel is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
What does Hazel integrate with?
Hazel's listing names Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript, Automator, Photos, Music and Spotlight.
Who makes Hazel?
Hazel is made by Noodlesoft, LLC. It dates from 2006.
What are the alternatives to Hazel?
The closest alternatives to Hazel in our directory are Keyboard Maestro, Hammerspoon, Apple Shortcuts and AppCleaner.
How does Hazel compare with other desktop utilities?
Hazel's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 1 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 5.
Could I make my own version of Hazel?
To replace Hazel you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Hazel’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Noodlesoft's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-30.
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 Noodlesoft, LLC. Prices change, so check noodlesoft.com before you buy.
- noodlesoft.com/
- store.noodlesoft.com/store
- noodlesoft.com/kb/hazel-6-faq/
- noodlesoft.com/whats-new-in-hazel-6/
- noodlesoft.com/manual/hazel/hazel-overview/
- noodlesoft.com/manual/hazel/installation-setup/understand-evaluation-and-demo-modes/
- noodlesoft.com/manual/hazel/attributes-actions/action-reference/
- noodlesoft.com/manual/hazel/attributes-actions/action-reference/specifying-upload-options/
- noodlesoft.com/manual/hazel/work-with-folders-rules/manage-rules/sync-rules/
- noodlesoft.com/about
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
- Hazel, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/hazel
- 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, "Hazel: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/hazel
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/hazel/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded desktop utilities after Hazel, 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 Hazel’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. Hazel is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Noodlesoft, LLC. Prices and plans change: check noodlesoft.com before you buy.