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The Yoink Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Yoink 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.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Yoink

The Insider’s Guide

Drag-and-drop shelf for files and snippets on the Mac

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Yoink’s own pages.

Made by Eternal Storms Software · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.4GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Yoink’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Yoink’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

2.4

GPA, above 18 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade

Yoink is a Mac utility from Eternal Storms Software that gives drag and drop a temporary shelf. When you start dragging a file or a piece of app content, the shelf appears at the edge of the screen; you drop the item there, navigate to the destination with the mouse free, then drag it back out. It also keeps a clipboard history and passes files between Apple devices with Handoff. It is a one-time purchase from the developer's site or the Mac App Store, and it is on Setapp.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Yoink, taken from its own pages and our grades.

No store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: start dragging and the shelf fades in by itself.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    Best for a shelf to park files on while you drag them around a Mac

    Yoink puts a shelf at the edge of a Mac screen where you drop a file mid-drag while you go and find the right window.

  2. 2

    What it costs

    Paid plans start at $8.99 one-time purchase.

  3. 3

    You can try it first

    Free for 28 days with the trial download from the developer's website

  4. 4

    It runs on macOS

    macOS.

  5. 5

    Shelf at the screen edge

    The shelf fades in at the edge of the screen when a drag starts. Drop files on it, move to the destination window, space or full-screen app, then drag them out again.

  6. 6

    Files and app content

    Holds files from Finder as well as content such as text from a word processor or images from a website. Several files dropped at once are condensed into a stack.

  7. 7

    Placement and shortcut

    The shelf can appear at once, only near the screen edge or at the mouse cursor, and can ignore chosen apps. Its shortcut also recalls removed files or saves the clipboard.

  8. 8

    A 2.4 GPA, above 18 of 94

    That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  9. 9

    Keep it

    Nothing Yoink does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 5 things listed below take a company.

Yoink at a glance

Pricing
Free trial, from $8.99 one-time purchase
Free plan
No
Free trial
Free for 28 days with the trial download from the developer's website
Runs on
macOS
Made by
Eternal Storms Software, since 2011
Category
Desktop Utilities
Our grade
2.4 GPA, fair

The report card

Best for a shelf to park files on while you drag them around a Mac

Yoink puts a shelf at the edge of a Mac screen where you drop a file mid-drag while you go and find the right window. It's $8.99 once. There's no free version, only a 28-day trial, the app is Mac only, and the iPhone and iPad version is a separate purchase that Handoff needs.

ToolGPA report cardYoinkGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyA$8.99 once, from the developer's site or the Mac App Store, and the site says both versions do the same. A one-off at that price is well under a year of a paid utility here. It's in Setapp too.
Free plan and trialCNo free version at all. The trial download from the developer's site runs 28 days with no card, and then you buy it or stop using it.
FeaturesCThe shelf holds files, text and images, stacks what you drop at once, keeps a clipboard history, passes files between Apple devices with Handoff and takes photos over Continuity Camera. It does that fully, and parking files mid-drag is a small job.
Ease of useBNo store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: start dragging and the shelf fades in by itself. You can move it to the mouse cursor or tell it to ignore certain apps if you like.
Platforms and integrationsDThe Mac app only, macOS 10.13 or newer. One operating system. Yoink for iPad and iPhone is a separate purchase, and Handoff between them needs that app too.
Grade point averageFair, out of 4.02.4

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 Yoink is for

  • Fits if you drag files between windows, spaces and full-screen apps all day
  • Works for people who'd rather pay $8.99 once than subscribe

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you want something free for good, as it has to be bought after the 28-day trial
  • Not for you if you're on Windows or Linux, since this is a Mac app
  • Pricey if you want it on your iPhone as well, because Yoink for iPad and iPhone is a separate app
  • Watch out: Continuity Camera needs macOS 10.14 and an iPhone or iPad on iOS 12 or newer

Good to know

Good for

  • Mac users who drag files between windows, spaces and full-screen apps
  • People who prefer a one-time purchase under $10
  • Owners of several Apple devices who pass files between them with Handoff

Worth knowing

  • This is the Mac app, for macOS 10.13 High Sierra or newer. Yoink for iPad and iPhone is a separate app, and Handoff with iOS devices requires it.
  • There is no free version: after the 28-day trial it has to be bought.
  • Continuity Camera needs macOS Mojave 10.14 or newer and an iPhone or iPad on iOS 12 or newer.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$8.99 one-time

To start

Yoink is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $8.99 one-time purchase.

A one-off at that price is well under a year of a paid utility here.
From our grade for value for money

  • Yoink for Mac (website)

    $8.99

    one-time purchase (also listed as 9,99 € and £8.99)

    Bought directly from the developer. The site says the website, Mac App Store and Setapp versions have the same functionality.

  • Yoink for Mac (Mac App Store)

    $8.99

    one-time purchase (US Mac App Store)

    The same app through the Mac App Store, with optional tips as in-app purchases. Also sold in the developer's Productivity Bundle.

Trying it first

Free for 28 days with the trial download from the developer's website

Read from eternalstorms.at on Oct 9, 2026.

Ways to pay less

  • Other savings

    Productivity Bundle at about 20% off

    The developer's Mac App Store bundle sells Yoink together with ScreenFloat, Transloader and DeskMat at roughly 20% off.

    Stated on eternalstorms.at

What the app costs elsewhere

Each country’s App Store price for the app, against $8.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.

CountryPrice thereIn dollarsAgainst the US
BrazilR$ 24,90$4.9845% less
India₹ 499$5.1643% less
Mexico$99.00$5.4439% less
South AfricaR99.99$6.0533% less
Turkey₺499,99$10.1713% more
Australia$14.99$10.4616% more
Germany9,99 €$11.1925% more
United Kingdom£8.99$11.8932% more

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

Drag-and-drop shelf for files and snippets on the Mac. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, clipboard manager, file management.

It does that fully, and parking files mid-drag is a small job.
From our grade for features
Shelf at the screen edge
The shelf fades in at the edge of the screen when a drag starts. Drop files on it, move to the destination window, space or full-screen app, then drag them out again.
Files and app content
Holds files from Finder as well as content such as text from a word processor or images from a website. Several files dropped at once are condensed into a stack.
Placement and shortcut
The shelf can appear at once, only near the screen edge or at the mouse cursor, and can ignore chosen apps. Its shortcut also recalls removed files or saves the clipboard.
Clipboard history
Stores recently copied items, which can be sent to the shelf or copied again from the app or its Notification Center widget. Popular password managers are excluded by default.
Handoff and Continuity Camera
Transfers files between Macs, iPads and iPhones running Yoink, and accepts photos or documents sent from an iPhone or iPad with Continuity Camera.
macOS integration
System services, a Quick Action and a Share extension add files without dragging, and it works with the Terminal, Automator and Shortcuts. Previews use QuickLook.

Where it runs

  • macOS

What it works with

  • Apple Shortcuts
  • Automator
  • Handoff
  • Continuity Camera
  • QuickLook
  • Setapp

Yoink is made by Eternal Storms Software, and has been around since 2011.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

18/94

Other desktop utilities it is graded above

Yoink's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 17.

It stands best on value for money (A, above 24 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. Yoink’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 24 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 Yoink does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 5 things listed below take a company.

That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 59 of the 94 other desktop utilities grade higher. It costs $8.99, paid once.

What you could not

  • A file manager working directly on your disk.
  • A clipboard history running in the background of your computer.
  • A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
  • It plugs into other products, Apple Shortcuts, Automator and Handoff among them.
  • Hooks into the device itself: widgets.

What this rests on. Yoink’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

Dropzone, Pastebot and Maccy

The 3 tools Yoink is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 2.6GPA

    Dropzone

    Free plan · from $4.99/mo

    Drag-and-drop action grid and file shelf for the Mac menu bar.

    • Dropzone has a free plan. Yoink does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Yoink also covers clipboard manager.
    • Dropzone also covers file sharing and menu bar app.
    Yoink and Dropzone compared in full
  • 2.4GPA

    Pastebot

    Free trial · from $2.99/mo

    Mac clipboard manager with pastebins, filters and stacks.

    • Yoink also covers file management.
    Yoink and Pastebot compared in full
  • 2.8GPA

    Maccy

    Free plan · from $4.99

    Lightweight, open-source clipboard manager for macOS.

    • Maccy has a free plan. Yoink does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Yoink can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    • Maccy is open source, according to its own site.
    Yoink and Maccy compared in full

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 Yoink free?

No, Yoink is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free for 28 days with the trial download from the developer's website.

How much does Yoink cost?

Yoink lists 2 plans. Yoink for Mac (website): $8.99 one-time purchase (also listed as 9,99 € and £8.99).

What platforms does Yoink work on?

Yoink is available on macOS.

Does Yoink offer any discounts?

Yoink publicly lists the following: Productivity Bundle at about 20% off.

Does Yoink have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Yoink is listed for macOS.

Does Yoink have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Yoink is listed for macOS.

Is Yoink open source?

Yoink is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.

What does Yoink integrate with?

Yoink's listing names Apple Shortcuts, Automator, Handoff, Continuity Camera, QuickLook and Setapp.

Who makes Yoink?

Yoink is made by Eternal Storms Software. It dates from 2011.

What are the alternatives to Yoink?

The closest alternatives to Yoink in our directory are Dropzone, Pastebot and Maccy.

How does Yoink compare with other desktop utilities?

Yoink's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 17.

Could I make my own version of Yoink?

Nothing Yoink does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 5 things listed below take a company.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Yoink’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 Eternal Storms Software's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-01-26.

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 Eternal Storms Software. Prices change, so check eternalstorms.at 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

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, "Yoink: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/yoink

Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/yoink/guide

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See our other guides

The best-graded desktop utilities after Yoink, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Yoink’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. Yoink is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Eternal Storms Software. Prices and plans change: check eternalstorms.at before you buy.