Dock Star - are there similar apps that offer the same or better?

Dock Star seems more like a modern DragThing replacement than a normal Dock replacement. If the person likes having folders, files, notes and shortcuts visible in separate custom panels, it looks like a good fit. If they mainly want a cleaner or more flexible macOS Dock, I would also compare DockFix, Sidebar and ExtraDock before buying.

I watched the video of ExtraDock. While your app certainly looks good, DockStar seems to offer more variety in its panel designs, making it easier to differentiate groups of apps/files/folders). Like different backgrounds and tabbed groups. Two different approaches, yes DockStar has more variety in layout options. ExtraDock tries to keep it dock-like, but it has a ton of customization options, from size, spacing, liquid glass, borders, opacity to behavior like hide on full screen, auto collapse/show, auto hide and more. I wondered about collapsed ExtraDock docks; How am I going to recognize these when they are collapsed? Do I still see them? - Like a colored square? How can I know what's inside when they are collapsed? Will they expand when hover over them? Collapse buttons are fully customizable with text icons, emojis, SF symbols, color, opacity. You can keep it basic or as advanced as you like. We have users who categorize by category, alphabet or even combinations of letters... Like literally, we have a user with ~30 docks and each one is a combination of 3 alphabets 😂 DockStar has a free 30-day trial. ExtraDock offers 14-day money-back guarantee. Correct, two different options, ultimately achieves the same thing, your money is fully protected by money-back guarantee. Currently I'll say that the refund rate in the last 2 months is lower than 1%, the lowest across all our apps, but nevertheless, it's still there. DockStar is $20 LT for unlimited Macs (of one owner) it seems. ExtraDock is currently on offer for €24 LT for one Mac (normally €40). Many people have a desktop and a laptop, making ExtraDock €42 minimum (normally €70). NB. €1 = $1.14 Different apps, different prices. Don't get me wrong here, DockStar is a fantastic app and it's received 2 updates in 2026. Whereas ExtraDock is actively developed, receives updates on weekly/bi-weekly rate. Different things, different rates, but ultimately, you'll decide if the value is there on either one. EDIT: Quick mention that ExtraDock 5 is under development and is currently in beta testing by our users. For us, lifetime means lifetime and so our users will receive the new version, without paying another penny.

iCollections does look closer to the original DragThing concept, especially if the person wants a desktop organizer rather than just an improved Dock. The UI is definitely a matter of taste. At least the lifetime license for 3 home Macs makes it easier to justify than another subscription.

A difficult one. It might not be exactly the same, but I think the closest alternative I know is WidgetWall. It uses a widget approach that is similar to the docks in Dock Star, though there are several differences regarding the included features.

My take from back in February: Dock Star is an app that creates desktop menus that function as independent docks. It's a visually pleasing app with a variety of formatting options to make each dock stand out. You can easily access your docks from the keyboard and move between them without ever using the mouse. I created four docks with distinct purposes, but you can combine different elements into the same dock if you want: Application launcher Shortcut launcher Folder access Bookmarks You can also make docks for specific projects or checklists. I have one I use first thing in the morning to quickly access things I need to check: Open Fastmail to my inbox Check unread messages Check Mastodon and Bluesky (via bookmarks) Check backup logs Run Updatest Check in at Reddit to keep my 600+ day streak alive Create my daily note in Obsidian Log into the GUI for my self-hosted server to check the status of the drives Get a daily music recommendation at Crucial Tracks Dock Star docks appear on all the spaces on your primary display. I just open and close it when needed. It's normally $20

Dock Star is a hidden gem of an app in the dock apps category imho. We have a few users who used it in the past and found home with ExtraDock, the "desktop widget" mode in ExtraDock was made specifically to allow this structure, where docks could be spread out across your screen, and they're fully hidden behind windows (unlike the default behavior which puts the dock in front of active windows)

I’m aware that the way Dock Star gets the job done is one of a kind. As you said, maybe Desktop Star would be a better name, since ExtraDock and similar apps only deal with the Dock, while this app organizes the entire desktop.