uBar alternatives
uBar vs boringBar
boringBar and uBar are both taskbar-style Dock replacements for the Mac. The biggest difference is how they treat Spaces: boringBar shows only the windows in your current Space and makes switching Spaces part of the bar, while uBar shows every window on every monitor regardless of Space. This page is part of our uBar alternatives guide.
What boringBar is
boringBar is a taskbar-style Dock replacement for macOS 14 and later, launched in April 2026. It shows only the windows in the current Space, and you scroll on the bar to move between Spaces or open its desktop switcher. It has a searchable app launcher, pinned apps, notification badges, grouping by app and thumbnail previews, and it can hide the native Dock. Each display gets its own bar, or the bars can be mirrored. After a 14-day trial it costs $29.99 one-time for two Macs with one year of updates, or $7.99 per year for one Mac.
Things boringBar does that uBar does not: it filters the bar to the current Space, it switches Spaces from the bar by scrolling or with a desktop switcher, and it has a searchable app launcher. If your working style is one project per Space, that design fits it.
What uBar is
uBar is a Dock replacement and taskbar for the Mac, in development since 2009 and at version 4.2.4 as of 2 September 2026. It runs on macOS 10.13 through Tahoe as a Universal binary. In taskbar mode every window is a labeled tile, grouped Always, Never or Automatically, with previews on hover, badges, App Activity, drag-and-drop and up to five rows. In dock mode it behaves like a dock. Every monitor gets its own bar showing that monitor’s windows, or the same bar in Mirror mode, on any edge, pinned or floating, with six themes. Permissions, preferences and shortcuts are in the documentation. One-time purchase: $30 personal, $50 commercial, after a 14-day trial.
Side by side
| Feature | uBar | boringBar |
|---|
| Windows shown | All windows, across Spaces. | Only the windows in the current Space. |
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| Desktop switcher | No. | Yes. Scroll on the bar to switch Spaces, or use the desktop switcher. |
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| App launcher | Favorites area for apps, folders and files, plus the uBar menu listing Applications and System Settings. | Searchable app launcher. |
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| Window previews | Yes, on hover. | Yes, thumbnails. |
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| Pinned apps | Yes. Favorites, with App Activity on hover. | Yes. |
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| Multi-monitor | A bar on every monitor showing that monitor’s windows, or Mirror mode. | A bar on every display showing that display’s current desktop, or mirrored bars across displays. |
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| Dock mode | Yes. One click on Dock Defaults switches the layout. | No. boringBar is a taskbar only; it can hide the Dock while it runs. |
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| Minimum macOS | 10.13 High Sierra, through macOS Tahoe. | 14 Sonoma. |
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| Pricing model | One-time: $30 personal (two Macs) or $50 commercial, after a 14-day trial. | 14-day trial, then $29.99 one-time for two Macs with one year of updates, or $7.99 per year for one Mac. Business licenses are yearly, from six users. |
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The Spaces question decides it for most people. If you keep one project per Space and want the bar to reflect only that project, boringBar’s filtering is the feature you are buying, and uBar’s all-windows view will feel like noise. If you move between Spaces often and want to reach any window without switching first, or you spread your work across monitors rather than Spaces, uBar’s approach is the one that fits. The macOS minimum is the other hard constraint: boringBar needs macOS 14, and uBar runs from 10.13.
Choose boringBar if…
- You organize your work by Space and want the bar to show only what is in the current one.
- You want to switch Spaces by scrolling on the bar or from a desktop switcher.
- You want a searchable app launcher built into the bar.
Choose uBar if…
- You want to see every window at once, whichever Space it is on.
- You want grouping you can turn off, so every window is its own labeled tile.
- You want a dock layout as an alternative to the taskbar layout, and themes to go with either.
- You are on a macOS release older than 14, or you want a one-time license that keeps receiving updates without a renewal.
Frequently asked
Does boringBar show windows from other Spaces?
No. boringBar shows only the windows in the current Space and lets you scroll to switch Spaces. uBar shows all windows regardless of Space.
Which macOS versions do they support?
boringBar requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later. uBar supports macOS 10.13 High Sierra through macOS Tahoe.
Is boringBar a subscription?
It can be. After a 14-day trial, a personal license is either $29.99 one-time for two Macs with one year of updates included, or a $7.99 per year subscription for one Mac. Business licenses are billed yearly. uBar is a one-time purchase with no subscription and no update window.
Bring your taskbar with you.
14-day free trial. One-time purchase of $30. No subscription.
