uBar 5

uBar alternatives

A DockDoor alternative when previews aren’t enough

DockDoor is a free, open source add-on that gives the macOS Dock window previews on hover and an Alt-Tab-style switcher. People go looking for an alternative when they realize what they want is not a better Dock but a taskbar: windows listed by name, grouped or not, on every screen. This page is part of our uBar alternatives guide.

What DockDoor does and doesn’t do

DockDoor is an open source project on GitHub, at version 1.40.1 as of 3 September 2026, and installable with Homebrew. It adds hover window previews to the native Dock, an Alt-Tab-style window switcher, window actions from the preview, and Dock locking. It requires macOS 13 or later since version 1.1.6 and runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel. It is free; DockDoor Pro is a separate $20 app from the same developer that replaces the Dock rather than extending it. What it does not do is change the Dock’s model: apps are still icons, windows are still something you hover or switch to find, there is one Dock, and there are no window titles in the bar. DockDoor makes the Dock better at what it already does. It does not turn it into a taskbar, and it does not claim to.

What you keep, what you gain

uBar replaces the Dock rather than extending it, so the previews come along, the switcher overlay does not, and the rest is new.

Feature DockDoor uBar
Window previews on hoverYes, on Dock icons.Yes. Hover an app or window tile; Shift-click a preview to close that window.
Alt-Tab-style switcherYes.No switcher overlay. Every window is already a labeled tile in the bar, and Control-Option-1 through 0 toggles the tile in that position.
Window actionsYes.Yes. Close, minimize, maximize and quit from a tile or its menu; Option-click hides or shows, Shift-click quits, middle-click closes the window.
Dock lockingYes.Not applicable. uBar has its own pinning and auto-hide settings; the native Dock is left alone or hidden.
Keeps the native DockYes. DockDoor is an add-on to it.Your choice. Most people hide the Dock; the Terminal section of the documentation has the command.
Minimum macOS13 Ventura (since 1.1.6).macOS 26 Tahoe or later. Apple Silicon only.
Last release1.40.1, 3 September 2026.5.0.4, 18 October 2026.
Homebrewbrew install --cask dockdoorbrew install --cask ubar
PriceFree and open source. DockDoor Pro, a separate app that replaces the Dock, is $20 one-time for three Macs.$39 personal (two Macs) or $69 commercial, one-time, after a 14-day trial.

What uBar adds that DockDoor doesn’t have

  • Labeled windows: every window is a tile with its title, not an icon you have to hover.
  • Window grouping set to Always, Never or Automatic.
  • A bar on every monitor showing that monitor’s windows, or Mirror mode.
  • Taskbar mode and dock mode, on any edge, pinned or floating.
  • Themes (System, Light, Dark, Platinum Neue, Now Playing, Custom), sizes and up to five rows.
  • Badges, App Activity, drag-and-drop onto tiles, a clock with a hover calendar and timepieces.

How to switch

  1. Download the uBar trial. It runs for 14 days with no license.
  2. Grant Accessibility and Screen Recording when uBar asks. Screen Recording is what makes window titles and previews possible; nothing is recorded. See the Permissions section of the documentation.
  3. Open uBar’s preferences and click Taskbar Defaults for labeled window tiles, or Dock Defaults if you want to start from something closer to the Dock.
  4. Pin your favorites: right-click an open app and choose Add to Favorites, or use the Add to uBar Favorites service in the Finder.
  5. Hide the macOS Dock. The Terminal section of the documentation has the command. If you keep DockDoor for the Dock, the two apps do different jobs and can coexist.

Permissions, presets and shortcuts are in the documentation; the Dock command is in the Terminal section.

Frequently asked

Is DockDoor free?

Yes. DockDoor is open source and free to use, and its developer says the free app will stay free. DockDoor Pro is a separate paid app from the same developer that replaces the Dock entirely, at $20 one-time for three Macs. uBar has a 14-day free trial, then a one-time purchase of $39 personal or $69 commercial.

Do I need uBar if I have DockDoor?

Not if window previews on the Dock are all you want; DockDoor does that, and version 1.40.1 shipped on 3 September 2026. uBar is for when you want the bar itself to show your windows: labeled tiles, grouping, a bar on every monitor, and a dock mode.

Which macOS versions do they support?

DockDoor requires macOS 13 Ventura or later since version 1.1.6, on Apple Silicon and Intel. uBar 5.0.4 requires macOS 26 Tahoe or later, including macOS 27 Golden Gate, and runs on Apple Silicon only.

Bring your taskbar with you.

14-day free trial. One-time purchase of $39. No subscription.

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