uBar alternatives

A DockFix alternative that replaces the Dock

DockFix, from Gustav Lübker at AppVerge, started as a Dock customizer and now swaps the macOS Dock for a look-alike you can restyle: colors, animations, custom icons, presets, widgets and window previews. People look for an alternative when restyling the Dock stops being enough and they want a different kind of bar. This page is part of our uBar alternatives guide.

What DockFix does and doesn’t do

DockFix version 4.0 launched on Product Hunt on 7 July 2025 with Workflows, saved dock setups that switch automatically, and the ability to replace the native Dock with a custom dock. The developer has since rebuilt the app around that custom dock. It looks and animates like Apple’s, with colors, opacity, custom app icons, folders, website shortcuts, presets, widgets, a file shelf and hover window previews. It hides the system Dock while running, needs no special permissions and no SIP changes, requires macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon or Intel, and costs €14.99 one-time after a 7-day trial. The latest numbered release is 4.2.1, from 7 April 2026. What DockFix does not set out to do is change what the Dock is for. It is a dock, an icon-first launcher for apps, rather than a taskbar that lists windows by title, and it does not list window grouping or a dock on every monitor among its features.

What you keep, what you gain

Both apps hide the Dock and put their own bar in its place, so the replacement side of DockFix maps onto uBar directly. The difference is what the bar shows: DockFix keeps one icon per app and restyles it; uBar lists windows.

Feature	DockFix	uBar
Dock appearance	Yes. Colors, opacity, size, position, animations and custom app icons, plus community presets applied with one click.	Different approach. Six themes (System, Light, Dark, Platinum Neue, Now Playing, Custom), sizes, and icon overrides via the App Support folder, listed in the documentation.
Workflows (multiple dock setups)	Version 4.0 introduced Workflows that switch setups automatically; the rebuilt version offers presets you apply yourself.	No saved setups. Two presets, Taskbar Defaults and Dock Defaults, switch the layout with one click.
Replace the native Dock	Yes. It hides the system Dock while it runs and restores it when you quit; no SIP changes.	Yes. uBar is a Dock replacement; run it as a dock or as a taskbar, and hide the Dock with the Terminal command in the documentation.
Window previews	Yes. Hover an app to see its open windows and jump to one.	Yes, on hover.
Window grouping	No. Windows are reached through the app’s preview.	Always, Never or Automatic.
Bar on every monitor	Not stated.	Yes, each showing its own windows, or Mirror mode.
Widgets	Yes. Media playback, clock, shortcuts and a file shelf in the dock.	No widgets. A clock with a hover calendar, timepieces, App Activity and track progress on media tiles.
Minimum macOS	14 Sonoma. Apple silicon and Intel.	10.13 High Sierra, through macOS Tahoe. Universal.
Last release	4.2.1, 7 April 2026. The rebuilt version is announced without a version number.	4.2.4, 2 September 2026.
Price	€14.99 one-time after a 7-day trial; existing licenses carry over to the rebuilt version.	$30 personal (two Macs) or $50 commercial, one-time, after a 14-day trial.

What uBar adds

Labeled windows: every window is a tile with its title.
Window grouping set to Always, Never or Automatic.
A bar on every monitor showing that monitor’s windows, or Mirror mode.
Taskbar mode as well as 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.
A Universal binary supporting macOS 10.13 through Tahoe.

How to switch

Download the uBar trial. It runs for 14 days with no license.
Grant Accessibility and Screen Recording when uBar asks. See the Permissions section of the documentation.
Open uBar’s preferences and click Dock Defaults if you want to start from a dock layout, or Taskbar Defaults for labeled window tiles.
Pin your favorites: right-click an open app and choose Add to Favorites, or use the Add to uBar Favorites service in the Finder.
Hide the macOS Dock. The Terminal section of the documentation has the command. If you used DockFix to hide the Dock, that setting can stay.

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

Frequently asked

Does DockFix replace the Dock?

Yes. DockFix hides the system Dock while it runs and shows a dock of its own that keeps the Dock’s layout and adds colors, custom icons, presets, widgets and window previews. It started out as a Dock customizer; version 4.0, launched 7 July 2025, added the custom dock, and the rebuilt version announced on dockfix.app is built around it. uBar also replaces the Dock, with either a dock or a taskbar layout.

Can uBar switch setups automatically like DockFix Workflows?

No. uBar has two presets, Taskbar Defaults and Dock Defaults, that you switch by clicking. It does not save multiple setups or switch them on a schedule or by context.

How much do they cost?

DockFix is €14.99 one-time after a 7-day trial, with a 30% student discount. uBar is $30 for a personal license covering two Macs, or $50 for a commercial license, one-time, after a 14-day trial.

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