Open ContextsOpen Contexts, DockDoor Free and DockDoor Pro
The following features and prices come from official documentation. DockDoor Pro is a separate application, rather than a paid feature tier inside DockDoor Free.
On a small screen, scroll horizontally to see the full comparison.
| Category | Open Contexts | DockDoor Free | DockDoor Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relationship to the Dock | Window app bar; keep the native Dock for launching. | Enhances the existing macOS Dock. | Separate app supplying a replacement Dock. |
| Finding a window | MRU title list and keyboard switching; no search or live previews. | Dock hover previews, searchable window switcher and Glance. | Own Dock previews, searchable switcher and Glance. |
| Saved organization | Named groups of selected open windows across apps. | Native Dock organization; focus on previews and switching. | Profiles of apps, folders and widgets; AppSense selects profiles. |
| Displays and other tools | The app bar and window switcher both support multiple displays. | Previews and switching for windows; not a replacement Dock. | Dock per display, widgets, file tray and pinned apps/files/links. |
| Price and license | Free; Apache 2.0. | Free; open source under GPL-3.0. | $20 once for up to three Macs; paid app. |
| Minimum macOS | macOS 13+. | macOS 13+; Intel and Apple Silicon. | macOS 14.6+; Intel and Apple Silicon. |
| Permissions and evaluation | Accessibility; free to evaluate. | Accessibility and Screen Recording; free to evaluate. | Accessibility and Screen Recording; 14-day money-back policy, not a free trial. |
Decide what should happen to your Dock
If you want to retain the macOS Dock and add window previews, DockDoor Free is the relevant comparison. If you want a different Dock with profiles, widgets and per-display controls, evaluate DockDoor Pro.
Open Contexts adds a window list and an app bar positioned on the side or bottom. It can coexist with the native Dock, which remains the place to launch apps. Its saved groups are the reason to consider it here, rather than a complete replacement-Dock feature set.
Compare what each tool saves
Pro profiles hold Dock items such as apps, folders and widgets; AppSense can activate a profile based on the active application. Open Contexts groups hold selected window members and their order.
For example, a Dock profile can make your development apps available, while a window group can keep a specific browser window beside a specific editor and terminal. Neither description should be read as a guarantee that closed documents or an entire desktop layout will be restored.
Choose by the feature you would use every day
- Choose DockDoor Free to add previews, Glance and searchable switching to your native-Dock workflow.
- Evaluate DockDoor Pro for a replacement Dock with profiles, widgets and a Dock on each display.
- Try Open Contexts for a title-list workflow and saved cross-app window groups.
Open Contexts currently has no thumbnail previews or window search. Both DockDoor apps request Screen Recording as well as Accessibility. Check permissions and your target macOS version before committing to a tool.
Official sources
Sources checked on October 8, 2026. Consult the current official pages for prices, licenses and system requirements.