Open ContextsDoes your Dock need window-level information?
A useful trial starts with several windows of the same app. Decide whether titles make them distinct enough or whether their contents are easier to recognize. Sidebar documents both individual-window display and live previews, so you can compare these recognition methods within one product.
We have not measured preview freshness or switching delay. Treat visual selection as a feature to test, rather than evidence that one app is faster.
Stacks, pinned apps and window positions
Sidebar’s Stacks collect apps and folders; pinned applications can remain available even while closed. These are useful concepts for preparing a workspace and keeping launch targets nearby. Its advertised window-position saving serves the layout side of that workspace.
A different need is keeping only the already-open windows for a task together. Compare that with Open Contexts’ named window groups. Avoid judging either organization system by the word “group” alone.
Check which license matches your use
The official pricing page checked on October 8, 2026 lists €19.99 for a lifetime license, €1.25 monthly or €12.50 yearly, following a seven-day trial. The published minimum is macOS 13. Use the vendor’s checkout for the current offer.
The lifetime and subscription options mean that “paid” is not synonymous with a required subscription. Evaluate the workflow first, then choose a license only if Sidebar adds something you want to keep.
A seven-day trial plan
- Try two windows whose titles are similar, then switch between title display and previews.
- Check the bar on each display, with auto-hide and reserved screen space.
- Build a Stack of apps and folders you really launch together.
- Try the window switcher’s search and snapping with your existing shortcuts and layouts.
- Verify hidden and full-screen windows in your actual macOS setup.
These checks are proposed trial tasks, not results from our own installation.
Who is Sidebar a candidate for?
Sidebar is a candidate when you want a configurable Dock with several window-management routes. Its broader scope is useful if you regularly use previews, launch items and adjust window positions from the same area.
If the repeated task is simply returning to a known window and keeping task groups in order, Open Contexts offers a narrower free option. That recommendation is about the workflow; it is not a quality score or a claim that fewer controls always make an app easier.
Official sources
Sources checked on October 8, 2026. Consult the current official pages for prices, licenses and system requirements.