Otterdock vs uBar: Keep the Mac Dock or Replace It with a Taskbar?
uBar replaces the Dock with a taskbar, one button per window; Otterdock keeps the Dock and adds groups to it. The decision is about the Dock itself.
uBar is a Dock replacement: a configurable bar with one entry per window, pinned apps and taskbar conventions, meant to be used instead of the Dock. Otterdock is a Dock organizer: it keeps the system Dock and adds named groups of apps, files, folders and links to it. If you want a taskbar, evaluate uBar; if you like the Dock but it is overcrowded, Otterdock is the relevant tool. They are not substitutes. Based on public information, not a hands-on test.
On this page
Comparing Otterdock with uBar is really a comparison of two philosophies about the Mac Dock. uBar's position is that the Dock is the wrong model and a taskbar is better. Otterdock's position is that the Dock is fine and just needs grouping. Decide which of those you believe and the product choice follows. This page sets out both so you can decide quickly.
We make Otterdock. The uBar description comes from its public website; we have not tested it, and its features and price can change, so verify on its site.
What each one is
uBar replaces or supplements the Dock with a configurable bar. Its documented model is taskbar-style: one entry per window (so three Safari windows are three buttons), pinned apps, grouping options, and placement on any edge of any display. You typically hide the system Dock and live in uBar.
Otterdock leaves the Dock in place. It adds group icons to the Dock's folder side, each holding a project's apps, files, folders and web links. In the Direct edition a group opens as a searchable popup on click or hover and has a global keyboard shortcut; in the Mac App Store edition it opens as a native stack. Both editions add desktop widgets. What an organizer is, versus the other categories of "Dock apps", is in what is a macOS Dock organizer.
Side by side
| Otterdock | uBar | |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship to the Dock | Keeps it; adds group icons | Replaces or supplements it with its own bar |
| Primary unit | A group: apps, files, folders, links for one task | A window or pinned app |
| Window switching | Not its job; macOS handles it | Per-window buttons, per its site |
| Launching a set of things | Direct popup with Command-A; Launch Group in Shortcuts; widgets per item | Pinned apps; check its site for group features |
| Keyboard | Direct: global shortcut per group, popup search, Command-1 to 9 | Per its documentation |
| Multiple displays | Follows the Dock's rules (one Dock; widgets per display) | Bar placement per display, per its site |
| Look of the Dock | Unchanged | Replaced by the bar's appearance |
| Editions | Direct (Intel and Apple silicon) and Mac App Store (Apple silicon) | See its site for distribution |
| Permissions | Mac App Store edition: none. Direct: Accessibility for popup and hover only | See its documentation |
| Free tier | 2 groups × 8 items | See its site |
| Price | Pro one-time US$6.99 reference price | See its current pricing |
Choose uBar if you want a taskbar
Signs that you want a taskbar rather than a Dock:
- You switched from Windows and miss one button per window.
- You keep many windows of the same app open and the Dock's one-icon-per-app model hides them.
- You want the bar on a specific edge of a specific monitor with its own rules.
If those describe you, no amount of Dock grouping fixes it; evaluate uBar on its own terms at its official site. For window previews without replacing the Dock, there is also a middle option, covered in Otterdock vs DockDoor.
Choose Otterdock if you want to keep the Dock
Signs that the Dock is fine and the problem is clutter:
- You like the Dock's look and the way macOS integrates it, you just have too many icons.
- Your frustration is at the start of a task (finding and opening things), not during it (switching windows).
- You want files and web pages beside the apps that use them.
In that case start with what macOS offers (unpin, spacers, a Finder folder of aliases) and add Otterdock when those run out; the sequence is in how to group apps in the Mac Dock. Which Otterdock edition fits your Mac is in Direct vs Mac App Store.
Why they are not substitutes
Otterdock's groups live in the Dock. If uBar hides the Dock, those groups are only reachable through Direct's global shortcuts, widgets or the Shortcuts app, which strips out the reason to have them in the Dock. Conversely, uBar's per-window buttons have no equivalent in Otterdock. Pick the model first; the tool follows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Otterdock with uBar?
Otterdock's groups live in the system Dock. If uBar hides the Dock, you would reach Otterdock groups through its global shortcuts (Direct), widgets or the Shortcuts app rather than from the Dock, which defeats much of the point. Pick one model.
Does uBar group apps?
uBar's documented model is a taskbar with pinned apps and per-window entries, not named launch groups of mixed items. Check its site for current features.
Which is better for a Windows switcher?
If you miss the Windows taskbar specifically, a taskbar replacement such as uBar is the closer match. Otterdock assumes you want to keep the Dock.
Does Otterdock change how the Dock looks or behaves?
No. It adds group icons to the folder side of the Dock and, in the Direct edition, can open its own popup when you click or hover one of those icons. Size, position, auto-hide and everything else remain macOS settings.