Fences AlternativesDesktop Customization Tools and other similar apps like Fences

Alternatives list

1. 

   

   Tokri

    22 likes

   Desktop basket utility for collecting text, files, images, and URLs with drag and drop. Supports moving or copying between apps via keyboard shortcuts. Works on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Flatpak. Minimalist, open-source, local temporary file management solution.

   27 Tokri alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (MIT)

   Application type

   • File Manager

   Origin

   • India

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Flatpak

   • India

   

   

   

   More about Tokri  

   

   Good alternative?Is Tokri a good alternative to Fences?

    
2. 

   

   Portals: Desktop Organization

    74 likes

   Create containers (aka Portals) on your desktop which show the contents of a specified folder. Divide your desktop into folders then use Portals to display the contents of the folders in an organized fashion - you can even hide the folders away somewhere else.

   31 Portals: Desktop Organization alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Proprietary

   Application type

   • Desktop Customization

   Origin

   • United States

   Platforms

   • Windows

   • United States

   

   

   

   More about Portals: Desktop Organization  

   

   Good alternative?Is this a good alternative to Fences?

    

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   2comments

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   Portals: Desktop Organization vs Fences Comments

   Positive comment by Ross Patterson · Aug 24, 2021

   It looks like windows native.

   Positive comment by Guest · Jan 11, 2023

   Free and beautiful. A must have.

   2 of 2 comments

   

   

   • Portals: Desktop Organization is Free and ProprietaryFences is Paid and Proprietary
   • Portals: Desktop Organization is Lightweight and CustomizableFences is not according to our users
4. 

   

   Desktop Frames +

    16 likes

   Organizes desktop icons into virtual fences with customizable design options, enhanced visual effects, and right-click interactions. Works on Windows, portable via USB, lightweight, supports multiple monitors, runs offline, and requires no registration for core features.

   26 Desktop Frames + alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application typeApplication types

   • Desktop Customization
   • Application Launcher

   Platforms

   • Windows

   

   More about Desktop Frames +  

   

   Good alternative?Is Desktop Frames + a good alternative to Fences?

    
5. Ad

   

   

   iCollections

   Create custom containers on Mac desktop, group icons, files, folders, and applications, display photo slideshows or static images, customize appearance, snap to grid, integrate with Finder, choose icon sizes, and enjoy an unclutt...

   https://naarakstudio.com

   Learn More
6. 

   

   Floxtop

    10 likes

   AI-powered Mac file organizer with smart renaming. Automatically sorts files by content and suggests intelligent filenames. Supports 50+ languages. 100% private, offline, no subscriptions.

   Cost / License

   • Freemium
   • Proprietary

   Application typeApplication types

   • File Manager
   • File Renamer

   Origin

   • Germany
   • EU

   Platforms

   • Mac

   • Germany
   • EU

   

   More about Floxtop  

   

   Good alternative?Is Floxtop a good alternative to Fences?

    
7. 

   

   iTop Easy Desktop

    16 likes

   Automates desktop organization for Windows by grouping files, apps, and folders into customizable boxes, supporting appearance adjustments, instant hotkey access, multi-page desktops, double-click hiding, Folder Portal, and fast search functionality.

   38 iTop Easy Desktop alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Freemium
   • Proprietary

   Application type

   • Desktop Customization

   Origin

   • Hong Kong SAR China

   Platforms

   • Windows

   • Hong Kong SAR China

   

   

   

   +3

   

   More about iTop Easy Desktop  

   

   Good alternative?Is iTop Easy Desktop a good alternative to Fences?

    

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   4comments

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   iTop Easy Desktop vs Fences Comments

   Positive comment by bitoolean · Dec 7, 2023

   It automatically manages new icons added to the desktop by installers repetitively every time that software gets updated by remembering which container they are assigned to and thus avoiding having to manage duplicates manually.

   Positive comment by heartily · Oct 10, 2024

   Best free alternative to Fences.

   Positive comment by phantasmrevolutionary · Jun 26, 2023

   CoodeDesker, StarDock Fences and iTop Easy Desktop are the only softwares for desktop (professional-looking specifically) organization via containers that are worth trying. iTop Easy Desktop might be the worst of those 3, but it's the one that has a free option.

   3 of 4 comments

   

   

   • iTop Easy Desktop is Freemium and ProprietaryFences is Paid and Proprietary
   • iTop Easy Desktop is CustomizableFences is not according to our users
9. 

   

   Nimi Places

    56 likes

   Organizes desktop into customizable containers showing folder contents as icons/thumbnails on a scrollable surface. Has lots of management features: e.g. labelling; sort by category; time & location based settings. Thumbnails are displayed for supported Open Documents, PSD images & PDFs.

   34 Nimi Places alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free Personal
   • Proprietary

   Application typeApplication types

   • Desktop Customization
   • Application Launcher

   Origin

   • Portugal
   • EU

   Platforms

   • Windows

   • Portugal
   • EU

   

   

   

   More about Nimi Places  

   

   Good alternative?Is Nimi Places a good alternative to Fences?

    

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   7comments

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   Nimi Places vs Fences Comments

   Top Positive Comment by Guest · Feb 7, 2018

   Free, and it works almost the same. Just has a little more setup than Fences does.

   Top Negative Comment by Guest · Apr 25, 2018

   This performs ONE of Fences' secondary functions: displaying the contents of directories OTHER THAN the Desktop as virtual containers on the Desktop. IT IS NOT for organizing Desktop icons/files or setting up automatic rules for categorization of new Desktop icons/files.

   Positive comment by Guest · Mar 5, 2020

   Nimi Places is not an exact replica of Fences, but(!) it will give you the look and feel. Instead of everything being on your desktop, it links it a folder. I am just going to change my behavior a tad and just know that my files, when placed in the fence, are not stored on the actual desktop. I still have easy access to move the files between the desktop to fence and vice versa, which is most important to me.

   3 of 7 comments

   

   

   • Nimi Places is Free Personal and ProprietaryFences is Paid and Proprietary
   • Nimi Places is LightweightFences is not according to our users
10. 

    

    Sparkle AI

     8 likes

    Sparkle uses AI to create a unique folder system and organize every new file (and all your old ones) into the right place. It manages your Downloads, Desktop, and Documents folders so you don't have to.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    • File Manager

    Origin

    • United States

    Platforms

    • Mac

    • United States

    

    

    

    +2

    

    More about Sparkle AI  

    

    Good alternative?Is Sparkle AI a good alternative to Fences?

     
11. 

    

    Sideslide

     17 likes

    SideSlide is an advanced, portable, unobtrusive, dockable, skinnable, instantly accessible, highly configurable Desktop Extension on Steroids! Clean desktop clutter and make your computer friendlier and faster than ever before.

    29 Sideslide alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application typeApplication types

    • Application Launcher
    • Desktop Customization

    Origin

    • Israel

    Platforms

    • Windows

    • Israel

    

    More about Sideslide  

    

    Good alternative?Is Sideslide a good alternative to Fences?

     

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    4comments

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    Sideslide vs Fences Comments

    Positive comment by Guest · Nov 25, 2022

    Very full featured program with a steep learning curve, but it's worth it.

    Negative comment by Guest · May 11, 2020

    Because it's not similar and easy to use like Fences that is a very intuitive application

    Positive comment by Guest · Apr 21, 2021

    It's a very comprehensive program with lots of features that can change the way you work with Windows.

    3 of 4 comments

    

    

    • Sideslide is Free and ProprietaryFences is Paid and Proprietary
    • Sideslide is an Application Launchers Fences is a Desktop Customization Tool
12. 

    

    Coodesker

     5 likes

    Automatically organize your desktop shortcuts icons and running tasks.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application typeApplication types

    • Desktop Customization
    • Application Launcher

    Platforms

    • Windows

    

    

    

    +1

    

    More about Coodesker  

    

    Good alternative?Is Coodesker a good alternative to Fences?

     

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    3comments

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    Coodesker vs Fences Comments

    Positive comment by Guest · Sep 2, 2025

    Very easy to use and customize, it's lightweight, cheap, available on Steam or their website for a one time purchase, and pretty much does everything Fences does but better.

    Positive comment by phantasmrevolutionary · Jun 26, 2023

    by far the best alternative to Stardock Fences, better even than Stardock Fences itself.

    Positive comment by AnomalousDoggo · Mar 11, 2026

    It's really lightweight, fast and does what it supposed to. I've been looking to replace Fences for about a year or two now, on and off and I'm telling you, this should be at the top of this list.

    3 of 3 comments

    

    

    • Coodesker is Paid and ProprietaryFences is also Paid and Proprietary
    • Coodesker is Lightweight and Privacy focusedFences is not according to our users
13. 

    

    iCollections

     12 likes

    Create custom containers on Mac desktop, group icons, files, folders, and applications, display photo slideshows or static images, customize appearance, snap to grid, integrate with Finder, choose icon sizes, and enjoy an uncluttered, personalized workspace.

    27 iCollections alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Origin

    • Thailand

    Platforms

    • Mac

    • Thailand

    

    

    

    +3

    

    More about iCollections  

    

    Good alternative?Is iCollections a good alternative to Fences?

     

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    1comment

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    iCollections vs Fences Comments

    Positive comment by Jim Bol · May 3, 2022

    Runs on Mac, has beautiful drawers that auto-shrink, can use (different levels of) transparency, is even more easy to use than Fences on Windows.

    1 of 1 comments

    

    

    • iCollections is Paid and ProprietaryFences is also Paid and Proprietary
    • iCollections is CustomizableFences is not according to our users
14. 

    

    Dropzone

     15 likes

    Dropzone is a productivity app for the Mac that makes it faster and easier to move and copy files, launch applications, upload to many different services, and more.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Origin

    • New Zealand

    Platforms

    • Mac

    • New Zealand

    

    

    

    +2

    

    More about Dropzone  

    

    Good alternative?Is Dropzone a good alternative to Fences?

     
15. 

    

    DeskSweep

     4 likes

    Boost your productivity by eliminating clutter—DeskSweep automatically organizes your desktop by moving files to a designated folder, ensuring a clean and distraction-free workspace.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    • Desktop Customization

    Origin

    • United Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac

    • United Kingdom

    

    

    

    +1

    

    More about DeskSweep  

    

    Good alternative?Is DeskSweep a good alternative to Fences?