Fences AlternativesTop Desktop Customization Tools and other similar apps like Fences

Fences is described as 'Desktop organizer for Windows 10/11, arranging files in customizable shaded areas. Features include quick access, snapshot layouts, and enterprise tools' and is a very popular desktop customization tool in the os & utilities category. There are more than 10 alternatives to Fences for Windows, Mac and Linux. The best Fences alternative is Portals: Desktop Organization, which is free. Other great apps like Fences are Nimi Places, iTop Easy Desktop, Sparkle AI and Sideslide.

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Fences alternatives are mainly Desktop Customization Tools, but if you're looking for Application Launchers or File Managers you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Windows + Free. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Fences.
Fences iconFences
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Desktop organizer for Windows 10/11, arranging files in customizable shaded areas. Features include quick access, snapshot layouts, and enterprise tools.

More about Fences
Fences alternatives page was last updated Jun 6, 2025
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  1. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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.

    13 Portals: Desktop Organization alternatives

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Properties

    1.  Configurable
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Customizable
    4.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Group Icons
    2.  Drag and Drop
    3.  File Organizer
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Organization
    6.  Launcher
    7.  Folder Mirroring
    8.  Works Offline
    9.  Dark Mode
    10.  Dock
    11.  Window organizer
    12.  Portable

    Portals: Desktop Organization VS Fences

     
    Comments about Portals: Desktop Organization as an Alternative to Fences
    Ross Patterson
    Positive Aug 24, 2021
    0

    It looks like windows native.

    Guest
    Positive Jan 11, 2023
    0

    Free and beautiful. A must have.

    Fences Icon
    Portals: Desktop Organization icon
    • Almost everyone thinks Portals: Desktop Organization is a great Fences alternative.

    • Portals: Desktop Organization is the most popular Windows alternative to Fences.

    • Portals: Desktop Organization is the most popular free alternative to Fences.

    • Portals: Desktop Organization is Free and ProprietaryFences is Paid and Proprietary
    • Portals: Desktop Organization is Lightweight and CustomizableFences is not according to our users
  2. Nimi Places icon
     53 likes
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    Organizes desktop into customizable containers - showing folders (e.g.: local folders, network locations) contents, displayed as icons/thumbnails on scrollable surface. In-built thumbnail engine is capable of displaying thumbnails for supported Open Documents and PSD images, but...

    17 Nimi Places alternatives

    License model

    • Free PersonalProprietary

    Country of Origin

    • PT flagPortugal
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Configurable

    Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  Group Icons
    3.  Skinnable
    4.  Special Folders

    Nimi Places VS Fences

     
    Comments about Nimi Places as an Alternative to Fences
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    Feb 7, 2018
    3

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

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    Apr 25, 2018
    6

    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.

    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Positive Mar 5, 2020
    -2

    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.

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    3 of 7 comments
    Fences Icon
    Nimi Places icon
    • Some users think Nimi Places is a great Fences alternative, some don't.

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

    21 iTop Easy Desktop alternatives

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Country of Origin

    • HK flagHong Kong SAR China

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Properties

    1.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  No registration required

    iTop Easy Desktop VS Fences

     
    Comments about iTop Easy Desktop as an Alternative to Fences
    Most Recent Comment
    bitoolean
    Positive Dec 7, 2023
    0

    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.

    phantasmrevolutionary
    Positive Jun 26, 2023
    1

    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.

    heartily
    Positive Oct 10, 2024
    0

    Best free alternative to Fences.

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    3 of 4 comments
    Fences Icon
    iTop Easy Desktop icon
    • Most users think iTop Easy Desktop is a great Fences alternative.

    • iTop Easy Desktop is Freemium and ProprietaryFences is Paid and Proprietary
    • iTop Easy Desktop is CustomizableFences is not according to our users
  4. Sparkle AI icon
     6 likes
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    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.

    21 Sparkle AI alternatives

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac

    Sparkle AI Features

    1.  AI-Powered
    2.  File Organizer
    3.  Automate File Organization
    4.  Folder structure

    Sparkle AI VS Fences

     
    • Sparkle AI is the most popular Mac alternative to Fences.

    • Sparkle AI is the most popular commercial alternative to Fences.

    • Sparkle AI is Paid and ProprietaryFences is also Paid and Proprietary
  5. Sideslide icon
     16 likes
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    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.

    20 Sideslide alternatives

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Country of Origin

    • IL flagIsrael

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Sideslide Features

    1.  Launcher
    2.  Multitasking
    3.  Portable

    Sideslide VS Fences

     
    Comments about Sideslide as an Alternative to Fences
    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Positive Nov 25, 2022
    0

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

    Guest
    Negative May 11, 2020
    1

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

    Guest
    Positive Apr 21, 2021
    0

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

    Show more comments
    3 of 4 comments
    Fences Icon
    Sideslide icon
    • Some users think Sideslide is a great Fences alternative, some don't.

    • Sideslide is Free and ProprietaryFences is Paid and Proprietary
  6. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Folderview Screenlet is a Linux alternative to Fences (which is for Windows).

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Country of Origin

    • PT flagPortugal
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Screenlets
    Discontinued

    The program is no longer updated. Last version, 0.9.9, released in August 2010, can be still downloaded from the official website.

    Folderview Screenlet Features

    1.  Group Icons

    Folderview Screenlet VS Fences

     
    • Almost everyone thinks Folderview Screenlet is a great Fences alternative.

    • Folderview Screenlet is the most popular Linux alternative to Fences.

    • Folderview Screenlet is Free and ProprietaryFences is Paid and Proprietary
  7. iCollections icon
     12 likes
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    iCollections is an expertly designed application which helps you keep your desktop organized. The app's unique features are what make it the most popular method of desktop organization for Mac users.

    16 iCollections alternatives

    License model

    Country of Origin

    • PL flagPoland
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac

    Properties

    1.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Extensive customization
    2.  Group Icons
    3.  Drag and Drop

    iCollections VS Fences

     
    Comments about iCollections as an Alternative to Fences
    Jim Bol
    Positive May 3, 2022
    0

    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.

    Fences Icon
    iCollections icon
    • Most users think iCollections is a great Fences alternative.

    • iCollections is Paid and ProprietaryFences is also Paid and Proprietary
  8. Dropzone icon
     15 likes
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    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.

    24 Dropzone alternatives

    License model

    Country of Origin

    • NZ flagNew Zealand

    Platforms

    • Mac

    Dropzone Features

    1.  Drag and Drop
    2.  Upload images
    3.  Snippets

    Dropzone VS Fences

     
8 of 22 Fences alternatives