Hazel vs Microsoft PowerToys

Hazel watches folders like Downloads or Desktop and automatically files, renames, tags, or deletes items based on rules the user defines, from sorting invoices by date to archiving old screenshots. It also includes App Sweep, which detects when an application has been deleted and offers to clean up its leftover support files, and integrates with macOS features like Spotlight, Photos, and AppleScript for more advanced automations. Aimed at Mac users who accumulate clutter in their Downloads folder or want consistent file organization without doing it by hand, Hazel runs quietly in the background and only asks for input when a rule genuinely needs clarification, making it one of the longest-running utilities in the Mac automation space.

Microsoft PowerToys is a collection of free, open-source utilities that extend Windows with productivity tools such as window layout management, a quick launcher, bulk file renaming, keyboard remapping, and a system-wide color picker. It is built and maintained by Microsoft with an active open-source community on GitHub.

• Saves significant manual folder cleanup time
• App Sweep helps keep a Mac free of orphaned files
• Deep AppleScript support for advanced users
• Long track record of reliability

• Completely free and open source
• Actively maintained with frequent Microsoft-backed releases
• Wide range of independent utilities you can enable individually
• Backed by an active GitHub community for bug reports and features

• Mac only, no Windows version
• One-time purchase rather than a subscription some prefer for smaller commitment
• Rule setup has a learning curve for complex automations

• Windows-only, no Mac or Linux version
• Some utilities are still experimental and can be less polished
• Requires manually enabling and configuring each utility you want