What is Hazel used for?

Hazel is a macOS utility that watches folders and organizes, renames and cleans up files automatically using rules you create. It is a good fit for auto-filing downloads, organizing bills and documents, and cleaning up after app removal.

How much does Hazel cost?

Hazel is a paid product with no free plan.

Is Hazel open source?

No. Hazel is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Hazel include Hammerspoon.

Can I self-host Hazel?

Yes. Although Hazel is closed source, it can be self-hosted on your own servers.

What are some alternatives to Hazel?

Hazel competes with Keyboard Maestro and Alfred. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Hazel alternatives.

Hazel: features, pricing and alternatives

About Hazel

Hazel is a Mac utility from Noodlesoft that monitors folders you choose and acts on the files in them according to rules. Rules can match on name, date, type, the site a file came from and more, and then move, rename, tag, archive, open or upload the files.

Beyond filing, Hazel can sort files into subfolders, keep the Trash under control by deleting old items or clearing it when it gets too big, and run App Sweep, which finds leftover support files when you delete an application and offers to remove them. It integrates with Spotlight, Photos and Music or TV importing, notifications, tags, Shortcuts, AppleScript and Automator. Hazel 6 is the current release listed.

Hazel is commercial software with a store page and download for trying it, and it runs entirely on your Mac with no hosted service. It suits anyone who wants their downloads and documents sorted without manual work.

Key features

Folder watching with rule-based actions
Automatic renaming and sorting
Trash management by age or size
App Sweep removes leftover app files
Spotlight, tags and Shortcuts support
AppleScript and Automator integration

Good fit for

→Auto-filing downloads
→Organizing bills and documents
→Cleaning up after app removal

Tags: macos; file-organization; automation; productivity; rules; desktop-software; applescript; trash

Hazel: questions and answers

What is Hazel used for?: Hazel is a macOS utility that watches folders and organizes, renames and cleans up files automatically using rules you create. It is a good fit for auto-filing downloads, organizing bills and documents, and cleaning up after app removal.
How much does Hazel cost?: Hazel is a paid product with no free plan.
Is Hazel open source?: No. Hazel is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Hazel include Hammerspoon.
Can I self-host Hazel?: Yes. Although Hazel is closed source, it can be self-hosted on your own servers.
What are some alternatives to Hazel?: Hazel competes with Keyboard Maestro and Alfred. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Hazel alternatives.