Pick Default Folder X if
mac users who live in Open/Save and will pay $39.95 — not Hazel folder rules first unless they want automation.
Read the Default Folder X pageDefault Folder X vs ForkLift
Our take
Pick Default Folder X if mac users who live in Open/Save and will pay $39.95 — not Hazel folder rules first unless they want automation. Pick ForkLift if mac users who will buy Single US$19.95 (1yr updates) after they browse a first local+remote pair — then Family US$29.95 or 2-year US$34.95 if they want that window, not Transmit US$45 first unless they want Panic’s cloud connector list, and not if they need Windows.
Best for
Default Folder X Land in the right folder at a public $
ForkLift Local + remote panes you start at a public $
Free plan
Default Folder X No free plan
ForkLift No free plan
Lowest paid
Default Folder X 2+ licenses $34.95
ForkLift 1 year of updates $19.95
Next step up
Default Folder X Single-user $39.95
ForkLift 2 years of updates $34.95
Watch out
Default Folder X An Open/Save enhancer, not a file manager
ForkLift macOS-only
Last checked
Default Folder X 2026-10-26 · stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX
ForkLift 2026-10-23 · binarynights.com/store
Which one, then?
Pick ForkLift if
mac users who will buy Single US$19.95 (1yr updates) after they browse a first local+remote pair — then Family US$29.95 or 2-year US$34.95 if they want that window, not Transmit US$45 first unless they want Panic’s cloud connector list, and not if they need Windows.
Read the ForkLift page