ActiveDock Alternative for Mac: Jetty vs ActiveDock 2
By Eduard Bruch, developer of Jetty ·
ActiveDock 2 and Jetty both give you more than the macOS Dock, in different ways. ActiveDock replaces the Dock (and Launchpad) with its own dock that has a start menu, groups and window previews. Jetty keeps the macOS Dock and adds up to four extra bars of one-click tiles for launching.
Short answer: if you want extra bars for launching apps, files, folders, websites and Shortcuts, the best ActiveDock alternative, in my opinion as its developer, is Jetty: bars on any screen edge or floating, with tabs, a $9.99 one-time purchase on the Mac App Store, macOS 14 or later. If you want one replacement Dock with window previews and a start menu, ActiveDock 2 does that job and Jetty does not.
Disclosure: I build Jetty. Competitor details last checked: 2026-10-10, from each vendor's own pages.
Jetty vs ActiveDock 2 at a glance
| Jetty (our pick) | ActiveDock 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Extra launch bars next to the macOS Dock | "a full replacement for Apple Launchpad and Dock" (vendor page) |
| Start menu / app launcher | No; you add the tiles you want | Yes, a Start Menu application launcher (vendor page) |
| Window previews | No | Yes, a Window Previews panel (vendor page) |
| Launch tiles | Apps, files, folders, websites, Shortcuts | Apps, documents and folders; "Groups and Folders help you organize items by topic" (vendor page) |
| Tabs | Yes, per bar | Not stated |
| Number of bars | Up to 4 | One replacement dock (vendor page) |
| Several displays | No, main display only | "Multiple-monitor support" (vendor page) |
| Where to buy | Mac App Store | Vendor's site (FastSpring) |
| Price model | One-time, $9.99 (US App Store) | One-time licence: $19.99 for 1 Mac, Pro Lifetime $59.99 (vendor store, US) |
| Minimum macOS | 14 | 14.6 (vendor page) |
Sources: noteifyapp.com/activedock, checked 2026-10-10; Jetty from its code and App Store listing (facts). "Not stated" means the vendor page does not mention it.
When Jetty is the better choice
- You want to keep the macOS Dock. Jetty adds bars around it and never changes it. Keep the Dock short, or hide it with Option-Command-D.
- You want several launch bars, not one dock. For example work apps on the top edge, project folders on the left, and a floating bar for meeting links.
- You launch more than apps. Website tiles open a URL; Shortcut tiles run a named shortcut from Apple's Shortcuts app; folder tiles list a folder's contents in a popup.
- You want tabs. One bar can hold "Design", "Dev" and "Admin" instead of one long row.
- You prefer the Mac App Store for purchase and updates, and you are on macOS 14.0 to 14.5, below ActiveDock's stated minimum.
When ActiveDock 2 is the better choice
- You want window management in the dock. ActiveDock's page describes switching between apps and windows and a Window Previews panel; Jetty does not list open windows.
- You use several displays. ActiveDock's page states multiple-monitor support; Jetty's bars are on the main display only.
- You want a start menu of every app, like Launchpad. Jetty is not an all-apps grid: you add the tiles you want.
- You want to restyle the dock itself. ActiveDock's page mentions customizing the appearance of icons and the dock.
Jetty also has no keyboard shortcut to open a bar, and an auto-hidden bar comes back from Jetty's menu-bar item, not when you move the pointer to the edge.
Using both ideas
ActiveDock replaces the Dock; Jetty adds to it, so you would normally pick one. If a window-aware replacement Dock is the main need, ActiveDock is built for that. If the main need is "my daily apps, folders and links one click away, grouped", Jetty is our pick. For a Windows-style taskbar instead, see Jetty vs uBar and Mac taskbar options; for swapping whole sets of the macOS Dock, see Jetty vs Dock Spaces.
How we checked
On 2026-10-10 we read ActiveDock's own page and its FastSpring store page (US prices) for features, price and requirements. We did not install or test ActiveDock and we don't quote ratings. Jetty's details come from its source code; I build Jetty. Nine more dock apps are compared in the best dock apps for Mac, and more ways around the Dock in Mac Dock alternatives compared.
FAQ
What is the best ActiveDock alternative for Mac?
For launching apps, files, folders, websites and Shortcuts, in my opinion as its developer, the best ActiveDock alternative is Jetty: up to four bars on your screen edges with tabs, one-time on the Mac App Store. For a replacement Dock with window previews and a start menu, ActiveDock 2 remains the tool built for that.
Is ActiveDock 2 a one-time purchase?
Its store page lists one-time licences: $19.99 for one Mac with one year of updates, and a Pro Lifetime licence at $59.99 for three Macs (US prices, checked 2026-10-10). Jetty is a $9.99 one-time purchase on the Mac App Store.
Does Jetty replace the Dock like ActiveDock?
No. Jetty adds up to four bars next to the macOS Dock and leaves the Dock as it is. You can keep it, shrink it or hide it.
Does ActiveDock work on macOS Tahoe?
Its page says it requires macOS 14.6 (Sonoma) or later and that macOS 26 (Tahoe) is supported. Jetty needs macOS 14 or later and uses Liquid Glass on Tahoe.
Get Jetty on the Mac App Store. $9.99 one-time purchase, macOS 14 or later.