Hazel for Mac: what it does, what it costs, and simpler options
Hazel automates your Mac's folders with rules you write. What it does, its $42 price, three rules worth copying, and when a simpler app is enough.
Hazel is a Mac app by Noodlesoft that watches the folders you choose and applies rules you write: when a file matches your conditions, Hazel moves, renames, tags, archives or deletes it, in the background. Hazel 6 costs $42 once ($65 for a family pack, $20 to upgrade) and needs macOS 13 Ventura or later, checked on September 22, 2026 on noodlesoft.com. It is the most complete rule engine for files on the Mac.
What Hazel does
A Hazel rule has two halves: conditions and actions.
- Conditions look at a file’s name, extension, kind, dates, size, tags, the website it was downloaded from, and more, combined with any or all.
- Actions move, copy, rename, tag, sort into subfolders, archive, open, upload or delete the file, and can run a shortcut, an AppleScript or a shell script.
Two extras have nothing to do with rules:
- App Sweep: when you drag an app to the Trash, Hazel finds the support files it left behind and offers to delete them too.
- Trash management: Hazel can delete files that have sat in the Trash too long, or empty it when it grows past a size you set.
Three rules worth copying
- Clean installers out of Downloads. Folder: Downloads. Conditions: extension is
dmgorpkg, and date added is not in the last 7 days. Action: move to Trash. - File statements by bank. Folder: Downloads. Conditions: extension is
pdf, and source URL contains your bank’s domain. Actions: rename with the date added in front, then move toDocuments/Admin/Bank. - Sort screenshots by month. Folder: Desktop. Condition: name starts with
Screenshot. Action: sort into subfolders by date created, in a pattern like2026-09.
Rules run in order, top to bottom, and Hazel checks them each time a watched folder changes. Use the preview in the rule editor to see which files match before you save a rule that deletes anything.
Where Hazel is hard
- You write the rules. Hazel only acts on the folders and rules you set up. The first useful set takes an evening, and the rule editor has a learning curve.
- It is $42. Fair for what it does, and a lot if all you want is a tidy Downloads folder.
- A wrong rule acts on its own. A rule that deletes, deletes in the background. Test with a move to a review folder before switching to delete.
Simpler options
If Hazel is more than you need, three cheaper routes:
| Option | Price | Good for | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeclutrDeclutr | free, Pro $8.99 once | one-click sort by type, with Undo | moves files, never renames or deletes them |
| Finder + Shortcuts (macOS 26 Tahoe) | free | a few rules on one folder | each rule built by hand, no undo |
| Folder Tidy | $2.99 on sale (Sept. 22, 2026) | one-click sort by rules | last updated October 2025, dated interface, no watched folders listed |
The full comparison, AI organizers included: the best file organizer apps for Mac.
Hazel or Declutr?
- Choose Hazel if you want to rename files, match on the site a download came from, delete on a schedule, run scripts, or clean up after uninstalled apps. Declutr does none of those.
- Choose Declutr if you want a messy folder sorted into Documents, Images, Videos, Audio, Archives, Apps, Code & Scripts and 3D Models in one click, with one Undo button that puts every file back, and simple rules (name, extension, age, size) for the rest.
- If you already own Hazel, Declutr still saves you writing a rule per category: the sort by type is one click, and one Undo button puts the whole sort back, which Hazel doesn’t offer.
Declutr’s sort is free; Pro, a one-time $8.99 purchase in the US, adds watched folders, scheduled cleanups and Smart Rules. It doesn’t read file content or use AI, and it needs macOS 13 Ventura or later, like Hazel 6.
Point by point, with how to switch: looking for a Hazel alternative?
Related: Smart Folders on Mac and how to delete downloads on a Mac.
Questions people ask
What is Hazel on Mac?
Hazel is a Mac app by Noodlesoft that watches folders and applies rules you create: when a file matches conditions such as name, date, type or the website it came from, Hazel moves, renames, tags, archives or deletes it on its own.
How much does Hazel cost?
Hazel 6 costs $42 for a single-user license and $65 for a family pack, as a one-time purchase. Upgrading from an earlier version costs $20. Prices checked on September 22, 2026, on noodlesoft.com.
Is Hazel free?
No. Hazel has a free trial, then a one-time license. Declutr's one-click sort is free, and its Pro rules and watched folders cost $8.99 once. Finder's Smart Folders, Stacks and Shortcuts automations are free too, but every rule is built by hand.
Is Hazel worth it?
If you want rules that rename, tag and delete files, and you enjoy building them, yes. If you mostly want Downloads and the Desktop sorted, Declutr does it in one click for free, and its Pro rules cost $8.99 instead of $42.