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Omaculate vs Hazel: which Mac folder tidier fits you?

Hazel is the long-standing power tool: rules run on their own in the background, with text recognition, scripts and Shortcuts as actions. Omaculate does less and asks more. It shows every planned move as a list, waits for your Approve, only ever sends files to the Trash, and costs less.

Facts about Hazel checked on November 4, 2026, from the sources listed below.

OmaculateHazel
PriceFree version, 3-day free trial, then $14.99 once for Grand Oma$42 one-time licence, $65 Family Pack, $20 upgrade from an earlier version; 14-day trial
Where to buyMac App StoreNoodlesoft's own store
Works onmacOS 15 or latermacOS 13 Ventura or later (Hazel 6)
Making rulesRecipes read as a sentence, with 13 ready-made suggestionsPer-folder rules with conditions and actions, much like rules in Apple Mail
Before anything happensEvery run is shown as a list first. Untick rows, then press Approve (Ask first). Grand Oma can switch a recipe to Just handle it.Rules run automatically. Preview Rule checks whether one file matches, without running actions
UndoMoves, renames and tags undo per file or per run for 90 days. Trashed files come back from the Trash.Revert (new in Hazel 6) puts one file back where it was, with its name and tags
The TrashOnly moves files to the Trash, and Trash rows always ask first. It never empties the Trash.Optional Trash settings can permanently delete files after a set time or above a size limit
Reads what is in a fileSmart naming and "looks like an invoice" on macOS 26 with Apple Intelligence (Grand Oma)Text recognition for PDFs and images that have no text layer yet
Scripts and automationNo scriptingRun Shortcuts, AppleScript, JavaScript, Automator workflows and shell scripts
ExtrasReminders on files, unzip, folder per year or monthApp Sweep (cleans up after apps you trash), uploads, imports to Photos and Music

Where Omaculate fits better

You see the whole plan first

Each run shows every move, rename and Trash row as one list. Nothing happens until you press Approve.

Nothing is deleted for good

Omaculate only moves files to the Trash, never empties it, and every Trash row asks first.

Less to set up, less to pay

Pick a ready-made recipe and Oma scans the folder with it. $14.99 once, on the Mac App Store.

Where Hazel is the better pick

Far more power

Hazel matches on many more attributes, recognises text in scans, and can run Shortcuts, AppleScript and shell scripts as actions.

Fully unattended

If you want rules to just run in the background with no approval step at all, Hazel is built for that.

Trash and app clean-up

Hazel can manage the Trash by age or size, and App Sweep offers to clean up support files when you trash an app.

Older Macs

Hazel 6 runs on macOS 13 and 14, which Omaculate does not support.

Choose Hazel if…

Choose Hazel if you like building rules, want them running on their own across many folders, and need scripts or text recognition.

Choose Omaculate if…

Choose Omaculate if you want Downloads and the Desktop tidied with ready-made recipes, a list to approve before anything moves, and nothing ever deleted for good.

Questions

Is Omaculate a Hazel replacement?

For tidying Downloads and the Desktop, often yes. For scripting, text recognition, uploads and many folders of chained rules, Hazel does far more.

Is Hazel on the Mac App Store?

Noodlesoft's pages point to its own store. Omaculate is sold on the Mac App Store.

Can I use both?

Yes, but give them different folders. Two apps moving the same files will get in each other's way.

Sources (checked November 4, 2026)

Hazel is a product of Noodlesoft. Names are trademarks of their owners. Spotted something out of date? Write to [email protected].

Let Oma have a look at your Downloads.

Free for one folder. Everything free for 3 days, then Grand Oma is $14.99, once.

Coming soon to the Mac App Store Needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later