Switchbar vs. OpenIn
A simple, free link picker for Mac and Windows, instead of a scripting toolkit.
OpenIn is a powerful link handler for Mac, with rules you can script in JavaScript and support for email, phone, and file links. Switchbar takes a simpler path: click a link, pick a browser, profile, or app from one clean row, and set rules in a few clicks. It's free, needs no account, and runs on both Mac and Windows.
Also available on Windows.
· Compared with OpenIn 4
At a glance
Switchbar
A free picker that opens every link in the right browser, profile, or app, with simple rules and link cleanup built in. Best for people who want the right browser every time without building a system first.
OpenIn
An advanced Mac link handler for URLs, email, phone links, and files, with rules that can check the source app, modifier keys, or Focus mode, and run JavaScript. Best for power users who want to script exactly how links are handled.
Simple rules versus scripted rules
OpenIn rules can look at the app a link came from, the modifier keys you hold, your Focus mode, and where the link originated, and they can run JavaScript and regex rewrites. That flexibility is great if you enjoy building your own logic.
Switchbar keeps rules easy to read. Match a URL, domain, or email address with wildcards and choose where it opens. Most rules are created by checking "Remember this choice" in the picker, and you can drag them into order or export them to another computer.
Cleaner links, out of the box
Switchbar removes tracking parameters, unwraps Outlook Safe Links, and expands common short links like bit.ly and t.co by default, so links open clean without any setup.
OpenIn can also expand shortened links, and it can strip tracking parameters with a JavaScript rewrite that you write yourself.
Mac and Windows
OpenIn is available for Mac only and requires macOS 15.1 or later. Switchbar runs on both Mac and Windows with the same picker and rules, which helps if you work across both.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Switchbar | OpenIn |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A free picker that opens every link in the right browser, profile, or app | An advanced link handler for URLs, email, phone links, and files |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows | macOS 15.1 or later |
| Picker | A row of your favorite browsers, profiles, and apps, at the center of the screen or under your pointer, with keyboard shortcuts | Appears when a rule leaves several apps, with full keyboard control |
| Browser profiles | Open links in a specific browser profile, or in an Incognito or InPrivate window | Browser profiles and private windows |
| Desktop apps | Opens links in desktop apps like Zoom, Figma, Spotify, and Notion, suggesting the matching app first | Opens supported links in native apps such as Apple Music, Apple TV, and Zoom |
| Rules | Rules by URL, domain, or email address with wildcards, set in a few clicks or right from the picker | Domain, URL, source app, modifier keys, Focus mode, and link origin, plus JavaScript |
| Link cleanup | Removes tracking parameters and expands common short links, on by default | Expands short links; removes tracking parameters through JavaScript rewrites |
| Email links | Choose a mail app or webmail account for every email link | Can be your default mail app, including webmail |
| Browser extensions | Chrome extension and bookmarklet | Safari, Chrome, and Firefox extensions |
| Languages | 30 languages | 10 languages |
Why Switchbar
Why choose Switchbar
Ready in a minute
Make Switchbar your default browser and it finds your browsers, profiles, and apps on its own. There are no scripts to write before it is useful.
Clean links by default
Tracking parameters are removed and common short links are expanded before a link opens, with nothing to configure.
Free, on Mac and Windows
Switchbar is free, needs no account, and works the same way on both platforms.
Where OpenIn may be a better fit
- You want rules that check the source app, modifier keys, or Focus mode, or that run JavaScript.
- You want one app to also handle phone links, files, and magnet links.
- You automate links with Shortcuts or widgets.
- You prefer getting apps from the Mac App Store or Setapp.
Which should you choose?
Choose OpenIn if you want to script exactly how every kind of link is handled on your Mac.
Choose Switchbar if you want a fast, free picker with simple rules and clean links, on Mac, Windows, or both.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I switch from OpenIn to Switchbar?
- Download Switchbar and make it your default browser. It finds your browsers, profiles, and apps on its own. Pick your favorites, then add rules as you go by checking "Remember this choice" in the picker, or import rules you've exported from another Switchbar install.
- Can Switchbar open links in a specific browser profile?
- Yes. Switchbar lists your browser profiles alongside your browsers, so you can open a link in a specific profile, or in an Incognito or InPrivate window, with one click or a rule.
- Can Switchbar run JavaScript in rules like OpenIn?
- No. Switchbar keeps rules simple: match a URL, domain, or email address with wildcards, then choose where it opens. Most people create rules by checking "Remember this choice" in the picker.
- Is Switchbar free?
- Yes. Switchbar is free to use, with no account needed, and it runs on both Mac and Windows.
Take control of your links today
Free to use. Available for macOS and Windows.
Also available on Windows.
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