The archive · Developer & Business Tools · Product decision · 2026
boringBar bets Mac users want a taskbar: HN 520 pts, paid $29.99 app
A solo dev replaced the macOS Dock with a Windows-style taskbar showing windows per desktop; Show HN hit 520 points, and it now sells at $29.99 perpetual.
boringBar
What the business is
boringBar is a paid native macOS utility that replaces the Dock with a taskbar: it shows only the windows on the active desktop per display, offers thumbnail previews, one-click desktop switching, pinned apps and a searchable app launcher.
How it started
The developer, an ex-Linux (Fedora/GNOME) user, switched to a MacBook Air while traveling more and missed a taskbar that shows the windows in the current workspace instead of a Dock that mixes everything together; he built boringBar for himself, dogfooded it for months, then published it on April 12, 2026.
What happened
The Show HN drew 520 points and 308 comments, with users requesting features and debating the subscription price; the developer responded throughout the thread and later added options including a $29.99 perpetual license alongside the $7.99/yr subscription, plus business licensing.
How it ended up
Still live as of 2026-09 with paid personal and business licensing.
Background
boringBar is a native macOS utility that replaces the Dock with a taskbar. It shows only the windows on the active desktop for each display, adds thumbnail previews, one-click desktop switching, pinned apps, notification badges and a searchable app launcher, and can hide the Dock entirely.
The developer, a Fedora/GNOME user who switched to a MacBook Air while traveling more, missed a taskbar that reflects the current workspace. He built boringBar for himself, dogfooded it for months, then posted it as a Show HN on April 12, 2026, where it drew 520 points and 308 comments — mostly feature requests and a debate over subscription pricing.
The developer answered feedback in-thread, and the product now sells a 14-day free trial, a $29.99 perpetual personal license (2 devices) and a $7.99/yr subscription, plus business licensing from $3.49/seat/yr. As of September 2026 it is still live.
What has to be true
- The wedge is visible in one screenshot: per-desktop window counts and previews, which the Dock and Mission Control don't show at a glance.
- The Show HN thread was a free focus group — 308 comments of feature requests and pricing feedback that directly shaped the product.
- The developer met the pricing objection with a perpetual option rather than forcing a subscription, keeping buyers with both preferences.
- It targets a real gap: users of uBar, ActiveDock and SwitchGlass existed and were already paying for taskbar-style tools on macOS.
What can be applied
One strong wedge — per-desktop window visibility — can launch an indie Mac app; the HN thread doubled as a feature roadmap, and offering perpetual plus subscription answered the pricing debate.
Aftermath
As of 2026-09-02 boringBar is still live and sold as paid software: a 14-day free trial, a $29.99 perpetual personal license covering two devices, a $7.99/yr subscription, and business licensing from $3.49 per seat per year. The mySelectas review (2026-07-25) rates it a well-built fix for multi-desktop users while noting it requires Accessibility and Screen Recording permissions and is of little use on a single desktop.
Sources
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