How Orrel compares
Orrel vs Hazel: which Mac file organiser fits
Hazel runs your own rules on any folder; Orrel files Desktop and Downloads with three fixed templates that read what is inside each file. A fair comparison of what each does, what each costs, and who each suits.
Hazel, by Noodlesoft, has been the standard answer to "how do I organise files automatically on a Mac" for many years. Orrel covers some of the same ground with a different idea. This page sets out where they overlap and where they do not, so you can pick the one that fits. Facts about Hazel come from Noodlesoft's own site, linked at the end, checked on 25 October 2026.
The short version
- Choose Hazel if you want to write your own rules for any folder: match by name, date, type or source, then move, rename, tag, archive or upload.
- Choose Orrel if you want Desktop and Downloads filed without writing rules, with invoices and screenshots named from what is inside them, and you would use its other tools: search, PDFs, conversion, screenshots and recording.
How they approach organising
Hazel watches the folders you choose and applies rules you build. Noodlesoft describes it sorting files by attributes such as name, date, type and source site, with actions including open, archive, tag, upload, rename and sort into subfolders. Rules can be combined into detailed workflows. It can also manage the Trash, removing old files or emptying it when it grows too large, and its App Sweep feature offers to remove the support files a deleted app leaves behind.
Orrel works on Desktop and Downloads with three templates. Invoices and receipts are recognised from the text inside them and renamed by date, vendor and total. Screenshots are filed by month and named after the words on screen. Everything else is sorted by type. You see every move before it happens, any run can be undone from History, and a waiting period keeps new files where they are.
| Hazel | Orrel | |
|---|---|---|
| Rules | Your own, with conditions and actions | Three fixed templates, on or off |
| Folders | Any you choose | Desktop and Downloads |
| Names from file contents | Not described on Noodlesoft's site | Invoices (date, vendor, total) and screenshots (text on screen) |
| Preview and undo | Not described on Noodlesoft's site | Every move previewed; every run undoable |
| Trash and app leftovers | Trash management and App Sweep | Clean Up: old installers, large files and exact duplicates, to the Trash after review |
| Price | $42 single user, $65 family pack for up to 5 household members | $15 one Mac, $30 three, $50 five |
Where Hazel is stronger
- Custom rules. If your filing depends on details only you know, such as client names in file names or the website a download came from, Hazel can express it. Orrel cannot.
- Any folder. Hazel works wherever you point it. Orrel tidies Desktop and Downloads only.
- More actions. Tagging, archiving, uploading and running scripts go well beyond what Orrel's templates do.
- App leftovers. App Sweep cleans up after deleted apps. Orrel does not.
Where Orrel is different
- No rules to write. Switch on a template and see the proposed moves.
- Reads the file. Invoices are named from the vendor and total in the document, and screenshots from their text, using on-device recognition.
- Preview first, undo after. Every run is shown before it happens and recorded so it can be put back.
- More than filing. Plain-language search across your Mac, PDF merging and compression, file conversion, screenshots with markup, screen recording with system audio, a localhost monitor and an MCP server for AI assistants.
Honest limits on Orrel's side
Orrel only tidies while it is open, though it can sit in the menu bar and open at login. Invoice detection can miss bills or get a vendor wrong. Files that match no template stay where they are. If a lot of your filing needs rules, Orrel will feel limited, and Hazel is the better choice.
Sources
- Noodlesoft: Hazel, for features. Checked 25 October 2026.
- Noodlesoft store, for prices. Checked 25 October 2026.
Questions
Can I use Hazel and Orrel together?
Yes, but do not point both at the same folder, or they will compete for the same files. A common split is Orrel for Desktop and Downloads and Hazel for folders that need custom rules.
Does Orrel have rules like Hazel's?
No. Orrel has three templates you switch on or off: Invoices and receipts, Screenshots and Downloads. You cannot add conditions or actions.
Which is cheaper?
Hazel's single-user licence is $42 and its family pack $65, according to Noodlesoft's store on 25 October 2026. Orrel is $15 for one Mac, $30 for three and $50 for five, one-time. Check both stores for current prices.