Spacepal vs DesktopRenamer
If you only want names on your desktops and don't want to pay, use DesktopRenamer: it is free, MIT-licensed and shows your names in Mission Control. Choose Spacepal if you also want a live-preview overview, window search across Spaces and your windows restored after a restart.
Comparison
| Spacepal | DesktopRenamer | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 launch price (regular $12.99), 3 Macs, all future updates | Free, MIT licence |
| Names in Mission Control | Yes | Yes |
| Live previews of every Space | Yes | No |
| Window search across Spaces | Yes | Yes, from its launcher (v1.15.0, September 2026) |
| Restores windows after a restart | Yes, with limits by macOS version | No; its settings transfer moves names and preferences |
| Automation | URL scheme, AppleScript, MCP server, Raycast | JSON-RPC API, AppleScript, Raycast |
| Space locking | Yes | Yes |
| System Integrity Protection | Stays on | Stays on |
| System | macOS 14 or later | macOS 13 or later |
| App signing | Signed and notarized | Unverified developer; its README covers approving it in Privacy & Security |
| Source code | Closed; MCP server is open | Open |
Details checked 2026-11-05 from the DesktopRenamer repository, latest release v1.16.1. We have not run DesktopRenamer ourselves. "Not stated" means its README does not mention it.
The differences that matter
Names against a manager
DesktopRenamer solves one problem well. Spacepal is built around seeing every Space at once and moving between them, so most of what you pay for is beyond naming.
Install trust
DesktopRenamer asks you to approve an app from an unverified developer, but you can read its code. Spacepal is notarized by Apple, but its app is closed source.
When DesktopRenamer is the better choice
- You only want names, and free matters most.
- You want to read or change the source.
- You are on macOS 13.
When Spacepal is the better choice
- You want to see what is on each desktop before you go there.
- You want to find a window across Spaces, or get your windows back after a restart.
- You want an app that is signed, notarized and supported by a vendor.
Related
- Rename desktops on a Mac for free
- macOS 27 Mission Control and Spaces fixes
- All comparisons and alternatives
We make Spacepal, so read this with that in mind. Competitor details come from their own sites and are dated; if something is out of date, email support@getspacepal.com and we will fix it.
Written by Dan Bayer, developer of Spacepal. Last updated 2026-11-06.