The Best Web2Desk Alternatives for Desktop App Conversion
Web2Desk has been a popular free tool for converting your favorite websites into convenient desktop applications across various platforms like OSX, Linux, and Windows. It solves the common problem of managing numerous browser tabs by allowing users to have dedicated desktop apps for frequently used websites like Product Hunt, Quora, or web.whatsapp.com. However, as with any software, users often look for alternatives that might offer different features, better performance, or specific functionalities. This article explores the top Web2Desk alternative options available today.
Top Web2Desk Alternatives
If you're looking to streamline your digital workspace by turning web apps into desktop applications, these alternatives offer compelling features and diverse approaches to achieve that goal. Whether you prioritize open-source solutions, extensive integrations, or unique productivity tools, there's a Web2Desk alternative for you.
Shift
Shift is a powerful workstation designed for productivity, making it a robust Web2Desk alternative. It allows you to manage multiple email accounts, calendars, and your favorite apps in one streamlined interface. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, Shift offers features like unified search, quick switching using hotkeys, a unified inbox, and integrations with popular services like Gmail, Google Apps, Google Drive, and Outlook. While Freemium, its extensive features make it a strong contender for those looking to consolidate their web applications.
Rambox
Rambox is a free, open-source, and cross-platform messaging and emailing app that aggregates common web applications into one, offering a direct Web2Desk alternative. It supports multiple protocols, features a web application wrapper, and includes built-in themes. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, Rambox's open-source nature and features like portability and integration with Skype, Slack, and Telegram make it a highly customizable choice for users who value flexibility and community support.
Franz
Franz is a free messaging app that combines various chat and messaging services into one application, serving as an excellent Web2Desk alternative for communication-heavy users. It supports multiple protocols and offers unified messaging for services like Slack, WhatsApp, Gitter, and Gmail. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, Franz provides a lightweight wrapper for web services, making it easy to manage multiple accounts and stay connected without numerous browser tabs.
Station
Station positions itself as the first smart workstation for busy people, providing a single place for all your web applications and acting as a comprehensive Web2Desk alternative. This Freemium tool for Mac, Windows, and Linux focuses on app integration, program launchers, and live push notifications, simplifying your workflow and reducing digital clutter. Its focus on productivity and organization makes it ideal for users managing many web-based tools.
GNOME Web
GNOME Web, also known as Epiphany, is the web browser for the GNOME desktop, based on the popular WebKit engine. For Linux and BSD users, it serves as a lightweight, open-source Web2Desk alternative for specific use cases. It offers a simple, clean interface, built-in ad-blocker, integrated PDF viewer, and the ability to place websites on the desktop, providing a native feel for web applications without additional software.
Fluid
Fluid is a Mac-specific Web2Desk alternative designed for users who frequently use web apps like Gmail, Facebook, or Pandora. It excels at turning any web application into a dedicated desktop application (Site-Specific Browser or SSB), helping to reduce browser tab overload and improve stability. Fluid's primary feature is its ability to place websites on the desktop, giving them the feel of native applications, which is particularly useful for Mac users.
Shift
Shift is an email client that streamlines navigation between Mail, Calendar, Drive, and your favorite Apps & Extensions for Gmail, Outlook.com, and Office 365, making it a powerful Web2Desk alternative for email-centric workflows. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, Shift offers unified search, multiple account support, quick switching, a unified inbox, and extensive integrations with Google Apps, Google Drive, and Salesforce. Its robust feature set and cross-platform compatibility make it a strong option for consolidating your web services.
WebCatalog
WebCatalog is a versatile Web2Desk alternative that allows you to turn any web app into a desktop app (Site-Specific Browser) with enhanced features to boost your workflow. It also focuses on protecting user privacy. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, WebCatalog is Freemium and open-source, offering features like browser-based functionality, cross-platform support, multiple profiles, separated workspaces, and the ability to place websites on the desktop, making it highly flexible and secure.
Ripcord
Ripcord is a desktop chat client specifically for group-centric services like Slack and Discord. While not a direct web-to-desktop converter for any site, it serves as an excellent Web2Desk alternative for users primarily looking to manage these communication platforms outside a browser. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, Ripcord is a native application designed for power users, offering features like server management, Slack Threads in Tabs, voice call, and a compact interface for efficient chat management.
Ferdi
Ferdi is a hard-fork of Franz, focusing on adding new features and removing unwanted ones, making it an excellent open-source Web2Desk alternative for messaging consolidation. Available for free on Mac, Windows, and Linux, and even self-hosted, Ferdi emphasizes security and privacy. It functions as an all-in-one messaging client, supporting multiple messengers and workspaces, including Slack, and can also act as an Evernote Client, providing a comprehensive solution for managing various web services.
Applicationize
Applicationize offers a seamless way to convert web apps into desktop apps, with their own dedicated launcher icon. As a free and open-source tool, it primarily operates as a Google Chrome Extension, making it a straightforward Web2Desk alternative for Chrome OS users or those who prefer a browser-based solution. It's a simple yet effective way to create dedicated shortcuts for your favorite web services.
With a variety of options available, from dedicated multi-app clients to open-source solutions and browser-based extensions, finding the perfect Web2Desk alternative depends on your specific needs. Explore these tools to discover which best fits your workflow and helps you transform your favorite websites into productive desktop applications.