Utilities · head to head
Hazel vs IINA
Hazel
Utilities
Rule-based file organisation for macOS that watches folders and automatically files, renames or deletes
- From
- $42/one-time
- Rated
- -
IINA
Entertainment
Free open source Mac video player built on mpv, with a native macOS interface
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only IINA has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Hazel there is no free tier, only a 14-day trial, so the full 42 dollar cost is a real barrier for a casual user just wanting one simple rule.; IINA there is no Apple TV or iOS app, so it cannot be used for a living room streaming setup the way Infuse can.
- They diverge on capability: Hazel covers Folder watching, IINA covers mpv playback engine.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Hazel and IINA actually diverge.
Identical on both: platforms (Mac), user rating (Not yet rated).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Hazel
- Folder watching
- Conditional actions
- Content-based matching
- Duplicate detection
- Trash auto-empty
- App Sweep
Only in IINA
- mpv playback engine
- Native macOS interface
- Trackpad gestures
- Picture-in-picture
- Subtitle and audio track control
- Music mode
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Hazel
- A freelancer who wants invoices and receipts auto-filed into client folders based on the text inside themnot IINA
- Anyone whose Downloads folder becomes unmanageable and wants files auto-sorted by type or agenot IINA
- A photographer who wants imported files renamed by date pattern and moved to a project folder automaticallynot IINA
- A user who wants old files in a scratch folder auto-deleted after a set number of days without remembering to clear it manuallynot IINA
IINA
- A Mac user who wants to play locally stored or downloaded video files in formats QuickTime Player does not supportnot Hazel
- Someone who wants a free player with real trackpad gesture support for seeking and volumenot Hazel
- A user who wants picture-in-picture video while working in other appsnot Hazel
- Anyone who prefers a graphical Mac-native player over configuring raw mpv from the command linenot Hazel
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Hazel
- There is no free tier, only a 14-day trial, so the full 42 dollar cost is a real barrier for a casual user just wanting one simple rule.
- Rules are entirely hand-built, so the tool provides no value until a user invests time writing and testing conditions.
- A misconfigured rule can silently move, rename or delete the wrong files, and mistakes are only obvious after the fact unless tested carefully first.
- It is Mac only, so it does nothing for a Windows machine sharing the same file workflow.
- It focuses purely on file automation, so a user also wanting window management, clipboard history or gesture control needs entirely separate tools.
IINA
- There is no Apple TV or iOS app, so it cannot be used for a living room streaming setup the way Infuse can.
- It has no polished network share or cloud storage library browser, so streaming from a NAS or cloud drive is more manual than with Infuse.
- As a volunteer open source project, new feature development and bug fixes depend on contributor availability rather than a funded team.
- It is Mac only, so there is no equivalent app for Windows users in a mixed household.
- Advanced mpv configuration is still exposed for power users, which can be confusing for someone who just wants simple playback with no options.
Pricing, plan by plan
Hazel
$42/one-time- Single User Licence$42/one-time
- One user, Hazel 6
- Free updates within the major version
- 14-day free trial before purchase
- Family Pack$65/one-time
- Multiple users covered under one purchase
- Same feature set as the single licence
IINA
Free- IINAFree
- Free and open source
- No account or subscription
- Full feature set with no paywall
Which should you pick?
Choose Hazel if
- You need folder watching.
- You work on Mac.
- You also want conditional actions.
Choose IINA if
- You need mpv playback engine.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Mac.
- You also want native macos interface.
Questions people ask
- Is Hazel or IINA better?
- Neither clearly leads. Hazel starts at $42/one-time and IINA at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Hazel or IINA?
- IINA has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $42/one-time for Hazel and Free for IINA.
- Does Hazel or IINA run on more platforms?
- Both run on Mac, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use IINA for free?
- Yes. IINA has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hazel starts at $42/one-time.
- What is Hazel best used for?
- Hazel is most often used for a freelancer who wants invoices and receipts auto-filed into client folders based on the text inside them, anyone whose downloads folder becomes unmanageable and wants files auto-sorted by type or age, a photographer who wants imported files renamed by date pattern and moved to a project folder automatically, a user who wants old files in a scratch folder auto-deleted after a set number of days without remembering to clear it manually. Of those, a freelancer who wants invoices and receipts auto-filed into client folders based on the text inside them and anyone whose downloads folder becomes unmanageable and wants files auto-sorted by type or age are not what IINA is typically brought in for.
- What can Hazel do that IINA cannot?
- Hazel covers Folder watching, Conditional actions, Content-based matching, Duplicate detection. IINA covers mpv playback engine, Native macOS interface, Trackpad gestures, Picture-in-picture.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Hazel: Is Hazel a subscription?
No. It is a one-time purchase per major version, currently 42 US dollars for a single user licence.
IINA: Is IINA free?
Yes, entirely, and it is open source with no paid tier or subscription.
Hazel: Can Hazel read the content of files, not just names?
Yes, rules can match on text found inside supported file types such as PDFs and text documents.
IINA: What is the difference between IINA and mpv?
IINA is built on the mpv engine but adds a full native macOS graphical interface, menus and gestures that mpv does not have on its own.
Hazel: Does Hazel run in the background automatically?
Yes, it watches configured folders continuously and applies rules as files change, with no manual trigger needed.
IINA: Does IINA work on Apple TV?
No. IINA is Mac only. For Apple TV playback, Infuse is the comparable option.
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