Mac App Store and direct editions compared
Several publicspace.net applications are sold both from this website and from the Mac App Store. Apple's naming rules mean the App Store editions carry different names, which causes a fair amount of confusion. This page explains which name belongs to which application, what is identical between the two editions, and where they differ.
Which edition is which
| Sold directly by publicspace.net | Sold on the Mac App Store |
|---|---|
| A Better Finder Rename 12 | Better Rename (free download, renaming requires the Unlimited Renames subscription) |
| A Better Finder Attributes 7 | Photo Date Changer: File Dates, formerly listed as File Multi Tool 7 (one-time purchase) |
| Big Mean Folder Machine | Big Mean Folder Machine 2 (one-time purchase) |
| Vitamin-R 4 | Vitamin-R: Time Boxing Focus (one-time purchase) |
What is the same
Each pair is the same application. The App Store edition and the direct edition are built from the same code, share the same renaming or metadata engine, use the same presets and file formats, and receive the same updates on the same schedule. The help pages apply to both editions. Support for both comes from publicspace.net, not from Apple.
What the App Store sandbox changes
Apple requires every App Store application to run inside the macOS sandbox. This has three practical consequences for file utilities:
- Folder access prompts. The App Store editions can only touch folders you have explicitly granted access to, so they ask for permission the first time you use a folder. Access can be made permanent, see Permanent Folder Access. The direct editions work on any folder your user account can reach.
- No droplets. Droplets, the saved drag-and-drop renaming and attribute-changing applets, are not compatible with the sandbox and exist only in the direct editions.
- Third-party file systems. Network volumes, NAS devices, some USB drives and sync services can behave differently under the sandbox. The direct editions are not affected.
Photo Date Changer: File Dates also lacks the "Show invisible files in the Finder" command of A Better Finder Attributes, because it changes a Finder setting the sandbox does not allow.
How licensing differs
| Direct edition | Mac App Store edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Payment | One-time purchase per major version. Minor updates within a version are free. | Better Rename: in-app Unlimited Renames subscription for 1, 3 or 12 months, tied to your Apple ID. Photo Date Changer: File Dates, Big Mean Folder Machine and Vitamin-R: one-time purchase. |
| Licence types | Single User, Family and Small Business, Business and Enterprise licences. | Single user only, as Apple's terms allow. |
| Major upgrades | Discounted upgrade pricing for owners of the previous version, and a forever-upgrade option. | No upgrade pricing; Apple's store has no concept of an upgrade. |
| Refunds | 60-day no-hassle money-back guarantee on every product, handled by publicspace.net directly. | Refunds are requested from Apple and decided by Apple. |
| Minimum macOS | A Better Finder Rename 12 and A Better Finder Attributes 7 run on macOS 10.15 Catalina or later. | Better Rename requires macOS 13.5 or later; Photo Date Changer: File Dates requires macOS 15 or later. |
| Trial | Free trial download, limited in the number of files per operation. | Better Rename is a free download with the full preview; the App Store offers no trial for its paid applications. |
Switching between editions
A purchase in one edition is not a licence for the other, and the two channels cannot be bridged in both directions. A direct purchase can never be counted towards an App Store purchase: Apple runs its store under its own rules, and we have no way to grant, discount or refund anything bought there. The other way round is in our hands. If you bought an App Store edition and need a feature that only exists in the direct edition, such as droplets, send your App Store receipt to support@publicspace.net and we will send you an unlock code for the equivalent direct edition. The two editions can be installed side by side; they do not share settings or presets automatically, but presets can be exported from one and imported into the other.
Which one should I choose?
If you want Apple to handle payment and updates, do not need droplets and are happy with a single-user licence, the App Store edition is the simpler choice. If you work on network volumes or external drives, use droplets, need a family or business licence, or prefer to own a version outright and decide yourself when to upgrade, the direct edition is built for that. Either way you get the same application and the same support.
More questions are answered in the FAQ.