Native · macOS 26 · Apple silicon
Two panes. A real terminal. No surprises.
Portside is a native, keyboard-first file manager for macOS — the two-pane discipline of the classics, a working shell below deck, and a transfer engine that never overwrites anything you didn’t confirm.
7-day free trial, full app · One-time purchase · No subscription
What’s aboard
The two-pane discipline, kept.
One window, two folders, and commands that do exactly what they say.
Two panes, held in tabs
Each side keeps its own tabs, sort and path. Quit mid-work; Portside reopens exactly as you left it — folders, tabs, window frame and all.
A terminal below deck
Not a command palette: a real login shell in a real PTY. Start a dev server, run a build, hold an ssh session — it follows the pane as you navigate.
Transfers that stage, then commit
Copies land under a hidden name and take the real one only once complete. A failed or cancelled transfer leaves your files exactly as they were.
Conflicts get answers, not accidents
Every collision is a question — keep or overwrite, per item. Folders merge instead of clobbering. Nothing is replaced until its replacement fully exists.
Deletion keeps receipts
F8 moves things to the Trash and ⌘Z brings them back. Permanent deletion exists — as its own explicit command, never a silent fallback.
Mac-native to the last detail
SwiftUI and AppKit, light and dark, Quick Look previews, Favorites, volume eject, free space in the footer. No Electron anywhere aboard.
Below deck
A working shell in the hull.
Expand the bar at the bottom of the window and you’re in your login shell — not a sandboxed imitation. Processes run, servers serve, ssh holds. Change folders in the pane and the shell walks with you; ⌘-click a link in the output and it opens in your browser.
Safety
Nothing goes overboard.
Four rules the transfer engine will not break — not for speed, not for convenience.
- Never overwrite unconfirmed. A file is only ever replaced after you explicitly said so — per item, not per batch.
- Replacement before removal. Nothing is destroyed until whatever replaces it fully exists on disk.
- Moves across drives keep the source until the destination is confirmed. If that last step fails, you have both copies — and Portside says exactly what happened.
- Success means read back. An operation reports done only after the result is verified on disk — not when the call returns.
Keyboard
Hands on the keys, always.
The classic commander keys, honoured — and the Mac ones beside them.
The full roster lives in the app — press ⇧⌘/
Pricing
One price. No meter running.
€14
One-time purchase · plus tax where applicable- The app, signed and notarized
- A personal license that moves with you, Mac to Mac
- Every update included, forever
- 14-day refunds, no interrogation
Test mode: this checkout runs against Paddle's sandbox — test cards only, no real charges. Live checkout arrives at launch.
Start the free 7-day trial today
Checkout by Paddle — card, Apple Pay or PayPal, with VAT and receipts handled.
Requires macOS 26 (Tahoe) or later · Apple silicon
FAQ
Fair questions.
What does it run on?
macOS 26 (Tahoe) or later, on Apple silicon. There is no Intel build.
Why isn’t it on the App Store?
The built-in terminal runs your real login shell with real processes — the App Store sandbox doesn’t allow that. Selling direct is what keeps the terminal real, and the price one-time.
How do updates work?
Every purchase includes every update, forever — no upgrade fees, no paid 2.0. Portside checks this site for new versions and installs them in place, with your consent, never behind your back.
Is there a trial?
Yes — 7 days, the full app, no account needed. When it ends, Portside asks for a license; your files and settings stay exactly where they were.
Where does my license key come from?
It lands in your inbox right after checkout, sent from getportside.com; your Paddle receipt arrives separately. If you ever lose it, write to support@getportside.com and we’ll resend it.
Does Portside phone home?
No telemetry, no analytics, no account. Portside talks to this site for two things only: checking for updates, and confirming your license is active on this Mac. Neither carries anything about your files or how you use the app.
Can I move my license to a new Mac?
Yes — a license is active on one Mac at a time, and moving is self-serve: enter your key on the new Mac and the license moves with you. The old install steps aside on its next check. No ticket, no deactivation ceremony.