Pinster provides quick access to frequently visited websites through floating windows and menu bar integration. The app eliminates the need to switch to a full browser by offering alternative access methods including menu bar dropdowns, floating bubbles, and keyboard shortcuts.
Floating bubbles pin websites as always-visible elements on screen edges (right or bottom). Bubbles expand to full windows on hover and collapse when the cursor moves away, minimizing screen clutter while maintaining accessibility. Users can drag corners to resize expanded windows. Option-drag enables repositioning of expanded windows while holding the Option key.
Global hotkeys open pinned sites with keyboard shortcuts without requiring Accessibility permission. Triple-tap shortcuts activate sites by pressing modifier keys three times rapidly - for example, triple-tapping Option opens the configured site from the menu bar, while triple-tapping Command activates the floating bubble site. The app ships with Claude and ChatGPT as default examples.
Favicon display shows site icons or page previews in bubbles for visual identification. Mobile view rendering option displays websites with mobile user agent strings for compact layouts optimized for smaller windows. The menu bar interface provides dropdown access to all pinned sites.
Built primarily in Swift (95.8% of codebase) with a modular architecture supporting hotkey management, bubble windows, and web view handling. Auto-launch functionality enables automatic startup at login for continuous availability.
System requirements: macOS 13 or later. Swift 5.9+ and Xcode Command Line Tools required for building from source.
Installation: Available via Homebrew (brew tap nickustinov/pinster && brew install --cask pinster) or manual DMG download from GitHub Releases.
Pricing: Free and open-source under MIT License with no restrictions on use or modification.
Limitations: Floating bubbles are limited to right and bottom screen edges. No built-in synchronization of pinned sites across multiple Macs. Web view functionality may have compatibility issues with sites requiring specific browser features or extensions.
Alternatives: Users seeking full browser integration may prefer browser extensions like Sidebar or Pop-out. For more comprehensive website management, Fluid or Unite enable creating standalone site-specific browsers. Browsers with native picture-in-picture or split-view features provide similar quick-access functionality.
Suitable for developers, knowledge workers, and users frequently accessing specific websites who prefer quick desktop access over browser switching. Best for users who maintain a small set of regularly accessed web applications and value screen space efficiency.
