KakuchiThe short version
Kakuchi is a widget app rather than a dashboard. Widgets can go anywhere on the desktop, and also in the notch, the menu bar and on the lock screen. If a widget doesn't exist, you describe it and AI builds it.
Orbl's free version is generous and its look is calm and consistent. Pick it if you want a ready-made dashboard and nothing else.
Orbl is a calm wallpaper dashboard for the Mac, free to use, with a Premium unlock for business integrations. Its own headline: “Orbl: Your Mac desktop, beautifully alive”
Side by side
| Feature | Kakuchi | Orbl |
|---|---|---|
| Where widgets go | Desktop, notch, menu bar, lock screen | Desktop (wallpaper dashboard) |
| Built-in widgets | 50+ | About 14 free, plus Premium integrations |
| Make your own | Describe it and AI builds it, with your own key or a local model | Custom API tile in Premium |
| Free version | No (14-day refund) | Yes |
| Price | $14.99 one-time at launch (regular $24) | Free; Premium $39 for the first 50 buyers, then $49 |
| Runs on | macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel | macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon |
Checked October 2026 from orbl.app. “Not stated” means we couldn’t find it on their pages, not that it’s missing. Products change, so check before you decide. Kakuchi isn’t affiliated with Orbl.
Choose Orbl if
- You want a free, ready-made dashboard on your wallpaper.
- You need its business integrations out of the box.
Choose Kakuchi if
- You want widgets beyond the desktop: the notch, the menu bar, the lock screen, on top of full screen.
- You want to place and size each widget yourself.
- You want a widget that doesn't exist yet, built by describing it.
- You'd rather pay $14.99 than $39 to $49.
Questions
- Is Kakuchi an Orbl alternative?
- For most people, yes. Both put live information on the Mac desktop. Orbl is a fixed dashboard on the wallpaper; Kakuchi is separate widgets you place anywhere, including the notch, menu bar and lock screen.