Is Bunch.app free, and how do I get started?

Updated

Yes. Bunch.app is free, according to its own welcome page, which notes there are no special discounts or prizes because the tool costs nothing. You get started by creating a Bunch Folder, adding a plain text file with one app or command per line, and then triggering that file from Bunch's menu. The page does not describe any paid tier, account requirement, or download steps beyond "Learn more," so treat the free claim as the vendor's statement and check the site for the current download and any system requirements before installing.

What Bunch actually is

Bunch is a macOS automation tool. It watches a folder of plain text files — the Bunch Folder — and turns each file into a menu item. Each line in a file tells Bunch to do one thing: launch an app, load a file, open a website, or change a system setting. The page describes it as "like AppleScript but way easier," and the syntax is meant to be readable at a glance.

The page's own example line is:

Audio Hijack (audio input Scarlett Solo) (do not disturb)

That single line launches Audio Hijack, sets its audio input, and turns on Do Not Disturb. Parenthetical modifiers attach to the app or setting they follow.

Getting started, step by step

  1. Install Bunch and locate its Bunch Folder. The page says the Bunch Folder "contains all your Bunches," and that files in it "become a menu." The exact location is not given on this page, so confirm it in the app or documentation after installing.
  2. Create a plain text file inside that folder. Name it for the context you want, such as Comms.bunch or Code.bunch — the page shows both naming styles in its examples.
  3. Add one task per line. Start with a single app launch to verify the setup works, then add settings, files, or websites on their own lines.
  4. Trigger it from the menu. Each file in the folder appears as a menu item; selecting it runs the lines in order.
  5. Verify and iterate. If a line does nothing, check that the app name matches exactly and that any parenthetical modifiers are valid for that app. Add lines one at a time so you can tell which one fails.

What you can automate

The page groups capabilities into: launch apps, load files, open websites, change settings, and "automate everything" via scripts and system tasks. Its worked examples show the range:

Scenario What the Bunch does
Screencast prep Hides Dock, changes wallpaper, hides Desktop icons and open windows, loads the recording app; on close, reverses each change
Podcasting Opens recording software, starts a show-notes document, sets audio inputs/outputs, pauses backups to save bandwidth, restores everything afterward
Coding Closes Finder windows, opens the project folder, opens iTerm in the project directory and runs git pull, opens the project in your editor; can start a time-tracker timer
Social media limits A scheduled Bunch closes Twitter and similar apps during set times; toggling it relaunches them
Web development Opens the project in your editor, starts a local web server, and creates a single-site browser to monitor changes

The pattern across all of these is context switching: build a "context" for a mode of work and flip between contexts with a couple of keystrokes.

Practical notes before you commit

  • Plain text is the whole format. There is no proprietary project file, so your Bunches are portable and editable in any text editor.
  • Reversibility matters. Several examples depend on Bunch undoing changes when a Bunch closes. Test that behavior on your own setup before relying on it for something like restoring your wallpaper.
  • Scheduling exists but the page only mentions it in the social-media example; check the documentation for how scheduled Bunches are configured.
  • Cost: the page states Bunch is free. It does not mention pricing tiers, trials, or payment, and it also does not state licensing terms, so verify those on the site if they matter to you.

For more worked examples, the page points to its examples section ("See more examples"), which is the fastest way to find a starting template close to your own workflow.