Coherence X and WebCatalog Desktop agree on the engine: both run your site apps on Chromium, the engine behind Chrome. Where they part ways is where that Chromium comes from.
Coherence X borrows it from a browser you already have installed on your Mac. WebCatalog Desktop brings its own, which is why it can run the same way on any computer, and why it can put several accounts inside one app. That one design choice explains most of the differences below.
At a glance
| WebCatalog Desktop | Coherence X | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS only |
| Engine | Chromium, built in | A Chromium browser you choose, such as Chrome, Brave, or Edge |
| App catalog | 65,000+ apps, plus any website | An app library, plus any URL |
| Multiple accounts | Every account signed in side by side in one app | One browser profile per app |
| Extensions | 1Password, Bitwarden, LastPass, Dark Reader | Chrome extensions |
| Link handling | Other sites open in your default browser; per-site rules send links to an app or account | Rules for forwarding links |
| Organizing apps | Spaces that group apps and accounts in one window | Per-app windows, with tabs |
| Notifications | Unread badges and notifications, mute per account | Through the underlying browser |
What is WebCatalog Desktop?
WebCatalog Desktop is a standalone app that turns websites into desktop apps without needing any other browser installed. Each app, picked from a catalog of more than 65,000 or added from any URL, gets its own window, Dock or taskbar icon, and data. The apps and WebCatalog Desktop itself update automatically.
What is Coherence X?
Coherence X by BZG is a Mac app that turns websites into apps using a Chromium browser you pick, such as Chrome, Brave, Edge, or Vivaldi. Each app is its own browser profile, so it can use Chrome extensions, and you can import an existing profile's logins and bookmarks.
1. Built in, or built on your browser
Building on a browser you already have is a smart idea, and it's flexible: you choose Chrome, Brave, or Edge. The cost is a dependency. When that browser updates, your apps follow, and BZG has had to fix issues caused by browser updates.
WebCatalog Desktop ships with its own Chromium engine and updates it automatically. Your Slack app doesn't care which browser you use, and a browser update can't change how it behaves.
2. Extensions: an honest trade-off
This is Coherence X's clearest advantage. Because each app is a browser profile, it can use the Chrome extensions you already rely on.
WebCatalog Desktop supports a short list: 1Password, Bitwarden, LastPass, and Dark Reader. For many people that covers what matters inside a work app, and a few other jobs are built in instead of added: a blocker for ads and trackers, plus custom CSS and JavaScript for tweaking how a site looks or behaves. If your workflow depends on a specific extension outside that list, Coherence X will suit you better.
3. Three clients, one app
Say you manage social media for three clients. In Coherence X, each app is one browser profile, so three logins to the same service usually means three copies of the app.
In WebCatalog Desktop, one app holds all three accounts, each in its own isolated session, all signed in at once and listed in a sidebar. Each has its own unread badge, and you can mute the noisy one without missing the others. If a client requires access from a specific network, you can give just that account its own proxy.
4. Links that land in the right place
Both apps let you decide where links go. Coherence X has rules for forwarding links. In WebCatalog Desktop, links to other sites open in your default browser unless you add a per-site rule, so a Figma link from Slack can open in your Figma app, signed in to the right account, instead of in a browser tab.
5. Spaces, on any computer
Coherence X gives each site its own app with tabs inside. WebCatalog Desktop does too, and adds spaces: one window per client or project, gathering its apps and accounts, with its own Dock or taskbar icon and global shortcut. Because WebCatalog Desktop syncs your setup, those spaces are there on every computer you sign in to.
Which one should you choose?
Coherence X makes sense if you work only on a Mac and need specific Chrome extensions inside each app.
Choose WebCatalog Desktop if you want:
- Apps that keep working no matter which browser you use or update
- Several accounts for the same service in one app, each with its own badge and proxy
- Link rules that send links to the right app and account
- Spaces that gather each client's apps in one window
- The same setup on every computer you use
Coherence X is a strong choice for Mac users who live in Chrome extensions. If you'd rather your apps stand on their own, try WebCatalog Desktop.
