Burly vs. Finicky
Burly vs. Finicky
Both are free macOS link routers. Finicky routes silently from a JavaScript config you write. Burly discovers your profiles automatically and shows a radial picker, with Safari profiles included. Here is how they compare.
Finicky is a free, open source, actively maintained browser router for macOS. You describe your routing in a JavaScript or TypeScript config file, and Finicky sends each link to the right browser or profile with no picker in the way. It can target Chrome and Firefox profiles and is endlessly scriptable, which makes it a favorite among developers.
Burly vs. Finicky: the quick take
The quick take: Finicky is free, open source, and the most programmable router here, ideal if you want silent, version-controlled routing and never want to see a picker. Burly is free too, but trades the config file for automatic discovery and a radial picker, and it targets Safari profiles Finicky cannot. Pick Finicky if you want to write rules; pick Burly if you want to click a profile.
Burly vs. Finicky, feature by feature
| Feature | Burly | Finicky |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Open source | ✗ | ✓ |
| Opens links in a specific browser profile | ✓ | Chrome and Firefox |
| Targets Safari profiles | ✓ | ✗ |
| Picker at your cursor | Radial, under the cursor | No picker (config only) |
| Works with zero configuration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Automatic profile discovery | ✓ | You name profiles by hand |
| Scriptable JavaScript and TypeScript rules | ✗ | ✓ |
| Per-profile keyboard shortcuts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Global hotkey to open a profile (no link needed) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Per-profile emoji, account photo, and color | ✓ | ✗ |
| Native macOS app | ✓ | ✓ |
Feature data verified against each vendor's site in June 2026.
Where Finicky is the better pick
- Finicky is free and open source, with a config file you can version control and share across machines.
- Its JavaScript config is the most powerful routing language here: regular expressions, custom functions, and arbitrary logic decide where each link goes.
- Because it routes silently from rules, links can open with no picker at all once your rules are dialed in.
The verdict
If you are a developer who wants fully scriptable, version controlled routing and never wants to see a picker, Finicky is excellent and free. Burly is for people who would rather click a profile than write a config file: it discovers your profiles automatically, shows a radial picker, targets Safari profiles Finicky cannot, and needs zero setup.
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