Coherence X on a Mac: how it builds apps from sites
Coherence X is a paid Mac app from BZG Apps that turns a website into a standalone Mac app running on a Chromium browser already installed on the machine. The current version is Coherence X6, released on September 8, 2026. It now requires macOS 15 or later, costs 39.99 USD for one Mac as a one time purchase, and replaces the old 14 day trial with one free app that never expires. Those three facts changed with X6, and most reviews and forum threads that rank for this search still describe X5. This page sets out what X6 builds, what it costs, and how it compares with the free routes on a Mac, using the developer's own pages as checked on October 18, 2026. This site is published by the maker of Kagemusha, a tool in the same category, and the comparison below sticks to published facts.
What changed in Coherence X6
The X6 release notes describe it as the largest update to the product, and several of the changes alter how the apps behave day to day rather than how the creation window looks.
The new Coherence engine creates lighter, more secure app bundles that run directly from their own app bundle. Source: bzgapps.com
According to the same changelog, that new engine fixes several long standing quirks. Apps can be dragged into the Dock like any other Mac app, they group correctly in Stage Manager with the right icons, and they no longer create duplicate Dock icons. Every app now runs with the Chromium security sandbox fully enabled, where earlier builds launched with sandbox disabling flags.
The other X6 changes worth knowing:
- Requirement raised to macOS 15. The changelog states that Coherence X6 requires macOS 15 or later. The product home page header still reads macOS 13.5+, so the changelog and the purchase page are the ones to trust here. A Mac on Ventura or Sonoma stays on X5.
- Import from the browser. Browsing data and selected extensions can be copied from an existing browser into a new app during creation, without touching the original browser's data.
- Link Forwarding 2.0. Rules that decide which links stay in the app and which go to a browser now apply live, without recreating the app.
- Two new engines. Vivaldi and Helium join Chrome, Brave, Edge, Chromium and Ungoogled Chromium.
- One free app, no time limit. The 14 day trial is gone.
Version 6.1 followed on September 22, 2026, adding the ability to enter several domains into one routing rule and saving link routing and appearance changes without rebuilding the app. Version 6.0.1 a week earlier fixed edited apps silently switching their engine back to Chrome, and Vivaldi based apps failing to launch.
How a Coherence app is put together
The single fact that explains most of the behaviour is that Coherence X does not ship a browser of its own. Each app it creates runs on a Chromium based browser that is already on the Mac. The engine is chosen at creation and, according to the X6 product page, can be switched after creation from the App Library.
Borrowing the engine cuts both ways.
On the useful side, rendering matches the browser exactly. An admin console that has only ever been tested in Chrome behaves the same in the app, because it is Chrome underneath. Extensions from the Chrome Web Store work inside an individual app, so a password manager can live in one app without appearing in the others. Each app has its own profile, so two apps pointing at the same service can stay signed in to two different accounts at once.
On the cost side, the app depends on that browser staying installed and working. The changelog shows what this means in practice: version 5.1.3 in July 2026 shipped a workaround because Brave 1.92 introduced a bug that crashed Coherence apps, and 5.1.4 in September removed the workaround once Brave 1.94.71 fixed it. Neither problem was in Coherence itself, but users of Brave based apps saw the crash either way. Anyone choosing an engine should pick the browser that is updated most predictably on that Mac, and for most people that is Chrome.
Creating an app takes four decisions: the address, the name, the icon and the engine. The address is the one worth getting right first. Pointing an app at the screen that should open every morning, such as a ticket queue or an inbox, saves a click on every launch for as long as the app exists.
The three app modes
Coherence X asks for a mode when an app is created. The product page describes three.
Standard apps open in a single window with no toolbar, meant for one site with one purpose: a chat client, a dashboard, a calendar.
Tabbed apps add full tab support while keeping the app's own profile and settings. The developer's example is grouping Gmail, Calendar and Drive into a single workspace.
Incognito apps launch in Chrome's private browsing mode by default, keeping no session and no history between launches. This suits a client environment that should leave nothing behind, or a second account used only occasionally.
The mode is per app, so one Mac can carry all three. In practice most setups end up with several standard apps and one tabbed app for a group of related tools.
Behind every mode sits the Coherence extension, which X6 now installs automatically in every new app and keeps updated. It powers link routing: rules for specific sites and URLs that keep links inside the app, send them to another Coherence app, open them in a particular browser, or pass them to the default browser. Without rules like these, a chat app turns into a general purpose browser the first time someone posts a news link, which is the most common reason a wrapped app gets abandoned. The extension also handles how windows reopen when the Dock icon is clicked, so closing the last window and clicking the icon brings back the app rather than a blank browser window.
What a Coherence X6 licence costs
Pricing is per Mac, with unlimited apps on every tier. The figures below are from the official purchase page on October 18, 2026.
| Licence | Price | Activations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mac | 39.99 USD | One Mac |
| 3 Macs | 59.99 USD | Three Macs |
| 5 Macs | 99.99 USD | Five Macs |
Every tier lists unlimited apps, all X6 updates, support, and exporting apps to other licensed users. Coherence apps cannot be shared with unlicensed users, though app configurations can be exported. There is a 14 day refund window.
The upgrade terms are the part to read twice. The purchase page explains that a 5.x licence works for all 5.x releases, and the same logic applies to X6: a future major version is a separate, optional purchase. Owners of X5 are offered up to 25 percent off the move to X6. Students can get 20 percent off through a student store, and owners of other BZG apps such as Unite and Quip can get up to 25 percent off.
Two other routes exist. Coherence is part of Setapp, the Mac app subscription, which the purchase page lists from 9.99 USD a month with a 7 day free period. And a bundle with Unite, the same developer's WebKit based equivalent, saves 20 percent for anyone who wants both engines.
The free tier is the main change for anyone deciding. Since X6, one app can be created and used indefinitely without paying, which is enough to test the one site that matters most before buying anything.
How it compares with the free routes and a cheaper tool
A Mac already has two free ways to give a website its own window, and both are worth trying before paying for anything.
In Chrome, the three dot menu leads to Cast, save, and share, then Install page as app. Chrome's help page documents the route and notes that installed apps can be managed at chrome://apps. The app shares the Chrome profile that created it, which means one account per service per profile.
In Safari on macOS Sonoma 14 or later, File then Add to Dock saves the page as a web app. Apple's support article states that a Safari web app shares no browsing history, cookies or website data with Safari, and that Safari extensions can be enabled per web app. The engine is WebKit, so Chrome Web Store extensions are not available.
| Safari, Add to Dock | Chrome, install as app | Coherence X6 | Kagemusha | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| macOS required | Sonoma 14 or later | Any current Chrome | macOS 15 or later | macOS 12 or later |
| Engine | WebKit | Chrome | Chrome, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, Helium, Chromium, Ungoogled Chromium | Chrome, Chrome Canary, Chromium, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, Opera |
| Separate login per app | Yes | No, follows the profile | Yes | Yes |
| Chrome Web Store extensions | No | From the profile | Per app | Per app |
| Free tier | Free | Free | 1 app, no time limit | 3 apps, no time limit |
| Paid licence | None | None | From 39.99 USD per Mac | 24.99 USD, one time |
The figures in the last column come from the publisher's own pricing page, where the paid tier is a one time 24.99 USD with free updates throughout version 1.x, and the free tier allows three apps with every feature enabled. It also ships more than 300 presets, so a common service gets its address, name and official icon filled in automatically. The presets can be browsed on the Supported services page.
Read the table as different answers to one question rather than a ranking. For one or two sites that just need a window and a single login, the free routes already do the job. Coherence X6 is the more established paid option, with detailed link routing and browser import. The choice between the paid tools usually comes down to the macOS version on the Mac, the engine preferred, and how many apps the free tier needs to cover.
Which sites are worth an app at all
The common failure with any of these tools is enthusiasm. Twenty wrapped apps in the Dock recreate the problem that thirty tabs caused, only with worse search. Three questions filter the list.
Is the site opened every working day? Weekly use is not enough to earn a permanent Dock icon.
Does it need to be reachable without the browser? Notifications that must not be missed, a window that should survive a browser restart, or a screen that should be one Command Tab away.
Does it need its own identity? A second account on the same service, or a client console that must stay away from personal logins. This is the one thing a pinned tab cannot do, and the one that separates the free Chrome route from the paid tools.
Sites that pass all three usually number between three and six. For most people that count fits inside a free tier.
What to change first
Pick the one site that is opened before anything else each morning and give it a window, using Chrome or Safari, which are already installed. After a week, if the site needs a second account or its own extensions, try a paid tool's free tier with that same site, and the Guide walks through creating the first app step by step.
Frequently asked questions
Does Coherence X6 run on macOS Sonoma or Ventura?
No. The X6 changelog and the purchase page both state that Coherence X6 requires macOS 15 or later. A Mac that cannot move past Sonoma or Ventura can keep using Coherence X5, which supported earlier versions, but X6 updates will not install on it.
Is there still a free trial of Coherence X?
The 14 day trial was removed in X6. In its place, the free version lets one app be created and used for as long as needed. A paid licence, from 39.99 USD for one Mac, removes the one app limit. Purchases also come with a 14 day refund window.
Does a Coherence X licence include future versions?
A licence covers every release in its major version, so an X6 licence includes all 6.x updates. The next major version is an optional paid upgrade, usually discounted. Owners of X5 are currently offered up to 25 percent off the upgrade to X6.
Which browser should a Coherence app be built on?
Any supported Chromium browser works: Chrome, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, Helium, Chromium or Ungoogled Chromium. The app depends on that browser staying installed and stable, and the changelog shows Brave updates crashing apps in mid 2026 until a later Brave release fixed it. Chrome is the most predictable choice for most Macs.
Can two Coherence apps for the same site stay signed in to different accounts?
Yes. Each app has its own profile, so two apps pointing at the same service can hold two logins at the same time. This is the main practical difference from Chrome's own Install page as app, where the app follows the Chrome profile that created it.