FileDial vs Permute
By Himanshu Ranjan · Updated 8 November 2026
Permute 4 is a Mac media converter for video, audio, images and PDFs, priced at US$14.99 once or included in Setapp, and needs macOS 26 on Apple silicon. FileDial is a $20 Mac app with 525 tools, including 155 for PDFs and others for documents and archives, run from a dial in Finder. Choose Permute for focused media conversion, FileDial for wider coverage.
At a glance
| FileDial | Permute | |
|---|---|---|
| Where files are processed | On your Mac, files are never uploaded | Desktop app on your Mac |
| Platforms | Mac only: macOS 14+, Apple silicon (M1 or newer) | Mac only; Permute 4 needs macOS 26 |
| Price | $20 once, lifetime license for 2 Macs, 14-day refund | US$14.99 once, or via Setapp |
| Trial | 1-day free trial of every tool, no card | Free trial of the full version |
| Media formats | Video, audio, photo conversions | 100+ formats incl. AV1, ProRes, HEIC, AVIF |
| PDF tools | 155 tools: compress, OCR, redact, sign, split | PDF among supported media |
| Documents and archives | 83 document, 72 spreadsheet, 55 archive tools | Not a focus |
| Batch processing | Yes, select many files and run one tool on all | Queue, drop zones, bulk edits |
| Automation | Recipes chain tools; watched folders run a recipe on new files | Automation listed; presets |
| How you start a job | Dial in Finder or menu bar drop | Drag files into the app or a drop zone |
Details about Permute come from its own website and documentation, checked 2026-11-09. Prices and features change; check the source links below.
About Permute
A media converter for macOS by Charlie Monroe Software, handling video, audio, images, PDFs and text in 100+ formats.
Platforms: Mac only. Permute 4: macOS 26+, Apple silicon. Permute 3: macOS 11 to 15, Intel supported.. Price: US$14.99 one-time license (plus tax), with a free trial; also on the Mac App Store and in Setapp (US$14.99/mo subscription for many apps).. Where files are processed: Desktop app on your Mac; the site says its Transcribe preset is processed entirely on your Mac.
Choose Permute if
- You mainly convert video and audio and want a dedicated app at a lower price.
- You already pay for Setapp.
- You need formats like AV1 or want on-device transcription.
- You use an Intel Mac, which Permute 3 supports.
Choose FileDial if
- You need PDF jobs like OCR, redaction and compression too.
- You want to act on files without opening an app window.
- You are on macOS 14 or 15 with Apple silicon and want current tools.
- You want rename, metadata and archive tools in the same place.
Two offline Mac apps with different scope
Both are native Mac apps with one-time prices, which already sets them apart from online converters. Permute 4 focuses on media: its site lists 100+ formats, a large preset library, hardware-accelerated ProRes encoding, bulk edits and stitching multiple files into one. It costs US$14.99 directly, with a free trial, and is also on the Mac App Store and Setapp.
FileDial covers more kinds of file. Its 525 tools include 134 for video and 84 for audio, but also 155 for PDFs, 83 for documents, 72 for spreadsheets and 57 for subtitles. Jobs such as Sign & Lock › Redact text…, OCR › Make searchable, Privacy › Remove location and Rename › Rename by date taken sit next to Convert › Convert to MP4.
Requirements and workflow
Permute 4 needs macOS 26 or later on Apple silicon; Permute 3 serves macOS 11 to 15 and Intel Macs, with a free upgrade later. FileDial needs macOS 14 or later on an Apple silicon Mac.
The way you start a job differs. Permute is an app you drop files into. FileDial opens a dial at the pointer when you hold the right Option key over a file in Finder, and recipes and watched folders repeat jobs automatically. FileDial is $20 once for 2 Macs, after a 1-day trial.
Questions
How much is Permute?
Permute 4 is US$14.99 as a one-time license plus tax, with a free trial, and is also available on the Mac App Store and in Setapp. FileDial is $20 once for 2 Macs.
Does Permute run on macOS Sonoma?
Permute's site says Permute 4 needs macOS 26 and Permute 3 supports macOS 11 to 15. FileDial runs on macOS 14 Sonoma or later with Apple silicon.
Does FileDial handle PDFs as well as media?
Yes. FileDial has 155 PDF tools, including Compress › Compress PDF, Combine › Merge PDFs and OCR › Make searchable, alongside its video, audio and photo tools.