HoudahSpot
An advanced file search app for macOS from Houdah Software that builds on Spotlight indexing with multi-criteria queries, rich result columns, in-app preview, and reusable search templates.
When Finder search is not enough
HoudahSpot targets power users who need to narrow thousands of files by name, text content, extension, tags, dates, authors, image resolution, and other metadata. You start with a quick search field, then stack criteria with boolean groups, include or exclude folder trees, and sort results by hundreds of available columns. Templates save recurring setups—recent files, applications, music libraries, or custom client folders—so you do not rebuild the same query every week.
The results pane supports list, icon, and thumbnail views with grouping by kind, date, size, or application. Text Preview can fold around highlighted matches so you see context without opening each document; Quick Look and the Info pane expose Spotlight metadata you can turn into new filters. Integrations include Alfred, LaunchBar, AppleScript automation, a Finder extension, and reveal actions for tools such as ForkLift.
Platform and licensing
HoudahSpot requires macOS 10.14 Mojave or later with Spotlight indexing enabled and runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs according to the vendor. It is sold directly from Houdah Software for about $34 with a free trial; Apple Mail message search is no longer available on macOS Sonoma and later. Version 6.8 added DEVONthink 4 preview support and a Spotlight workaround for names with punctuation; 6.8.2 (June 2026) focuses on crash fixes and clearer conflict prompts when copying or moving duplicate filenames.
