Helix vs Pie Menu: two radial menus for Mac

Last updated November 1, 2026

Helix and Pie Menu are both radial menus for Mac: hold a shortcut and a ring opens around your pointer. They look alike, but they're built for different jobs.

What Pie Menu does well

Puts other apps' keyboard shortcuts in a ring, so you don't have to memorize them.
A different menu for each app, like Figma, Notion or Linear.
Submenus, your own icons, and themes from you or the community.

Where Helix is different

Helix brings its own tools instead of triggering your apps' shortcuts. Its ring holds your favorite apps, music controls, clipboard history, notes, timers, screenshots, Ask AI and more, the same in every app. A tool's options fan out on an outer ring, like Clock's timer, stopwatch, Pomodoro and alarm, so you keep moving in the same direction.

Feature by feature

	Helix	Pie Menu
What's in the ring	16 built-in tools	Other apps' shortcuts, one menu per app
Built-in tools	Your pinned apps, music controls, clipboard, notes, timers, Ask AI and more	Not its focus; it runs what your apps already do
Nested menus	One level: options fan out on an outer ring	Submenus that open another pie
Customizing	Turn tools on or off, reorder them, three looks	Your own shortcuts, icons and themes
Price	$4.99₹399 once (early bird, $9.99₹899 regularly)	$39.99 once or $19.99 a year, or Setapp
Free trial	No	7 days
Where to get it	tryhelix.app	Mac App Store or Setapp

Choose Pie Menu if

You live in a few apps with lots of shortcuts, like Figma, Notion or Linear, and keep forgetting them.
You want to build your own menus with your own icons.
You already pay for Setapp.

Choose Helix if

You want your favorite apps, music, clipboard history, notes and AI in one ring, without an app for each.
You want it to work the same everywhere, with nothing to set up.
You'd rather pay a few dollars once than subscribe.

For more radial menus, see the best Pie Menu alternatives. Pie Menu's prices are from its pricing page in November 2026 and can differ by App Store region.

Questions

What's the main difference between Helix and Pie Menu?

Pie Menu puts other apps' keyboard shortcuts in a ring, with a different menu for each app. Helix puts its own 16 tools in a ring, the same in every app: your favorite apps, music controls, clipboard history, notes, Ask AI and more.

How much do they cost?

Helix is $4.99 once. Pie Menu is $39.99 once or $19.99 a year on the Mac App Store, or part of a Setapp subscription.

Can I use both?

Yes. They do different jobs, so give each its own shortcut: Helix opens with ⌥Space by default, and Pie Menu lets you pick its trigger.

Does either have a free trial?

Pie Menu has a 7-day trial. Helix doesn't have a trial yet.

Helix is a one-time purchase for macOS 14 or later, with 16 tools in one ring. See how it works.

Get Helix