Modern hosts file manager for macOS
⭐ Star this repo if it's useful! · 💰 Buy for $6.99 · Keeps development alive
SaneHosts is a native macOS app that makes managing your /etc/hosts file simple and intuitive. Choose a protection level, activate it, done. No Terminal. No commands. If something breaks, just deactivate.
Choose from 5 curated protection levels - each bundles the right blocklists for your needs:
| Level | What It Blocks |
|---|---|
| Essentials | Ads, trackers, and malware. Safe for everyone. |
| Family Safe | Essentials + adult content and gambling sites |
| Focus Mode | Family Safe + social media distractions |
| Privacy Shield | Focus Mode + telemetry and advanced trackers |
| Kitchen Sink | Maximum protection. Blocks everything we can. |
- Profile Management - Create and manage multiple hosts configurations with color tagging
- 200+ Curated Blocklists - Import from Steven Black, Hagezi, AdGuard, OISD, and 10+ categories. SaneHosts is an officially listed tool in the upstream StevenBlack/hosts repository.
- Guided Setup - Coach mark tutorial walks you through activation on first launch
- Remote Import - Import hosts from any URL or paste custom blocklist URLs
- Merge Profiles - Combine multiple profiles with automatic deduplication
- Automatic DNS Flush - DNS cache cleared when activating profiles
- Menu Bar Access - Quick profile switching from the menu bar
- Crash Resilient - Automatic backups (3 per profile), corrupted profiles recovered automatically
- Native macOS - Built with SwiftUI, follows system conventions
- Privacy-First - Your hosts data stays on your Mac, with only a few simple app counts and optional network features
- Export Profiles - Save profiles as standard
.hostsformat files - Drag to Reorder - Organize profiles by dragging in the sidebar
- Search & Filter - Find entries across large profiles (handles 100K+ entries)
- URL Health Checks - Visual indicators show blocklist source availability
Download from sanehosts.com — Signed, notarized, ready to use.
I wanted to make it $5, but processing fees and taxes were... insane. — Mr. Sane
Building from source? The app resolves SaneUI automatically from GitHub outside the monorepo. Consider buying the app to support continued development.
- macOS 14.0 (Sonoma) or later
- Administrator password (for hosts file modifications)
- Choose a Protection Level - Pick from Essentials to Kitchen Sink, or create a custom profile
- Import Blocklists - Use curated presets or import from 200+ sources
- Activate - Apply the profile to your
/etc/hostsfile (password required once) - Switch - Change profiles as needed, DNS cache is flushed automatically
See sanehosts.com for screenshots and demo.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
⌘N |
New Profile |
⌘I |
Import Blocklist |
⌘A |
Select All Profiles |
⌘D |
Duplicate Profile |
⌘M |
Merge Selected Profiles |
⌘E |
Export Profile |
⌘⇧A |
Activate Profile |
⌘⇧D |
Deactivate All |
⌘⌫ |
Delete Profile |
Delete |
Delete Selected (in list) |
SaneHosts is designed with privacy in mind:
- All data stored locally in
~/Library/Application Support/SaneHosts/ - No personal content uploaded to SaneApps servers
- The app may send a few simple anonymous counts, like whether it opened in Basic or Pro
- Network access is limited to remote imports you choose, update checks, and those simple app counts
See PRIVACY.md for details.
- Hosts file modifications require admin authentication
- Code signed and notarized by Apple
- Hardened runtime enabled
See SECURITY.md for details.
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| README.md | Product overview and doc map |
| ARCHITECTURE.md | App structure and state flow |
| DEVELOPMENT.md | Build, test, and workflow SOP |
| PRIVACY.md | Privacy practices and limited network behavior |
| SECURITY.md | Security policy and reporting |
website/ |
Public website and guide pages |
docs/ |
Internal product and release reference docs |
Before opening a PR:
- ⭐ Star the repo (if you haven't already)
- Read CONTRIBUTING.md
- Open an issue first to discuss major changes
⭐ Star the repo if SaneHosts helps you. Stars help others discover quality software.
Cloning without starring? For real bro? Gimme that star!
PolyForm Shield 1.0.0 — free for personal use and experimentation. See LICENSE for details.
Made with care by Mr. Sane
Third-party open-source attributions are documented in THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md.
Are you tired of waiting on the dev to get around to fixing your problem?
Do you have a great idea that could help everyone in the community, but think you can't do anything about it because you're not a coder?
Good news: you actually can.
Copy and paste this into Claude or Codex, then describe your bug or idea:
I want to contribute to this repo, but I'm not a coder.
Repository:
https://github.com/sane-apps/SaneHosts
Bug or idea:
[Describe your bug or idea here in plain English]
Please do this for me:
1) Understand and reproduce the issue (or understand the feature request).
2) Make the smallest safe fix.
3) Open a pull request to https://github.com/sane-apps/SaneHosts
4) Give me the pull request link.
5) Open a GitHub issue in https://github.com/sane-apps/SaneHosts/issues that includes:
- the pull request link
- a short summary of what changed and why
6) Also give me the exact issue link.
Important:
- Keep it focused on this one issue/idea.
- Do not make unrelated changes.
If needed, you can also just email the pull request link to hi@saneapps.com.
I review and test every pull request before merge.
If your PR is merged, I will publicly give you credit, and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you helped ship a fix for everyone.