The lighter Mac alternative to WebKiosk
Both seal a Mac to a site. Canned Web keeps it simple.
WebKiosk by Xproline is a capable, established kiosk browser for macOS, sold on the Mac App Store at $129 per computer with a broad feature set: URL filtering, password-protected settings, session resets, custom toolbars and iCloud sync. If you want all of that from the App Store, it is a solid choice, and we are happy to say so.
Canned Web does one thing and keeps it simple: it seals a Mac to a single website and blocks every way out. Enter a URL, hold ⌘⇧S, and the Mac is locked to that site. Spotlight, Cmd-Tab, Cmd-Q and screenshots are blocked; navigation is locked to your domain and subdomains, a single path, or an allowlist of extra trusted domains you add for checkout or SSO; it can reset to your home page between visitors, offers a scroll-only mode, and starts back into the site after a reboot. One-time €49 per machine, notarized and downloaded direct, with a 14-day free trial.
| Canned Web | WebKiosk | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | macOS 14+ (Apple Silicon or Intel) | macOS 14+ (Apple Silicon or Intel) |
| Price | One-time €49 per machine | One-time $129 per computer (volume discounts) |
| Distribution | Notarized, downloaded direct | Mac App Store |
| Escape-blocking | Blocks Spotlight, Cmd-Tab, Cmd-Q, Mission Control and screenshots; exit only with a password | Password-protected settings and exit |
| URL rules | Lock to your domain and subdomains, to a single path (e.g. /exhibits/), plus an allowlist of extra trusted domains for checkout or SSO | URL filtering (whitelist / blacklist) |
| Between visitors | Idle reset to your home page, scroll-only mode, optional on-screen Back / Home / Refresh | Session resets |
| Multiple Macs | Per-machine license, buy any number (one key unlocks the quantity bought); configured on each Mac, no MDM or account | Volume discounts; iCloud settings sync |
| Content | Live URL or a local folder (offline) | Live websites or local content |
| Try before you buy | 14-day free trial | See the App Store listing |
Short version: if you need a management console for a large centrally-run fleet, or the broadest browser feature set from the App Store, WebKiosk earns its price. If you want a focused, lower-cost seal with a free trial, path-level locking, extra-domain allowlisting and idle reset between visitors, that is Canned Web.
Canned Web vs WebKiosk, FAQ
- What is the difference between Canned Web and WebKiosk?
- Both lock a Mac to a website. WebKiosk is a Mac App Store browser at $129 per computer with a broad feature set (URL filtering, password-protected settings, session resets, iCloud sync). Canned Web is a one-time €49 per machine app, downloaded direct and notarized, focused on sealing one site with strong escape-blocking, domain and path locking with an allowlist for extra trusted domains, idle reset and scroll-only mode, and a 14-day trial.
- Does Canned Web have URL rules like WebKiosk?
- Yes, for the common kiosk cases. You can lock to your domain and its subdomains, confine the kiosk to a single path (for example /exhibits/), and add an allowlist of extra trusted domains so a checkout or SSO redirect still works while everything else stays blocked. It does not do per-URL blacklists or regex filtering.
- Can Canned Web reset between visitors?
- Yes. Turn on idle reset and the kiosk returns to your home page and clears navigation, scroll and form state after a set period of inactivity, so each visitor starts fresh. A scroll-only mode and optional on-screen Back / Home / Refresh controls are available too.
- Can I run Canned Web on several Macs?
- Yes. Buy one license per machine (any number, and a single key unlocks the quantity you bought), then set each Mac up in the operator screen. There is no MDM, server or account to run. For a large, centrally-managed fleet where you want to push config remotely, a tool with a management console like WebKiosk may suit better.
- Is Canned Web on the Mac App Store?
- No. It uses a private macOS API and Accessibility to block system shortcuts, which the App Store sandbox does not allow, so it ships notarized and downloaded direct, with Sparkle for updates.
- How much does each one cost?
- Canned Web is one-time €49 per machine. WebKiosk is one-time $129 per computer, with automatic volume discounts on multiple licenses.
- Can either run offline?
- Yes. Both can display a set of files stored locally on the Mac, so the kiosk runs with no network.
- Can I try Canned Web before buying?
- Yes. There is a 14-day free trial, so you can seal a real screen before you commit.
Weighing the two? Tell us your setup and we will be straight with you.
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