hostwitcher
Stop fighting /etc/hosts
Named profiles, one-click switching, a menu-bar shortcut, syntax highlighting and a real CLI. Cast a spell on your hosts file — on macOS and Windows.
What it does
Everything GasMask did, then a lot more — polished, cross-platform, and actually maintained.
Profiles & grimoires
Save as many host configs as you want, group them into named folders, switch with one click.
Menu-bar switching
Change environment from the menu bar or a global shortcut — it shows the active profile so you never forget.
Highlighted editor
IP addresses in colour, invalid lines flagged in red, find & replace built in.
Themes & magic
Dark, light or system — or “dark magic / white magic” when you flip on the playful wording.
Multilingual
English and Italian out of the box, more coming — plus an Elvish easter egg. 🧝
Backups & import
Automatic backups with one-click restore, and a GasMask importer to bring your old files over.
Love your terminal?
Others tell developers to leave the terminal. We bring you in. The CLI shares the same profiles as the app — switch, script, automate.
Pricing
Free for everyone. If it saves you time, leave what you feel it's worth.
- Unlimited profiles & grimoires
- Menu-bar switching & shortcuts
- Highlighted editor, backups, CLI
- macOS & Windows
- Auto-updating remote blocklists
- Combine multiple profiles at once
- Sync & team sharing
First launch
Because Hostwitcher is distributed independently (no paid Apple account), your system asks for one confirmation the first time.
- Open the .dmg and drag Hostwitcher into Applications.
- Open it; on the warning click Done.
- Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway, confirm with password / Touch ID.
Windows
- Run the installer. If SmartScreen appears: More info → Run anyway. That's it.