Dev servers by name, not PID
Each server shows its page <title>, the command that started it (npm run dev, even when node is the listener) and its project folder.
- port
- :3000
- title
- Acme Dashboard
- command
- pnpm dev
- folder
- ~/Code/acme-dashboard
menu bar utility for macOSPortmole: See, stop and start your localhost servers on Mac.
A tiny menu bar app that shows every process listening on a port on your Mac, by page title, start command and project folder, and closes it in one click.
By downloading you agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.
// the problem
Port 3000 is taken. Again.
Yesterday's dev server is still holding the port, or a crashed watcher never let go. Instead of digging through lsof output for a PID, open Portmole, find :3000, click ✕. Done, and free.
You see exactly what you're stopping first: the page title, the command that started it and the project folder. If it won't quit, Force Quit is one more click.
$ pnpm dev
> next dev
Error: listen EADDRINUSE: address already in use :::3000:3000 Acme Dashboardholding the port
- command
- pnpm dev
- folder
- ~/Code/acme-dashboard
- pid
- 48213
- 1 Open Portmole
- 2 Find :3000
- 3 Click ✕
// free, forever
Every listening port, at a glance.
The free download shows you what's listening on your Mac, named the way you think about it, and stops it in one click.
Dev, Apps and Other
Dev is the default view, so emulators and helper daemons stay out of your way. Everything else is one tab over.
Close in one click
✕ sends a polite SIGTERM. If one hangs on, Portmole offers Force Quit. In a hurry? ⌥-click to force it.
Search everything
Filter by port, name or project as you type.
Open it, or find it
Click any dev server to open it in your browser, or Reveal in Finder to jump straight to its project.
Menu bar or screen edge
Open it from the menu bar, or from a small mole tab on the edge of your screen: drag it anywhere, click to open, right-click for options. The Terminal theme comes free.
A mole with manners
It blinks, hops when servers start or stop, and ducks into its hole when one goes away. Try hovering here.
// portmole PRO
See it and stop it for free.
Restart it and run it with Pro.
$15 once, for up to 3 Macs, with lifetime updates. No subscription. Projects run in a real Terminal window, so your logs stay visible and Ctrl‑C still works.
01
Recent
Every dev server you've run, one click from starting again. If its old port is taken, Portmole offers the next free one.
02
Open a project
Pick any folder and Portmole works out how to run it, using the right package manager and installing dependencies if needed.
- package.json scripts
- npm · pnpm · yarn · bun
- Django
- FastAPI
- Flask
- Rails
- Laravel
- Phoenix
- Go
- Cargo
- Deno
- Docker Compose
- Makefile targets
- Static sites
03
Change port
Move a server to another port. Portmole rewrites the start command for the framework (--port for Vite, Next and Astro, PORT= for Express), shows it for review, and restarts there.
04
Pick up where you left off
- Restart in Terminal, with logs visible and Ctrl‑C working
- Copy the start command
Make it yours
- Stars keep favourite servers on top and follow the project across restarts and port changes
- A LAN badge flags servers reachable from the network
- Dev-server count right in the menu bar
- Amber, Ice and macOS themes (Terminal is free):
- Amber
- Ice
- macOS
// pricing
Free to download. $15 once for Pro.
No subscription, no account. Lifetime updates on up to 3 Macs, and a 14-day refund if it's not for you.
| Feature | Free$0 | Pro$15 one-time |
|---|---|---|
| Every listening port in your menu bar, sorted into Dev / Apps / Other | ||
| Dev servers by page title, start command and project folder | ||
| Click to open in the browser, and search | ||
| Close ports in one click (SIGTERM, Force Quit, ⌥-click) | ||
| Reveal in Finder | ||
| Draggable screen-edge mole tab (or the menu bar) | ||
| The animated mole and the Terminal theme | ||
| Restart in Terminal and copy the start command | ||
| Recent: start any past dev server again | ||
| Open a project: pick a folder, the run command is detected | ||
| Change port: rewrite the command and restart there | ||
| Stars and the LAN badge | ||
| Dev-server count in the menu bar | ||
| Amber, Ice and macOS themes | ||
| Macs | Any | Up to 3 |
| Updates | Automatic | Lifetime |
| Download | Get Pro |
Payments are handled by Dodo Payments. 14-day refund policy.
// how it works
Small, quiet and honest about it.
No telemetry
No analytics, no tracking. Portmole only talks to your own localhost servers (to read page titles), the license service when you activate Pro, and a once-a-day update check you can turn off in Settings. Privacy policy.
No extra permissions
No admin password, no Accessibility or Full Disk Access prompts. Projects start in a real Terminal window you can watch and Ctrl‑C.
Signed & notarized
Signed and notarized by Apple, with built-in automatic updates (checked daily, optional). What's new.
Tiny and universal
About 7 MB. Runs natively on Apple silicon and Intel, on macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
Why not the App Store?
Sandboxed apps can't see or stop other apps' processes, which is the whole point of Portmole. So it ships directly from techynAR.
Install in seconds
Download the DMG and drag Portmole to Applications. It appears in your menu bar right away.
// faq
Questions, answered.
Something else? Email aryan@techynar.com.
How do I kill the process on port 3000 on Mac?
Run kill $(lsof -t -iTCP:3000 -sTCP:LISTEN) in Terminal: lsof finds the process listening on port 3000 and kill asks it to quit with SIGTERM. Portmole does the same in one click, for free: open it from the menu bar or the mole tab on the edge of your screen, find :3000 (shown with its page title, start command and project folder) and click ✕. If the process hangs, Portmole offers Force Quit, and ⌥-click forces it straight away.
How do I see which ports are open on my Mac?
Run lsof -nP -iTCP -sTCP:LISTEN in Terminal to list every process listening on a TCP port, with its name, PID and port. Portmole does this for free and keeps the list live in your menu bar: sorted into Dev, Apps and Other, searchable, and with dev servers labelled by page title, start command and project folder.
What does EADDRINUSE mean?
EADDRINUSE means “address already in use”: your server tried to listen on a port that another process already holds, usually an old dev server that never shut down. Stop whatever is on that port (with kill $(lsof -t -iTCP:3000 -sTCP:LISTEN), or one click on ✕ in Portmole, which is free) or start your server on a different port.
What is using port 5000 and 7000 on my Mac?
On recent versions of macOS, ports 5000 and 7000 are taken by AirPlay Receiver, which runs inside the ControlCenter process. To free them, turn off AirPlay Receiver in System Settings → General → AirDrop & Handoff, or run your app on another port. Portmole shows which process holds any port, so you can check before changing anything.
What’s free, and what does Pro include?
Free: every listening port in your menu bar, sorted into Dev, Apps and Other; dev servers shown by page title, start command and project folder; click to open in your browser; search; close ports in one click (✕ sends SIGTERM, Force Quit if one hangs on, ⌥-click to force); Reveal in Finder; a draggable mole tab on the screen edge (or use the menu bar); the animated mole; and the Terminal theme. Portmole Pro is a $15 one-time purchase for up to 3 Macs with lifetime updates. It adds Restart in Terminal, copy the start command, Recent (start servers again), Open a project (pick a folder and Portmole detects how to run it), Change port, stars, the LAN badge, the dev-server count in the menu bar, and the Amber, Ice and macOS themes.
Can I get a refund on Pro?
Yes. Email aryan@techynar.com within 14 days of purchase and you’ll get a full refund. The license key is deactivated when the refund is processed.
Is Portmole safe? Does it need admin rights?
Yes, it’s safe, and no, it doesn’t need admin rights or any extra macOS permissions. Portmole is signed and notarized by Apple and has no telemetry or analytics. It only connects to your own localhost servers (to read page titles), to Dodo Payments’ license service when you activate Pro, and to a once-a-day update check that you can turn off in Settings.
Why isn’t Portmole on the Mac App Store?
Because Mac App Store apps must be sandboxed, and sandboxed apps can’t see or stop other apps’ processes, which is Portmole’s whole job. Download it directly instead: it’s signed and notarized by Apple and keeps itself up to date with built-in automatic updates (a daily check you can turn off in Settings).
Does Portmole work on Intel Macs, and which macOS does it need?
Yes. Portmole is a universal app for Apple silicon and Intel Macs, and it needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later. It’s about 7 MB.
// also by techynAR
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By downloading you agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.