Serial communication on Mac.
Hex view. No kexts. Finally.
RS232, RS485, and USB serial with hex view, ASCII mode, data logging, and protocol analysis. Works with FTDI, CH340, CP2102, and Prolific adapters. No kernel extensions on Apple Silicon. Plug in and go.
Screenshots
See it in action
Dual hex and ASCII view with configurable display modes for raw serial data.
Automatic protocol detection and framing analysis for Modbus RTU, custom binary, and ASCII protocols.
Timestamped data logging with export to CSV for offline analysis and compliance records.
01 — The Problem
Your USB-serial adapter broke again after the macOS update.
The #1 paid serial app on macOS ("Serial" by Decisive Tactics, $39.99) hasn't been updated since 2021. Apple Silicon broke most USB-serial drivers. Every macOS update risks breaking FTDI, Prolific, and CP2102 kernel extensions. You're stuck between paying $39.99 for abandonware or wrestling with screen /dev/tty.usb*.
Kernel Extension Hell
FTDI, Prolific, and CP2102 drivers require kernel extensions that Apple blocks on Apple Silicon. Every macOS update can break them without warning.
$39.99 Abandonware
"Serial" by Decisive Tactics was last updated October 2021. No hex view, no protocol analysis, no data logging. Still charging $39.99 for stale code.
CLI-Only for Free
screen, minicom, picocom — all command-line. No GUI, no hex view, no logging by default. Steep learning curve for something that should be point-and-click.
Electron Bloat
Cross-platform serial tools built on Electron consume 200MB+ RAM just to display a text stream. Native serial communication deserves a native app.
02 — Features
Serial communication done right on macOS.
Hex View + ASCII
Switch between hex dump and ASCII display. Side-by-side view shows both simultaneously. Color-coded framing for easy packet boundary detection.
Data Logging
Log all serial data with millisecond timestamps. Export as hex dump, raw binary, or CSV. Replay captured sessions for offline analysis.
Protocol Analysis
Decode common serial protocols: Modbus RTU frames, NMEA GPS sentences, custom binary protocols. Define your own frame delimiters and byte order.
User-Space Drivers
No kernel extensions needed. Serial communication via user-space drivers that work on Apple Silicon without System Preferences configuration.
Multi-Port
Monitor multiple serial ports simultaneously in separate tabs. Compare data streams side by side. Useful for debugging communication between two devices.
Macro System
Save frequently sent sequences as macros. Send hex or ASCII with one click. Automate repetitive testing with macro sequences and timed sends.
03 — Compare
How it compares to existing serial tools
04 — FAQ
Common questions
The serial terminal your Mac deserves.
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