Creatives need a lot of peripherals, and Apple's ultrathink laptops don't often have enough ports. Thankfully, the best docks for MacBook Pro can help you connect up to a dozen devices without having to constantly switch plugs. However, there are a lot of options on the market, so we've made this list to help you choose.
Leading the way is the Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5, but we've included a variety of other docks, based on our testing and experience, that are well worth considering. We compared connectivity, performance, design and cost, and included both the best Thunderbolt 4 docks and the best Thunderbolt 5 docks.
The Anker Prime TB5 is our top pick overall. it comes with 14 ports, including a Thunderbolt 5 upstream port, delivering a blazing 80Gbps transfer speed. Read more below
Want the ultimate in future-proofed docks? The Echo 13 has four Thunderbolt 5 ports for total flexibility, as well as offering 140W power delivery. Read more below
With a sleek design, four Thunderbolt 4 connectors and easy plug-in-and-go setup, this is a great chocie for owners of older MacBook Pros. Read more below
There are plenty of USB-C ports on this petite, portable hub. It can connect two monitors, and it's got fast-charge ports so you can also charge your phone. Impressive for such a tiny package. Read more below
With a whopping 18 ports, this gives you a host of options for both charging and data transfer, and can output to as many as two 6K 60Hz displays or a single 1440p 240Hz display. Read more below
This user-friendly multimedia dock has a bunch of USB-A connections along with four monitor ports, an SD reader and a USB-C 3.2 port. It can be used flat or upright to save space. Read more below
✅ You have a Thunderbolt 5 MacBook: this dock supports the absolute latest in connectivity technology.
✅ You need a comprehensive docking station: this offers high-speed data transfer and multiple display options.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You're on a tight budget: this one's pretty expensive.
❌ You need a portable, lightweight dock: this one is heavy and bulky.
The bottom line
🔎 Anker Prime Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station is the ultimate connectivity hub for professionals seeking top-tier performance: our reviewer described it as the "Swiss Army knife of docks". ★★★★★
Ports: The Anker Prime TB5 dock offers a comprehensive 14-port solution. The standout feature is its Thunderbolt 5 upstream port, delivering a blazing 80Gbps transfer speed and 140W of power delivery. You get two downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports, multiple USB options, Ethernet, and versatile video outputs including HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1.
Build and performance: The dock boasts a chunky, solid metal construction that screams premium quality. Its vertical design minimises desk footprint while providing excellent cooling through strategically placed vents. One minor niggle is the port placement – the SD card slots are awkwardly positioned on the side, and one downstream Thunderbolt port is inconveniently placed near the Ethernet socket. These are small compromises in an otherwise stellar design.
Compatibility is a bonus: while optimised for Thunderbolt 5, the dock is also compatible with Thunderbolt 4 devices, offering some flexibility for users not yet on the latest tech. Performance testing revealed minimal speed overhead: external SSDs maintained near-direct connection speeds, with read speeds around 6639 MB/s and write speeds of 4665 MB/s. Performance is particularly impressive when connecting multiple peripherals. The dock handles external drives, displays, and additional USB devices with remarkable ease. Front-facing USB-C ports offer 45W shared charging, perfect for topping up mobile devices, while the SD card readers provide a convenient 104MBps transfer speed.
Pricing: This definitely isn't a budget option. However, for professionals requiring cutting-edge connectivity, the investment feels justified. The dock effectively transforms a MacBook Pro into a full-fledged desktop replacement, with future-proof Thunderbolt 5 technology that'll serve you for years to come.
❌ You're on a tight budget: this one's pretty expensive.
❌ You need a portable, lightweight dock: this one is heavy and bulky.
The bottom line
🔎 Sonnet Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock is the ultimate professional-grade dock, offering unprecedented connectivity and integrated storage that sets a new standard for docking stations.★★★★★
Ports: The Echo 13 delivers a comprehensive port selection with four Thunderbolt 5 ports, providing ultimate flexibility. The host port offers 140W power delivery, capable of fully charging top-end MacBook Pro models. With multiple downstream ports, you can connect numerous peripherals without compromise. Storage options range from 1TB to 4TB, with the SSD pre-formatted in exFAT for cross-platform compatibility. The dock offers backward compatibility with Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4, ensuring versatility across different Mac generations.
Build and performance: Constructed with a solid plastic chassis, the dock feels robust and professional. The integrated SSD is a standout feature, delivering mind-blowing transfer speeds of up to 5,822 MB/s read and 5,331 MB/s write. In real-world testing, file transfers were up to 78% faster compared to standard external SSDs, making it a game-changer for content creators and professionals.
Pricing: Starting at £400 for the 1TB model and rising to £700 for the 4TB version, this is undoubtedly a premium product. However, the integrated high-speed storage and comprehensive port selection justify the investment for professional users who demand top-tier performance.
✅ You want a great-looking dock: The Corsair TBT200 TB 4 is one of the sleekest, most well-designed docks we've tested. ✅ You want Thunderbolt 4 support: Three downstream ports can transfer up to 40GB per second, ideal for PCI Express devices and for connecting up to two 4K monitors with HDR at 60Hz.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want an economical MacBook dock: this is a fairly pricey option, although we think the price is right for what you get.
❌ Your MacBook only has Thunderbolt 3: If your setup doesn't require the speeds of Thunderbolt 4, you might be able to make do with a cheaper USB-C dock.
The bottom line
🔎 Corsair TBT200 is our pick as the best dock for MacBook overall. We described it as the "Rolls Royce of docks" in our full hands-on review, praising the sleek, premium design, ease of use and array of ports. ★★★★★
Ports: If your MacBook was made before 2024, it won't support Thunderbolt 5. In which case, you may prefer to save some cash and instead go for the TBT200 TB4. This dock provides a formidable array of ports, including four Thunderbolt 4 (one is the host and three for downsteam use). These allow us to connect up to two 4K monitors with HDR at 60Hz. There's also USB-A, USB-C, an SD card reader and a headphone jack.
Build and performance: In our review, we noted that sleek design and a relatively light one-piece anodised aluminium construction make this feel like a premium product. There's software bundled in should you need it, but we found it good to plug in and go on both MacBooks and PCs. The dock sometimes got warm during our testing but never felt overly hot, and we never experienced any drop-off in connectivity. While the dock itself is light, the included power supply is a big lump of a thing, but the supplied cable is long. The power supply also provides 96W of passthrough charging to your laptop.
Pricing: At around £289 / $300, it's one of the pricier docks, and we haven't seen many discounts. However, you do get a bunch of generously long cables (USB-C, USB-C to DisplayPort and USB-C to HDMI) included. For professionals who need the speeds of Thunderbolt 4 (but not Thunderbolt 5), we think it's the best buy around right now.
Ports: 1 USB-C port with data and power out (15W), 1 USB-C cable to connect to host system, 4 USB 3.0 charging ports, 1 combo audio jack, 2 DisplayPort ports, 1 RJ45 port, 1 HDMI 2.0 port, 1 standard lock slot
Reasons to buy
+
Plenty of well-laid-out ports
+
Super-Speed ports included
+
Looks nice and unobtrusive
Reasons to avoid
-
Security lock is not included as standard
Buy it if
✅ Price is a priority: The HP USB-C Dock G5 offers a good array of ports for the price, but be aware that there's no Thunderbolt 4.
✅ You want a neat, compact dock: We liked the compact size and shape of this well-built dock.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want Thunderbolt: No Thunderbolt here, so you won't be able to take advantage of those faster data transfer speeds. That makes this a better option for those who aren't using such high amounts of data.
The bottom line
🔎 HP USB-C Dock G5 is a good value dock for MacBook Pro as long as you're not bothered about the faster transfer speeds afforded by Thunderbolt connectivity. It provides a good array of ports for the price, and the dock is well built. ★★★★½
Ports: If you're looking for a budget USB-C dock for a MacBook, we think this will have everything you need, namely, ports. There are USB-C ports on three sides for five in total. There are also HDMI and DisplayPort connections, so you can connect up to two monitors, and the fast-charge port, serving to charge a phone or peripherals. As long as you don't need advanced security features or Thunderbolt speeds, we think this is a great option as a relatively cheap dock for MacBook Pros.
Build and performance: With the stark black colour and big HP branding emblazoned on the top, we admit this isn't the best visual match for a MacBook Pro. However, we found the port locations to be comfortable to use, and we were able to use them all with no issues in our testing, both for MacBook and PC. We also found that the fast-charge port links up fuss-free with a cable attached to the front. Our one quibble was that the front cable can get in the way when not plugged in to a laptop. However, with such compact dimensions, we found the dock very neat overall, easily tucking away under a laptop stand).
Pricing: This dock is relatively cheap compared to the other options on our list. We often see it on sale at Amazon, Walmart or HP Direct for well under $150. We think it's a great option for those who don't need Thunderbolt speeds or have older MacBooks.
Ports: 3x Thunderbolt 4 ports, 3x 10Gb/s USB-C ports, 5x 10Gb/s USB-A ports, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x 2.5Gbps Ethernet, SD UHS-II and microSD UHS-II card slots, 1x 3.5mm audio in, 1x 3.5mm audio out, 1x 3.5mm combo audio in and out
Reasons to buy
+
18 ports
+
Stylish looks
+
Ergonomic design
+
98W power delivery
+
Charges devices independently
Reasons to avoid
-
Overkill for most people
-
Requires separate power supply
-
Big and heavy
-
Hefty power brick
-
Lacks HDMI
Buy it if
✅ You need lots of ports: With 18 ports, the CalDigit TS4 is hard to beat for the sheer number of options.
✅ You need pro performance: We tested all ports simultaneously and found this dock works like a dream.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want a cheap MacBook dock: This is the most expensive MacBook dock on our list. ❌ You need HDMI: There's no HDMI port, which we thought was a shame.
The bottom line
🔎 CalDigit TS4 is our pick of as the best MacBook Pro dock for those who need a huge range of options if price is not an issue. Build quality feels premium, and it performed excellently in our hands-on tests. ★★★★★
Ports: CalDigit's TS4 is a physically rather large MacBook Dock with a massive 18 ports, providing all sorts of options and allowing us to charge multiple devices at once even when our laptop isn't connected.
Build and performance: We thought the build quality of this dock was excellent, feeling reassuringly solid. While that does mean the dock is rather big and bulky, we thought it was well designed.
We had no problem using everything at once when we put it to the test, nor did the plugs get in the way of each other. The only fault we could find is the lack of HDMI. That won't be an issue for many people today, but it's something to be aware of. We found the Thunderbolt 4 connections to be speedy and efficient, able to output up to two 6K 60Hz displays or a single 1440p 240Hz display. We think professional creatives will enjoy that flexibility when it comes to display options.
Pricing: This MacBook dock is easily the most expensive dock on this list at £399.99 / $399.99 at full price. Fortunately, there are often discounts available to reduce the outlay to an extent. Based on our own testing, we think the features and performance justify the price. We recommended it for software engineers, web developers, video producers and other professionals who need lots of connectivity options.
✅ You want lots of USB-A: USB-A account for five of the 16 ports here.
✅ You want a dock that can stand vertically: The included stand helps keep the dock out of the way.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want downstream Thunderbolt 4: Although billed as a TB4 dock, the only TB4 port is the host port.
❌ You have no need for so many ports: There's no need to splash on this if you're not going to use all those ports.
The bottom line
🔎 Satechi Thunderbolt 4 is a great-looking dock that can power a MacBook Pro and provide a wide array of additional ports. Just be aware that the host port is the only TB4. ★★★★
Ports: We found the 16-in-1 Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multimedia Pro Dock to be a capable and easy-to-use multimedia dock, and it's a great option if you want a lot of USB-A ports. These account for five of the 16 total ports, with three of them providing 10Gbps data transfer and two 5Gbps. The downside for some will be that there's just the one Thunderbolt 4 port (the host port that you connect your laptop to). That means it can barely qualify as a TB4 dock, but some people will be able to overlook that as the ports will do for most freelance designers, photographers and animators.
Build and performance: We had a seamless plug-and-play experience, hitting very close to the transfer speeds claimed, which include 96W on that TB4 port, enough to power most laptops, including MacBooks. We particularly liked the array of monitor ports, with 2 DisplayPort 1.4 and 2 HDMI 2.1 connections. In terms of looks, we felt that the rounded back and front make it look less blocky than many docks, fitting in better the look of a MacBook. We thought the addition of the included stand is a nice touch, allowing the dock to be stood up vertically to save desk space. The rubber feet stick ever-so-slightly out of one side this way, but we felt it was worth it for swapping things out and keeping the dock out of the way.
Pricing: This is a little more expensive than some comparable docks, but we think it's the better buy based on our testing.
The best dock for MacBook Pro for you will depend on what MacBook Pro you have and what you want to do with it. If charging is a priority, look for at least 90W for charging at a decent rate. What you most need to consider, however, is what connections you want. Do you want to hook up multiple monitors? And do you need Thunderbolt 3 or 4? (or will you settle for USB-C and more compatibility)
M2 and M3 MacBook Pros have Thunderbolt 4 ports rather than Thunderbolt 3, and even if you have an earlier model, you might still want a Thunderbolt 4 dock since TB4 is backwards compatible and it will futureproof you for future years. Functionally, there's not a huge difference, but TB4 is faster and TB4 docks can have up to four, rather than two, Thunderbolt ports, including the upstream port that connects to your laptop. (The M1 13in MacBook can only connect to one external display, while the 14in and 16in can support multiple displays.)
The new MacBook Pro M3 is outfitted with two Thunderbolt ports but only supports one monitor at a time. The higher-end MacBook Pro M3 Pro sports three Thunderbolt ports and can support dual monitors. The top-of-the-line MacBook Pro M3 Max also has three Thunderbolt ports but will be able to support as many as four external displays.
If you're looking for the right display for your needs, we can help with our breakdown of the best monitors for MacBook Pro.
We MacBook Pro docks with both standardised benchmark tests and through real-work use in our reviewers own daily workflows. This allows us to give the most accurate representation of how a product will perform in real-world settings, especially for creatives who rely on multiple monitors and peripherals. In our testing, we'll exhaust every port to see a) how it'll impact a dock's overall performance and b) if you'll have to worry about wires getting tangled.
We also take into consideration the types (and quantity) of ports each dock has. Of course, everyone's needs are different and you'll ideally want to buy what you know you'll use. That's why our list includes a mix of multi-port powerhouses to totally overhaul your workstation as well as compact docks for mild upgrades.
Aesthetics are important, too. You'll likely want something that won't look out of place at your workstation but we also understand that you may need to sacrifice form for function (see: bulky power stations). If you want to save space, seek something you can mount on a wall – or find a dock with a stand to place it upright.
A MacBook Pro dock is worth it if you need more ports than your machine comes with – given how slim newer laptops can be, you usually won't get much these days. A dock will give your Apple machine much greater capability by adding ports that aren't native to it or increasing the number of ports it already has. A MacBook Pro dock will also streamline your workstation by serving as a hub for your peripherals, monitors, internet connection and even smaller devices like smartphones or tablets since you'll be able to charge them.
Why are docks for MacBook Pros so expensive?
As MacBooks become thinner, there's not a lot of room to accommodate a multitude of ports. Docking stations complement this newer, sleeker tech by offering additional ports – and the more there are, the higher the cost will be. Wattage is another factor; if a dock needs a massive power brick to operate, you're likely going to have to pay a premium for it. However, going the refurb or OEM route can help keep some extra cash in your wallet.
Can you dock a MacBook Pro to a monitor?
Yes, you can connect your MacBook Pro to either a single monitor or dual screens. However, this depends on your machine's capabilities – for example, a dock won't increase the number of screens an M1 MacBook can connect to. Apple Support has a full breakdown of monitor docking according to MacBook model and OS version.
1. Anker Prime TB5
This brilliant dock comes with 14 ports, including a Thunderbolt 5 upstream port, delivering a blazing 80Gbps transfer speed and 140W of power delivery. Read more below
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Beren has worked on creative titles at Future Publishing for over 13 years. Cutting his teeth as Staff Writer on the digital art magazine ImagineFX, he moved on to edit several creative titles, and is currently the Ecommerce Editor on the most effective creative website in the world. When he's not testing and reviewing the best ergonomic office chairs, phones, laptops, TVs, monitors and various types of storage, he can be found finding and comparing the best deals on the tech that creatives value the most.
