Simple oxoporphyrinogen (OxP) derivatives are excellent colorimetric sensors for a variety of analytes including anions, acidity and enantiomeric excess. More recently, this family of compounds has grown to include rim-functionalized compounds, which also exhibit colorimetric properties. In this work, we have prepared differently rim-functionalized OxPs and we will present their properties with respect to sensing, including selective anion binding, ion pair sensing and coupled sensing of other important polluting species. The sensing properties of OxPs rely on intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions which, in turn, imply their possible applications in organocatalysis. These properties will be described with an emphasis on the identity of macrocyclic substituents, and how catalytic activity of the OxP macrocycles is established. Structural aspects of OxPs influencing their sensing and organocatalytic activities will be discussed.