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Alternatives · Windows & Launchers

Hyprland alternatives

As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded Hyprland alternative is Vicinae (2.8 GPA). It's also the best free one.

Hyprland compared with 5 alternatives: Sway, i3, Awesome, Vicinae and Albert.

Hyprland is free to use. All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.

Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
HyprlandThis toolFreeFreeLinux
SwayFreeFreeLinux
i3FreeFreeLinux
AwesomeFreeFreeLinux
VicinaeFreeFreemacOS, Windows, Linux
AlbertFreeFreemacOS, Linux

Price against what you get

Hyprland has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 5 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.

Vicinae scores higher without starting lower.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$0.5$1$2$5$10More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessHyprlandSwayi3AwesomeVicinaeAlbert

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

  • The best score at each price
  • Has a free plan
  • No free plan
The full chart of window managers and launchers, and the best at every price

How each one differs from Hyprland

  1. Sway

    i3-compatible tiling Wayland compositor

    • Sway is free.

    Suits: i3 users moving from X11 to Wayland

    Sway vs HyprlandSway pricing and details

  2. i3

    Tiling window manager for X11 on Linux and BSD

    • i3 is free.

    Suits: Linux users who want a keyboard-driven tiling layout on X11

    i3 vs Hyprlandi3 pricing and details

  3. Awesome

    Lua-configurable framework window manager for X

    • Awesome is free.

    Suits: Linux users who want to script their window manager in Lua

    Awesome vs HyprlandAwesome pricing and details

  4. Vicinae

    Keyboard-driven launcher for Linux, macOS and Windows

    • Vicinae is free.
    • Vicinae also lists macOS and Windows apps.
    • Vicinae also covers launcher, clipboard manager and calculator.

    Suits: Linux users who want a Raycast-style launcher

    Vicinae vs HyprlandVicinae pricing and details

  5. Albert

    Plugin-based keyboard launcher for Linux and macOS

    • Albert is free.
    • Albert also lists a macOS app.
    • Albert also covers launcher.
    • Albert does not cover window management, which Hyprland does.

    Suits: Linux users who want a plugin-driven launcher

    Albert vs HyprlandAlbert pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in Hyprland

  • Wayland only, so apps that need X11 depend on compatibility layers.
  • Setup is done by editing text config files.
Hyprland pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to Hyprland?

The alternatives to Hyprland in this directory are Sway, i3, Awesome, Vicinae and Albert. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Hyprland.

Is there a free alternative to Hyprland?

Yes. Sway, i3, Awesome, Vicinae and Albert are free to use.

Which Hyprland alternatives work on Windows?

The Hyprland listing does not include a Windows app. Vicinae lists one.

Which Hyprland alternatives work on macOS?

The Hyprland listing does not include a macOS app. Vicinae and Albert list one.

When were these prices checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Nov 12, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.