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Alternatives · Windows & Launchers

Sway alternatives

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

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

Sway 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
SwayThis toolFreeFreeLinux
i3FreeFreeLinux
HyprlandFreeFreeLinux
AwesomeFreeFreeLinux
VicinaeFreeFreemacOS, Windows, Linux
AlbertFreeFreemacOS, Linux

Price against what you get

Sway 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 lessSwayi3HyprlandAwesomeVicinae

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 Sway

  1. 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 Swayi3 pricing and details

  2. Hyprland

    Dynamic tiling Wayland compositor with animations

    • Hyprland is free.

    Suits: Linux users who want a tiling compositor with visual effects

    Hyprland vs SwayHyprland 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 SwayAwesome 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 SwayVicinae 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 Sway does.

    Suits: Linux users who want a plugin-driven launcher

    Albert vs SwayAlbert pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in Sway

  • Wayland only; the site gives no Windows or macOS version.
  • Documentation is mainly manpages, and setup is by config file.
Sway pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to Sway?

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

Is there a free alternative to Sway?

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

Which Sway alternatives work on Windows?

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

Which Sway alternatives work on macOS?

The Sway 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.