Actual Window Manager vs MaxTo (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MaxTo grades higher than Actual Window Manager: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
MaxTo grades higher on value for money and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Actual Window Manager
Windows toolset for multi-monitor setups and virtual desktops
MaxTo
Custom screen zones with hotkey and drag snapping for Windows and Mac
Which one is for you
Pick Actual Window Manager if
- Fits if you run several monitors on Windows
- Works for people who want a taskbar on each screen
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free tool, as there is no free tier past the 60-day trial
- Pricey if you only need one piece, since the vendor also sells those as separate products
- Watch out: the licence includes only one year of free updates
- Not for you if you use a Mac, Linux or Windows on ARM64
Pick MaxTo if
- Fits if you use several monitors and want your own zone layout
- Works for people on both Windows and Mac
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free tool, since there is only a 14-day trial
- Not for you if you work on a company computer with a Home licence, as Business is €39 per computer a year
- Watch out: Home updates stop when the yearly subscription ends
- Watch out: prices were in euros and the page showed no dollar figures
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAActual Window ManagerFair | 2.4GPAMaxToFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$59.95 one-time is the top of the category's $4.99 to $59.95 one-time range, and the middle is $19. | B€19 a year for up to 5 personal computers, in the cheaper quarter. Lifetime is €79. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 60-day free trial, and the listing doesn't say a card is needed. No free tier. | CA 14-day trial and no free plan; the listing doesn't say a card is needed. |
| Features | BTaskbar on every monitor, virtual desktops, per-window rules, extra title buttons, Desktop Divider and mirroring. No gap shown in the core job. | BCustom grid zones, hotkey snapping, drag-to-snap, remembered window positions and multi-monitor support. No gap shown in the job. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. A broad suite with many settings to learn. | CNo rating on record. You design your own zone layouts first. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only; ARM64 is not supported. Windows only; ARM64 is not supported, and there is no Mac, Linux, phone or web version. | CWindows and Mac desktops, with a Shortcuts hook; no phone or web version. |
| Best for | multi-monitor taskbars and virtual desktops on Windows | snapping windows to custom zones on Windows and Mac |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Actual Window Manager and MaxTo. How we grade
Where they differ
- Actual Window Manager also covers display control.
At a glance
| Actual Window Manager | MaxTo | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $59.95 one-time, per license | €19 per year (Home, personal use) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 60-day free trial | 14-day free trial |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Actual Tools | Domi.no AS |
| Price read from | actualtools.com | maxto.net |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Actual Window Manager
- Windows only; the vendor says ARM64 is not supported.
- The license includes 1 year of free updates; the order page lists the subscription as free for that year only.
- The suite is broad, and the vendor also sells its pieces, such as Actual Multiple Monitors, as separate products.
- There is no free tier; use beyond the 60-day trial needs a license.
MaxTo
- Home licenses do not work on work-managed computers; those need the Business license, billed per computer.
- There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial.
- Prices were read in euros; the page showed no US dollar figures.
- Home updates stop when the yearly subscription ends, while Lifetime keeps updating.
Key features
Actual Window Manager
- Taskbar on every monitor
- Adds a full taskbar to each display, plus separate wallpapers and screen savers for each monitor.
- Virtual desktops
- Unlimited additional desktops, with Classic and Independent modes for multiple monitors.
- Per-window rules
- Sets startup mode, position and priority for individual windows, and can make a window ignore deactivation.
- Extra title buttons
- Adds buttons such as minimize to tray, move to the next monitor, always on top and resize.
- Desktop Divider
- Splits a monitor or the whole desktop into tiles that maximized windows fill, with custom layouts that can be switched on the fly.
- Desktop mirroring
- Shows a window, a monitor or a custom part of the desktop in a separate window on another monitor.
MaxTo
- Custom grid zones
- Build the rows and columns you want on each monitor, differently per monitor, and save frequently used layouts as presets.
- Hotkey snapping
- Move a window into a preset zone from the keyboard, with Page Up and Page Down sending it to another monitor.
- Drag-to-snap
- Shows live zone highlighting while a window is dragged and snaps it on release.
- Remembered window positions
- Version 3.1 can remember where an application's windows go, and recall windows into place after a presentation or undocking.
- Multi-monitor support
- Handles monitors with different resolutions and scaling.
- Translations
- The interface is translated into 32 languages, including right-to-left support.
Plans
Actual Window Manager
Single license$59.95
one-time, per copy
Includes a 1-year free updates subscription and a 30-day money-back guarantee; volume discounts start at 2 copies (10% off).
MaxTo
Home Yearly€19
per year, for up to 5 personal computers
Unlimited presets and monitors for personal use, with updates during the subscription. Does not activate on work-managed computers.
Home Lifetime€79
one-time, for up to 5 personal computers
Same as Home Yearly with updates for life and no renewal.
Business Yearly€39
per computer / year
Required for work or school computers, including those joined to Active Directory or Entra ID or enrolled in MDM; volume licensing is offered.
Ways to pay less
Actual Window Manager
No public discounts listed.
MaxTo
- Lifetime license
Lifetime Home license
A single payment of €79 for Home with updates for life, as an alternative to the €19 yearly subscription.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Actual Window Manager or MaxTo?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Actual Window Manager starts at $59.95 one-time, per license, and MaxTo starts at €19 per year (Home, personal use).
Which has a free plan, Actual Window Manager or MaxTo?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Actual Window Manager nor MaxTo has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do Actual Window Manager and MaxTo run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only MaxTo lists a macOS app. Both list a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.