Albert vs Hyprland (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Albert and Hyprland share a 2.6 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on whether you care more about platforms, where Albert grades higher, or features, where Hyprland does.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Albert if
- Fits if you live on the keyboard and run a Mac or Linux
- Works for people happy to install from a Homebrew tap
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you need Windows, which is not supported yet
- Skip it if you want window snapping, as it doesn't resize or tile windows
- Watch out: the Mac app is unsigned and installing it disables Gatekeeper for it
- Watch out: its own license allows personal use and bars redistributing modified versions, so it's not open source
Pick Hyprland if
- Fits if you want tiling with window animations on Linux
- Works for people who script their desktop through plugins or IPC
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or macOS, as it is Linux only
- Not for you if you need X11 apps to just work, since they depend on compatibility layers
- Too light for anyone who wants settings screens, because setup is text config
- Watch out: plugins are written in C++
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAAlbertGood | 2.6GPAHyprlandGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, with optional donations. Nothing in the listing costs money. | AFree to download under the BSD-3-Clause license with no paid edition. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app is free to use, with no tiers. | AThe whole program is free to download and run, with no cap and no paid edition. |
| Features | CA plugin system with bundled plugins and extension APIs. It launches and searches, and doesn't arrange windows, which is what this category is for. | BDynamic tiling, plugins, IPC, groups, special workspaces and gestures, with no core gap on the listing. |
| Ease of use | DOn a Mac you install it through a Homebrew tap, and the cask turns off Gatekeeper for the unsigned app. That's a command line job. | DNo rating on record, and setup is by editing text config files. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac and Linux only. No Windows version, as the install page says. | DLinux on Wayland only, with no other operating system and no integrations listed. |
| Best for | a keyboard launcher for Mac and Linux | a tiling Wayland desktop with animations |
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: Albert and Hyprland. How we grade
Price against what you get
Albert has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Hyprland has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other window managers and launchers on the chart, none scores higher than Albert for less, and none scores higher than Hyprland for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
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
Where they differ
- Hyprland is open source, according to its own site.
- Albert also covers launcher.
- Hyprland also covers window management.
At a glance
| Albert | Hyprland | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free; the site accepts optional donations. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Manuel Schneider | Hyprland project |
| Price read from | albertlauncher.github.io | hypr.land |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Albert
- No Windows version; the install page says Windows is not supported yet.
- The macOS app is unsigned, installed through a Homebrew tap, and the cask disables Gatekeeper for it.
- Under Albert's own license, not an open-source one: it permits personal use and bars redistributing modified versions, and forbids binaries targeting Microsoft or Apple platforms.
Hyprland
- Wayland only, so apps that need X11 depend on compatibility layers.
- Setup is done by editing text config files.
Key features
Albert
- Plugin system
- Functionality comes from plugins, so it can act as an app launcher or a system command palette.
- Bundled plugins
- Ships with a set of maintained plugins out of the box.
- Extension APIs
- Write extensions in C++ or Python.
- Fast keyboard use
- Speed is a stated design goal.
Hyprland
- Dynamic tiling
- Automatic tiling with several layouts that can be fine-tuned.
- Animations
- Offers animated window transitions that the site highlights.
- Live-reloading config
- Configuration changes apply when the file is saved.
- Plugins
- Official and community plugins, which can be written in C++.
- IPC and gestures
- Socket-based IPC, global shortcuts, window groups, special workspaces and touchpad gestures.
Plans
Albert
Free$0
Free to use; donations are optional.
Hyprland
Free$0
Free software; the project publishes its source and lists no paid edition.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Albert or Hyprland?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Albert and Hyprland are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Albert or Hyprland?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Albert and Hyprland have a free plan.
Which platforms do Albert and Hyprland run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Albert lists a macOS app. Both list a Linux 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.