Contexts vs Moom (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Moom grades higher than Contexts: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Moom grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Contexts
Mac window switcher with search, a sidebar and a better Command-Tab
Free trial · from $9.99
Moom
Mac window manager with saved layouts, snapping and a palette
Free trial · from $15 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick Contexts if
- Fits if you keep many windows open and want to jump by typing
- Works for Mac users with several displays and Spaces
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want windows snapped to halves or tiles, because it doesn't resize
- Skip it if you're not on a Mac, as no other system is listed
- Watch out: the page doesn't say whether major versions are paid upgrades
- Watch out: only macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia are named
Pick Moom if
- Fits if you rearrange the same windows every time you dock your laptop
- Works for households with a few Macs, since one $15 license covers them all
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on Windows or Linux, or a Mac older than macOS 10.13 High Sierra
- Not for you if you want every future update included, since later ones may be paid after the first year
- Tight if you buy everything through the Mac App Store, which only carries the older Moom Classic at $6.99
- Watch out: the site doesn't say how long the free trial lasts
- Not for you if you automate with Shortcuts, as there's no direct support, only AppleScript for some features
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAContextsFair | 2.2GPAMoomFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$9.99 per license, below the $16 middle of one-time prices in this category. The page doesn't say whether major versions cost extra. | A$15 once and the licence is valid forever, covering every Mac you use plus the family in your household, with at least 1 year of updates. Utilities here sit at $2.99 a month in the middle, so that's five months' money and then done. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free trial download, and the license agreement allows 21 days. No free plan. | CNo free version. There's a trial download on the site with no card asked for, but its length isn't stated, so we can't tell you how long you get before the $15. |
| Features | CSearch switching, a Command-Tab replacement, a sidebar and a trackpad gesture across displays and Spaces. It switches windows but doesn't arrange them. | CWindow placing is its one job: a palette on the green button with up to 61 actions, snap zones, saved layouts, chained actions and full keyboard control. It's still that one job, and the FAQ says there's no direct Shortcuts support, only AppleScript. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. It's a Mac install, with a shortcut to set and a learning curve for the search. | CNo store rating on record, and much of it is something you build: layouts to save, palettes to fill, chains and folders to arrange. Hovering the green button for the palette needs no setup, but expect an evening of setting up before the rest is useful. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, on macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia. | DMac only. Moom 4.6 needs macOS 10.13 High Sierra or newer. There's no direct Shortcuts support either: the FAQ says some features can be reached through AppleScript. |
| Best for | switching windows by typing | saving and restoring whole window layouts on a 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: Contexts and Moom. How we grade
Where they differ
- Moom can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Moom also covers menu bar app.
In commonmacOSWindow management
At a glance
| Contexts | Moom | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $9.99 per license | $15 one-time purchase |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Free trial download; the license agreement allows a 21-day evaluation period. | Free trial download from the site; the length of the trial is not stated |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Contexts | Many Tricks |
| Price read from | contexts.co | manytricks.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Contexts
- Mac only, and the page lists macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia.
- Switches between windows; it does not resize or tile them.
- The page names a license price but does not say whether major versions are paid upgrades.
Moom
- macOS only; Moom 4.6 requires macOS 10.13 High Sierra or newer.
- Moom 4 is sold only on the Many Tricks site. The Mac App Store carries Moom Classic, the older Moom 3, at $6.99.
- A license includes at least one year of updates. Later updates may be paid, though the purchased version keeps working.
- There is no direct Shortcuts support; the FAQ says some features can be reached through AppleScript.
Key features
Contexts
- Search switching
- Open a search window with a shortcut, type scattered characters from an app name or window title, and press Return to switch.
- Fast Search
- Hold a modifier key such as Fn, type one or two characters and release to bring the selected window forward.
- Command-Tab replacement
- Lists windows separately rather than apps, with Command-Backquote for the windows of the frontmost app.
- Sidebar
- An auto-hiding list of windows grouped by Space, with Dock-style count badges.
- Trackpad gesture
- Scroll down with two fingers from the top edge of the trackpad to pick a window, then lift to switch.
- Multiple displays and Spaces
- The search window can appear on every display at once, and lists can be filtered by Space.
Moom
- Pop-up palette
- Hovering over a window's green button shows a palette of move and zoom actions. It can be customized with up to 61 actions, including folders, layouts and grids.
- Saved layouts
- Save the positions of a set of app windows and restore them later, for example when a laptop connects to an external display. Any-window layouts apply to the most recently used windows instead.
- Snap and drop zones
- Drag a window to a snap zone to move and zoom it. A saved layout placed in a snap zone turns its window positions into drop targets.
- Custom actions and chains
- Custom actions can be chained to run as one combined step or as a loop that advances each time it is used, and organized into nested folders.
- Hover
- Hold a set of modifier keys and move the mouse to move or resize the window under the pointer, even one in the background, without clicking.
- Keyboard control
- With the keyboard features enabled, windows can be moved, resized, centered and placed on an on-screen grid without the mouse, and custom actions run from a hot key.
Plans
Contexts
License$9.99
per license
One license for Contexts 3 on macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia.
Moom
Moom$15
one-time purchase, license valid forever
Moom 4 with at least 1 year of updates. One license covers every Mac you use and the family members in your household.
Ways to pay less
Contexts
No public discounts listed.
Moom
- Other savings
$8 upgrade for existing Moom owners
People who bought an earlier Moom, from the Mac App Store or directly, can upgrade to Moom 4 for $8 instead of paying the $15 new-license price.
- Lifetime license
Perpetual license with a year of updates
A license is perpetual and not a subscription: you own the version you bought, plus any updates released during at least the first year.
- Other savings
Discounts for buying several licenses
The license FAQ says Many Tricks has multi-item discount pricing and can work out a custom discount for larger quantities.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Contexts or Moom?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Contexts starts at $9.99 per license, and Moom starts at $15 one-time purchase.
Which has a free plan, Contexts or Moom?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Contexts nor Moom has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
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.