i3 vs Sway (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, i3 and Sway share a 2.6 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on which features you need.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick i3 if
- Fits if you run Linux on X11 and want to drive windows from the keyboard
- Works for developers who script their desktop over the IPC
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or macOS, as it does not run there
- Not for you if you are on Wayland, where the site points to Sway instead
- Too light for anyone who wants menus and settings screens, because configuration is a text file
- Watch out: the project says it targets advanced users and developers
Pick Sway if
- Fits if you used i3 and are moving to Wayland
- Works for Linux users who want a plain keyboard-first tiling setup
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or macOS, as the site gives no version for them
- Not for you if you want graphical settings, since setup is by config file
- Tight if you are new to Linux, because documentation is mainly manpages
- Watch out: it is Wayland only, so X11 sessions need i3 instead
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAi3Good | 2.6GPASwayGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree to download under the BSD license with no paid edition, so it sits well under the category's cheapest quarter. | AFree to download under the MIT license with no paid edition. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole program is free with no cap, and you can download and run it. | AThe whole program is free to download and run, with no cap and no paid edition. |
| Features | BTree tiling, modes, IPC, multi-monitor handling and a User's Guide, with no gap in the window-manager job on the listing. | BAn i3-compatible tiling grid driven from the keyboard, with nothing missing on the listing for a tiling manager. |
| Ease of use | DNo rating on record, and setup is by editing a text config file. | DNo rating on record, and it is set up through a config file and manpages. |
| Platforms and integrations | DLinux and BSD on X11 only, no other operating system, with no integrations listed. | DLinux on Wayland only, with no other operating system and no integrations listed. |
| Best for | keyboard-driven tiling on X11 | an i3-style tiling setup on Wayland |
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: i3 and Sway. How we grade
Price against what you get
i3 has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Sway 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 i3 for less, and none scores higher than Sway 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
At a glance
| i3 | Sway | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Michael Stapelberg and contributors | Sway project |
| Price read from | i3wm.org | swaywm.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
i3
- Works with the X11 server only; Wayland users would look at Sway, which reads i3 configs.
- Built for advanced users, with configuration done in a text file.
Sway
- Wayland only; the site gives no Windows or macOS version.
- Documentation is mainly manpages, and setup is by config file.
Key features
i3
- Tree-based tiling
- Arranges windows in a tree, allowing more flexible layouts than a column-based approach.
- Modes
- Vim-like modes let a resize mode use different keybindings from the default mode.
- IPC interface
- Other programs can subscribe to events and send commands.
- Multi-monitor handling
- Assigns each workspace to a virtual screen and supports rotated monitors.
- Documentation
- Ships a User's Guide and internal-workings documentation.
Sway
- i3 compatibility
- Reads existing i3 configuration and supports most i3 features.
- Tiling grid
- Arranges windows logically in a grid by default, controllable from the keyboard.
- Wayland compositor
- Runs as a Wayland compositor rather than on X11.
- Manpage documentation
- Documented through manpages, with a wiki and support chat linked.
Plans
i3
Free$0
Free software; the project publishes its source and lists no paid edition.
Sway
Free$0
Free software; the project publishes its source and lists no paid edition.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, i3 or Sway?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both i3 and Sway are free to use.
Which has a free plan, i3 or Sway?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both i3 and Sway have a free plan.
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.