i3 vs Vicinae (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Vicinae grades higher than i3: 2.8 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
i3 grades higher on features. Vicinae grades higher on ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and the free plan.
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 Vicinae if
- Fits if you run Linux and miss a Raycast-style launcher
- Works for people who want Raycast extensions without paying for Raycast
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you have an Intel Mac, because the macOS build is Apple Silicon only
- Not for you if you need every Raycast extension to work, as compatibility varies by extension
- Tight if you want a rated, polished installer, since no store rating is on record
- Watch out: custom extensions are written in React and TypeScript, so going beyond the built-ins takes some coding
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAi3Good | 2.8GPAVicinaeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 and run, with no paid tier in the docs, against a category where the cheaper quarter of paid tools starts at $0.83 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole program is free with no cap, and you can download and run it. | ANothing is locked: the docs list no paid plan, so the whole launcher is free with no cap. |
| Features | BTree tiling, modes, IPC, multi-monitor handling and a User's Guide, with no gap in the window-manager job on the listing. | CApp launching, window switching, clipboard history and a calculator, but the docs say Raycast extensions run with varying results. |
| Ease of use | DNo rating on record, and setup is by editing a text config file. | CNo store rating on record, and extensions, script commands and dmenu mode mean some setup before it fits your routine. |
| Platforms and integrations | DLinux and BSD on X11 only, no other operating system, with no integrations listed. | CLinux, macOS and Windows, but computers only, with no phone or web side and Raycast extensions as the only integration listed. |
| Best for | keyboard-driven tiling on X11 | a Raycast-style launcher on Linux |
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 Vicinae. 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. Vicinae has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
Vicinae scores higher 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 Vicinae 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
- Vicinae also covers launcher, clipboard manager and calculator.
At a glance
| i3 | Vicinae | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Michael Stapelberg and contributors | Vicinae |
| Price read from | i3wm.org | docs.vicinae.com |
| 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.
Vicinae
- The macOS build is for Apple Silicon Macs only, per the install page.
- Compatibility with Raycast extensions varies by extension.
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.
Vicinae
- App launcher and window switcher
- Opens apps and switches between open windows from a keyboard-driven palette.
- Clipboard history
- Works as a clipboard manager alongside the launcher.
- Raycast extension support
- The docs say many Raycast extensions run, with varying results; simpler ones work well.
- Extensions and scripts
- Extend it with dmenu mode, script commands or React and TypeScript extensions, installable from within the app.
- Theming and window APIs
- Offers theming and window management APIs that the docs contrast with Raycast's paid tier.
Plans
i3
Free$0
Free software; the project publishes its source and lists no paid edition.
Vicinae
Free$0
The docs list no paid tier; the project describes itself as unlocking features Raycast charges for.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, i3 or Vicinae?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both i3 and Vicinae are free to use.
Which has a free plan, i3 or Vicinae?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both i3 and Vicinae have a free plan.
Which platforms do i3 and Vicinae run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Vicinae lists macOS and Windows apps. 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.