MaxTo vs WindowTop (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MaxTo and WindowTop share a 2.4 GPA, and only WindowTop has a free plan.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
MaxTo grades higher on features and platforms. WindowTop grades higher on the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MaxTo
Custom screen zones with hotkey and drag snapping for Windows and Mac
WindowTop
Windows utility for always-on-top, opacity and picture-in-picture
Which one is for you
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
Pick WindowTop if
- Fits if you keep a video or notes window floating above your work
- Works for people who want see-through windows on Windows
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use it for work on the free edition, as business use needs Pro
- Tight if you want picture-in-picture or anchors free, since those are Pro
- Watch out: the Microsoft Store version has no trial
- Watch out: the vendor says dark mode may be unstable on Windows 10 and glass mode can be slow at 4K
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAMaxToFair | 2.4GPAWindowTopFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B€19 a year for up to 5 personal computers, in the cheaper quarter. Lifetime is €79. | B$19 one-time for 3 computers, in line with the $19 one-time middle for window managers. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 14-day trial and no free plan; the listing doesn't say a card is needed. | BThe free edition covers personal, non-commercial use. Pro adds picture-in-picture, anchors and window rules, with a 30-day trial in the standalone version. |
| Features | BCustom grid zones, hotkey snapping, drag-to-snap, remembered window positions and multi-monitor support. No gap shown in the job. | CAlways on top, opacity, click-through, picture-in-picture, anchors and saved window settings, but picture-in-picture and anchors are Pro. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. You design your own zone layouts first. | BNo rating on record. Install it and use the menu on any window. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows and Mac desktops, with a Shortcuts hook; no phone or web version. | DWindows only and 64-bit only. Windows only, 64-bit only; no Mac, Linux, phone or web version. |
| Best for | snapping windows to custom zones on Windows and Mac | keeping a window on top or see-through on Windows |
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: MaxTo and WindowTop. How we grade
Where they differ
At a glance
| MaxTo | WindowTop | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | €19 per year (Home, personal use) | $19 one-time |
| Free plan | None | Free edition for personal, non-commercial use; Pro features such as picture-in-picture, anchors and window rules need a Pro license. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial | 30-day trial of Pro features in the standalone version, started automatically on first launch; the Microsoft Store version has no trial |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Domi.no AS | WindowTop |
| Price read from | maxto.net | windowtop.info |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
WindowTop
- The free edition is for personal, non-commercial use only; business use needs a Pro license.
- Windows only, and 64-bit only; dark mode and glass mode need Windows 10 or later.
- The vendor says dark mode is stable on Windows 11 and may be unstable on Windows 10, and that glass mode can be slow at 4K.
- A Pro license covers 3 computers per user; teams and companies are pointed to a separate license plan.
Key features
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.
WindowTop
- Always on top
- Keeps any window above others and can mark it with a colored border whose color and thickness are adjustable.
- Opacity and click-through
- Makes a window see-through and lets mouse clicks pass through it to what sits behind, for tracing or referencing.
- Picture-in-picture and crop
- Pro turns a window into a floating view, lets you interact with it there and crop it to a region, which can be detected automatically since version 5.29.
- Anchors
- Pro places clickable anchors on screen to bring a window forward in one click, which the vendor presents as quicker than Alt+Tab.
- Dark mode and glass mode
- Applies a dark theme to windows that have none and offers separate opacity and blur settings for backgrounds, text and images.
- Saved window settings
- Pro remembers per-window settings, such as always on top, and supports white and black lists of programs.
Plans
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.
WindowTop
Free$0
Always on top and opacity for personal, non-commercial use.
Pro$19
one-time, for 3 computers per user
Unlocks picture-in-picture, anchors, saved window settings, fuller dark mode and commercial use. The Microsoft Store version costs more.
Ways to pay less
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.
WindowTop
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MaxTo or WindowTop?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MaxTo starts at €19 per year (Home, personal use), and WindowTop starts at $19 one-time.
Which has a free plan, MaxTo or WindowTop?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only WindowTop has a free plan. MaxTo does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do MaxTo and WindowTop 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.