Open-Shell vs Windhawk (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Open-Shell grades higher than Windhawk: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Open-Shell grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Open-Shell
Free classic-style Start menu and Explorer tweaks for Windows
Free
Which one is for you
Pick Open-Shell if
- Fits if you want the old Windows Start menu back
- Works for people who like skins and a customised start button
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a help desk, as support is GitHub issues, Discussions, Gitter and Discord
- Watch out: the GitHub page warns against versions older than 4.4.196 on Windows for ARM because login can fail after reboot
- Watch out: the classic copy dialog applies to Windows 7 only
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Linux, as it is Windows only
Pick Windhawk if
- Fits if you want to change small things in Explorer or the taskbar
- Works for people who can read a mod's source before installing it
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use a Mac or Linux, as only Windows is listed
- Watch out: mods come from community authors, so what each one changes depends on who wrote it
- Watch out: some mods target specific Windows versions, like the Windows 11 Start menu styler
- Skip it if you want one supported tool, since there is no vendor help desk on record
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAOpen-ShellVery good | 2.8GPAWindhawkGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, which is below anything in the category. | AFree under GPL-3.0. Nothing to pay, below any category price. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright with no cap, released on GitHub. | AFree to download with no cap. No trial clock and no paid tier. |
| Features | BClassic Start menu, Explorer toolbar and status bar, skins and custom start buttons, with stable and nightly builds. The classic copy dialog works on Windows 7 only. | BA mod marketplace with per-program targeting and options for each mod, running in the background. The job is wide and the listing shows no gap. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record. Install it and the menu replaces the default. | CNo rating on record. Mods install in a couple of clicks, but you have to pick and trust them one by one. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only. Windows only; no Mac, Linux, phone or web version. | DWindows only; no Mac or Linux version. Windows only; no Mac or Linux version is listed, and no phone or web one. |
| Best for | a classic Start menu on Windows | tweaking the Windows shell with community mods |
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: Open-Shell and Windhawk. How we grade
Price against what you get
Open-Shell has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Windhawk has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
Open-Shell scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other desktop utilities on the chart, none scores higher than Open-Shell for less, and none scores higher than Windhawk 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
- Open-Shell also covers launcher.
- Windhawk also covers window management.
In commonFree planWindowsOpen source
At a glance
| Open-Shell | Windhawk | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The whole project is free; releases are published on GitHub. | Free to download; the project is released under the GPL-3.0 license. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Open-Shell | Ramen Software |
| Price read from | open-shell.github.io | windhawk.net |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Open-Shell
- Windows only. The classic copy dialog applies to Windows 7 alone.
- The GitHub page warns against installing versions older than 4.4.196 on Windows for ARM, because login can fail after a reboot.
- Support is through GitHub issues, Discussions, Gitter and Discord rather than a vendor help desk.
Windhawk
- Windows only; no macOS or Linux version is listed.
- Mods are written by community authors, so what a mod changes depends on its author.
- Some mods target specific Windows versions, such as the Windows 11 Start menu styler.
Key features
Open-Shell
- Classic Start menu
- A classic-style Start menu for Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 and 11.
- Explorer toolbar
- Adds a toolbar to Windows Explorer.
- Explorer status bar
- Shows file size and disk space in the Explorer status bar.
- Skins and custom start buttons
- The project site has guides for skinning the Start menu and for custom Start buttons.
- Stable and nightly builds
- A stable release and a nightly build are both offered for download.
Windhawk
- Mod marketplace
- Browse and install community mods from inside the app. The home page features mods such as a Start menu styler and a vertical taskbar for Windows 11.
- Mods as source code
- Each mod comes as source code that you can read before installing, so you can check what it does.
- Per-program targeting
- Every mod lists the programs it applies to, for example explorer.exe or StartMenuExperienceHost.exe.
- Options for each mod
- Mods are customized through options in the interface; the vendor says no computer expertise is needed.
- Runs in the background
- The vendor says it is designed to run constantly without a noticeable impact on the system.
Plans
Open-Shell
Free$0
All components, with stable releases and nightly builds on GitHub.
Windhawk
Free$0
Free to download and use, with all listed mods.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Open-Shell or Windhawk?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Open-Shell and Windhawk are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Open-Shell or Windhawk?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Open-Shell and Windhawk 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.