# AeroSpace

> Free, open-source i3-like tiling window manager for macOS

AeroSpace is a free, open-source tiling window manager for macOS modeled on i3. It arranges windows in a tree of tiled or accordion containers and replaces macOS Spaces with its own workspaces, which switch without animation. It is configured in a plain-text TOML file, driven by keyboard bindings and a command-line client, and is aimed at advanced users and developers.

- **Category:** Desktop Utilities
- **Made by:** Nikita Bobko
- **Website:** https://github.com/nikitabobko/AeroSpace
- **Runs on:** macOS
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 9, 2026

## Pricing

AeroSpace is free to use.

- **Pricing model:** Free
- **Free plan:** The whole app is free and open source under the MIT license. The README says it is maintained in the author's free time and invites sponsorship.
- **Free trial:** None listed.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AeroSpace | $0 | Tree-based tiling, emulated workspaces, TOML configuration, the aerospace command-line client and multi-monitor support. MIT licensed. |

Read from https://github.com/nikitabobko/AeroSpace on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with AeroSpace before buying.

## Key features

- **Tree-based tiling:** Each workspace holds its windows in a tree of containers, a model taken from i3. Focus moves in four directions, and the move and join-with commands reshape the tree.
- **Tiles and accordion layouts:** Four layouts: horizontal and vertical tiles, plus horizontal and vertical accordions that stack windows and leave a padded edge to show the others.
- **Emulated workspaces:** AeroSpace uses its own workspaces instead of macOS Spaces, moving inactive windows off screen so switching has no animation. It does not need System Integrity Protection disabled.
- **Plain-text configuration:** Settings and key bindings live in a TOML file such as ~/.aerospace.toml. Binding modes swap in a different set of shortcuts, as in i3.
- **Command-line client:** The aerospace CLI runs the same commands as key bindings and can query state. Man pages and bash, fish and zsh completion are included.
- **Callbacks and monitor assignment:** An on-window-detected callback runs commands for each new window, for example to send an app to a set workspace. Workspaces can be assigned to particular monitors.

## Good for

- Developers and advanced users who want i3-style tiling on a Mac
- Keyboard-driven work with configuration kept in dotfiles
- Multi-monitor setups that assign workspaces to particular displays

## Worth knowing

- macOS only: the released binary runs on macOS 13 or later.
- Still a public beta; the README says to expect breaking changes until version 1.0.
- There is no settings window. Configuration is a TOML text file, and the project says it will never add a GUI for it.
- The app is not notarized by Apple, so a manual install can show a macOS security warning; the Homebrew install avoids it.

## Works with

SketchyBar, JankyBorders, Raycast, simple-bar, BetterTouchTool

**Tags:** Window management, Open source, Keyboard-first

## Alternatives

- [Amethyst](https://toolgpa.com/tools/amethyst): Free, open-source automatic tiling window manager for macOS. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/aerospace-vs-amethyst)
- [Rectangle](https://toolgpa.com/tools/rectangle): Free, open-source window snapping for macOS. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/aerospace-vs-rectangle)
- [Loop](https://toolgpa.com/tools/loop): Free, open-source macOS window manager with a radial menu. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/aerospace-vs-loop)
- [Hammerspoon](https://toolgpa.com/tools/hammerspoon): Free, open-source macOS automation scripted in Lua. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/aerospace-vs-hammerspoon)
- [Moom](https://toolgpa.com/tools/moom): Mac window manager with saved layouts, snapping and a palette. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/aerospace-vs-moom)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026:

- https://github.com/nikitabobko/AeroSpace
- https://nikitabobko.github.io/AeroSpace/guide
- https://nikitabobko.github.io/AeroSpace/goodies
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nikitabobko/AeroSpace/main/LICENSE.txt

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/aerospace
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).