Hyprland review (2026): is it any good?
Dynamic tiling Wayland compositor with animations
Hyprland report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for a tiling Wayland desktop with animations
Hyprland is a free tiling Wayland compositor with animations, live-reloading config, plugins and socket IPC. It runs on Wayland only and is set up by editing text files.
Who Hyprland is for
- Fits if you want tiling with window animations on Linux
- Works for people who script their desktop through plugins or IPC
Who Hyprland is not for
- Skip it if you use Windows or macOS, as it is Linux only
- Not for you if you need X11 apps to just work, since they depend on compatibility layers
- Too light for anyone who wants settings screens, because setup is text config
- Watch out: plugins are written in C++
Why Hyprland gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree to download under the BSD-3-Clause license with no paid edition.
- AFree plan and trialThe whole program is free to download and run, with no cap and no paid edition.
- BFeaturesDynamic tiling, plugins, IPC, groups, special workspaces and gestures, with no core gap on the listing.
- DEase of useNo rating on record, and setup is by editing text config files.
- DPlatforms and integrationsLinux on Wayland only, with no other operating system and no integrations listed.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from the Hyprland project's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. Its home page would not load as text here, so the grades rest on the listing. How we review and grade.
Make Hyprland? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/hyprland#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/hyprland.svg" alt="Hyprland: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Hyprland stands among window managers and launchers
Hyprland's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 23 of the 48 other window managers and launchers we grade, and level with 11.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 23 of 48) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Hyprland has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 49 window managers and launchers we grade, cut by the letter each got. Hyprland’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 17 of 48, level with 31
- AFree plan and trialAbove 23 of 48, level with 25
- BFeaturesAbove 35 of 48, level with 12
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 48, level with 7
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 48, level with 34
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 29 window managers and launchers. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep Hyprland, or make your own?
Keep it
Hyprland is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could not
- Control over other apps' windows.
- A real app for Linux. Something home-made would be a web page.
- An API that other software can build on.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Hyprland’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Hyprland?
Hyprland is a dynamic tiling Wayland compositor that adds animations, live-reloading configuration, window groups and plugins written in C++. It also lists socket-based IPC, special workspaces and touchpad gestures. The source on GitHub is under the BSD-3-Clause license.
Worth knowing
- Wayland only, so apps that need X11 depend on compatibility layers.
- Setup is done by editing text config files.
Key features
- Dynamic tiling
- Automatic tiling with several layouts that can be fine-tuned.
- Animations
- Offers animated window transitions that the site highlights.
- Live-reloading config
- Configuration changes apply when the file is saved.
- Plugins
- Official and community plugins, which can be written in C++.
- IPC and gestures
- Socket-based IPC, global shortcuts, window groups, special workspaces and touchpad gestures.
Hyprland pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Hyprland is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Free software; the project publishes its source and lists no paid edition. |
Read from hypr.land on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Hyprland before you buy.
Hyprland alternatives
- Hyprland vs Sway
Free
- Hyprland vs i3
Free
Common questions
Does Hyprland have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Hyprland is listed for Linux.
Does Hyprland have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Hyprland is listed for Linux.
Is Hyprland open source?
Yes. Hyprland is open source, according to its own site.
Does Hyprland have an API?
Yes. Hyprland offers a public API, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.