# i3 review (2026): is it any good? > Tiling window manager for X11 on Linux and BSD Checked Nov 13, 2026 ยท graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA. i3 is a tiling window manager for the X11 display server, aimed at advanced users and developers. Windows sit in a tree layout, modes change keybindings, and an IPC interface lets other programs send commands. It is open source under the BSD license. - **Category:** Window Managers & Launchers - **Made by:** Michael Stapelberg and contributors - **Website:** https://i3wm.org/ - **Runs on:** Linux - **Who should skip it:** Skip it if you use Windows or macOS, as it does not run there. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 13, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 13, 2026, i3 is free to use. - **Pricing model:** 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 https://i3wm.org/ on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with i3 before buying. ## Key features - **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. ## Good for - Linux users who want a keyboard-driven tiling layout on X11 - Developers who script their desktop through an IPC ## Worth knowing - 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. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 2.6 out of 4**, graded Nov 13, 2026. i3 is a free tiling window manager for X11 on Linux and BSD, with tree layouts, modes and an IPC interface. It is for advanced users who edit a text config, and it does not run on Wayland. - **Value for money: A.** Free to download under the BSD license with no paid edition, so it sits well under the category's cheapest quarter. - **Free plan and trial: A.** The whole program is free with no cap, and you can download and run it. - **Features: B.** Tree tiling, modes, IPC, multi-monitor handling and a User's Guide, with no gap in the window-manager job on the listing. - **Ease of use: D.** No rating on record, and setup is by editing a text config file. - **Platforms and integrations: D.** Linux and BSD on X11 only, no other operating system, with no integrations listed. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from the i3 project's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among window managers and launchers - i3'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). - i3 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. The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/window-managers ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** i3 is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. - You could not: Control over other apps' windows. - You could not: A real app for Linux. Something home-made would be a web page. - You could not: An API that other software can build on. - You could not: The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. **Tags:** Window management, Open source, Keyboard-first, Public API ## Alternatives - [Sway](https://toolgpa.com/tools/sway): i3-compatible tiling Wayland compositor. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/i3-vs-sway) - [Awesome](https://toolgpa.com/tools/awesome): Lua-configurable framework window manager for X. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/awesome-vs-i3) - [Hyprland](https://toolgpa.com/tools/hyprland): Dynamic tiling Wayland compositor with animations. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/hyprland-vs-i3) - [Vicinae](https://toolgpa.com/tools/vicinae): Keyboard-driven launcher for Linux, macOS and Windows. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/i3-vs-vicinae) - [Ulauncher](https://toolgpa.com/tools/ulauncher): Open-source application launcher for Linux with extensions. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/i3-vs-ulauncher) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026: - https://i3wm.org/ - https://i3wm.org/docs/ - https://github.com/i3/i3 Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/i3 Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).