# Windhawk review (2026): is it any good? > Mod marketplace for customizing Windows programs and the shell Checked Nov 13, 2026 ยท graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA. Windhawk is a free Windows program that installs small mods which change how the taskbar, Start menu and other applications look and behave. Each mod is offered as source code that can be reviewed, and mods are customized through options in the app. - **Category:** Desktop Utilities - **Made by:** Ramen Software - **Website:** https://windhawk.net/ - **Runs on:** Windows - **Who should skip it:** Not for you if you use a Mac or Linux, as only Windows is listed. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 13, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 13, 2026, Windhawk is free to use. - **Pricing model:** Free - **Free plan:** Free to download; the project is released under the GPL-3.0 license. - **Free trial:** None listed. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | Free | $0 | Free to download and use, with all listed mods. | Read from https://windhawk.net/ on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Windhawk before buying. ## Key features - **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. ## Good for - Windows users who want to change taskbar or Start menu behavior - People who want to read a mod's source before running it ## Worth knowing - 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. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 2.8 out of 4**, graded Nov 13, 2026. Windhawk is a free marketplace of small mods that change Windows and its programs, each shipped as source code. What a mod does depends on whoever wrote it, and it is Windows only. - **Value for money: A.** Free under GPL-3.0. Nothing to pay, below any category price. - **Free plan and trial: A.** Free to download with no cap. No trial clock and no paid tier. - **Features: B.** A 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: C.** No rating on record. Mods install in a couple of clicks, but you have to pick and trust them one by one. - **Platforms and integrations: D.** Windows only; no Mac or Linux version. Windows only; no Mac or Linux version is listed, and no phone or web one. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Ramen Software's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among desktop utilities - Windhawk's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 116 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 37. - It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 107 of 186) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0). - Windhawk has no paid plan. - On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 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/utilities ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** Windhawk 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 Windows. Something home-made would be a web page. - 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:** Open source, Window management ## Alternatives - [Microsoft PowerToys](https://toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-powertoys): Free Microsoft utilities for customizing Windows 10 and 11. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/microsoft-powertoys-vs-windhawk) - [Open-Shell](https://toolgpa.com/tools/open-shell): Free classic-style Start menu and Explorer tweaks for Windows. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/open-shell-vs-windhawk) - [StartAllBack](https://toolgpa.com/tools/startallback): Windows 11 taskbar, Start menu and Explorer restyling tool. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/startallback-vs-windhawk) - [AutoHotkey](https://toolgpa.com/tools/autohotkey): Free, open-source scripting language for Windows automation. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/autohotkey-vs-windhawk) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026: - https://windhawk.net/ - https://github.com/ramensoftware/windhawk Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/windhawk Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).