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Amethyst alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Amethyst: less scriptable than yabai or AeroSpace, and relies on macOS Spaces, which can be sluggish. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Amethyst, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. AeroSpace currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1AeroSpace logoAeroSpaceOpen sourceYesmacOS4 of 466.5
2yabai logoyabaiOpen sourceYesmacOS4 of 462.6
3Rectangle logoRectangleOpen sourceYesmacOS5 of 559.6
  1. AeroSpace logo

    1. AeroSpaceTop pick

    Best for: Keyboard-driven developers who want i3-style tiling on a Mac without disabling SIP

    Open sourcemacOS

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Amethyst

    i3-style tiling with very fast virtual workspaces and a text config.

    Pros

    • Automatic tiling with instant workspace switching
    • Plain-text config and a scriptable CLI
    • Does not require disabling SIP
    • Free and open source

    Cons

    • Still labelled beta
    • Not notarised by Apple
    • Steep learning curve if you are new to tiling
    Visit AeroSpace Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is AeroSpace a good Amethyst alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Tiling model
    i3-like tree
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    SIP
    Not required to disable
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Configuration
    Plain text (TOML)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. yabai logo

    2. yabai

    Best for: Developers who want a fully scriptable tiling window manager on macOS

    Open sourcemacOS

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Amethyst

    More powerful and scriptable tiling, if you accept partially disabling SIP.

    Pros

    • Automatic BSP tiling with stacking and floating
    • Fully scriptable command-line control
    • Free and open source

    Cons

    • Best features require partially disabling SIP
    • No settings window; config and shell only
    • Shortcuts need a separate tool such as skhd
    Visit yabai Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is yabai a good Amethyst alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Tiling algorithm
    Binary space partitioning
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Keyboard shortcuts
    Via skhd or similar
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    SIP
    Partly disabling it is optional, for some features
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Rectangle logo

    3. Rectangle

    Best for: Mac users who want simple, free keyboard and drag-to-edge window snapping

    Open sourcemacOS

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Amethyst

    Manual snapping for people who find automatic tiling too rigid.

    Pros

    • Free and open source
    • Shortcuts and drag-to-snap both work well
    • Easy switch from Spectacle
    • Paid Pro version available for layouts and more

    Cons

    • No automatic tiling
    • Workspace layouts need the separate paid Pro app
    • Latest version needs macOS 14 or later
    Visit Rectangle Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Rectangle a good Amethyst alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free and open source
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rectangleapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro free trial
    10 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rectangleapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro licence
    3 devices at a time
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rectangleapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Spectacle shortcuts
    Supported
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rectangleapp.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Amethyst alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

AeroSpace logo

Best Amethyst alternative for most people

AeroSpace

i3-style tiling with very fast virtual workspaces and a text config.

yabai logo

Best Amethyst alternative for a free option

yabai

More powerful and scriptable tiling, if you accept partially disabling SIP.

Rectangle logo

Best Amethyst alternative for open source

Rectangle

Manual snapping for people who find automatic tiling too rigid.

Moom logo

Best Amethyst alternative for Mac

Moom

Saved window layouts as a middle ground between snapping and tiling.

Amethyst alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Amethyst?

AeroSpace ranks first right now. i3-style tiling with very fast virtual workspaces and a text config. yabai and Rectangle follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Amethyst?

Yes. AeroSpace (open source), yabai (open source) and Rectangle (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Amethyst?

Yes: AeroSpace, yabai and Rectangle.

Why do people switch from Amethyst?

The complaints we hear most: less scriptable than yabai or AeroSpace; relies on macOS Spaces, which can be sluggish; some apps resist being tiled.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Amethyst, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.