Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

yabai VS BTT Remote

Compare yabai VS BTT Remote and see what are their differences

yabai logo yabai

A tiling window manager for macOS based on binary space partitioning

BTT Remote logo BTT Remote

A remote control for you Mac, using your iPhone or iPad
  • yabai Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-26
  • BTT Remote Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-02

yabai features and specs

  • Efficient Window Management
    Yabai provides advanced tiling window management for macOS, greatly increasing productivity by allowing users to manage windows through keyboard shortcuts and layouts, minimizing the need for mouse interactions.
  • Highly Customizable
    The software offers extensive configuration options, enabling users to personalize their window management experience according to their specific workflow and preferences.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, Yabai is free to use and modify, allowing the community to contribute to its development and enhancement. This fosters a collaborative environment for improving the software.
  • Supports Scripting
    Yabai supports scripting through AppleScript or shell commands, enabling users to automate complex workflows and integrate Yabai with other tools and applications seamlessly.
  • Lightweight
    Yabai is designed to be a lightweight window manager, which means it consumes minimal system resources, ensuring that your Mac continues to run smoothly even with numerous active windows.

Possible disadvantages of yabai

  • Steep Learning Curve
    For beginners, the configuration and use of Yabai can be daunting, requiring a significant amount of time and effort to fully understand and utilize its capabilities effectively.
  • Requires SIP Disablement
    To utilize some of Yabai's more advanced features, users need to partially disable System Integrity Protection (SIP), which can reduce the overall security of the macOS system.
  • Potential Compatibility Issues
    As macOS updates and changes, compatibility issues may arise, potentially breaking functionality. Users may need to wait for updates from the developer community to resolve these issues.
  • Limited Official Support
    As an open-source project, Yabai does not come with official support channels. Users must rely on community forums and documentation, which may not always provide immediate or comprehensive assistance.
  • Complex Configurations
    Setting up Yabai to fit specific needs can be complex and time-consuming, especially for users who are not familiar with scripting or advanced configuration files.

BTT Remote features and specs

  • Customizability
    BTT Remote offers extensive options for customization, allowing users to tailor the app to their exact needs and preferences. This includes custom gestures, shortcuts, and actions.
  • Integration
    The app seamlessly integrates with macOS and various applications, providing enhanced control over system functions and third-party software through shortcuts and automation.
  • Productivity
    By automating repetitive tasks and providing quick access to commonly used functions, BTT Remote can significantly boost productivity for users.
  • Ease of Use
    Despite its advanced features, BTT Remote is designed to be user-friendly, with an intuitive interface that makes it accessible even to less tech-savvy users.
  • Support
    The app enjoys good support and regular updates from its developers, ensuring any bugs are quickly addressed and new features are continuously added.

Possible disadvantages of BTT Remote

  • Learning Curve
    Due to the wide range of options and configurations available, new users may experience a steep learning curve before they can fully utilize all of BTT Remote's features.
  • Performance
    In some cases, running BTT Remote can slightly impact system performance, particularly if many custom actions and scripts are running simultaneously.
  • Cost
    While certainly packed with features, BTT Remote is a paid app, and the cost might deter some potential users who are looking for free alternatives.
  • Reliability
    Users have reported occasional reliability issues, such as the app not responding or certain gestures not working as intended, although these are typically addressed in updates.
  • Complexity for Basic Users
    For users who only need basic remote control functions, BTT Remote might be overkill, as its advanced features can make the app seem unnecessarily complex.

yabai videos

Yabai Demonstration

More videos:

  • Demo - yabai macOS Tiling Window Manager Demonstration

BTT Remote videos

BTT Remote im Videotest

More videos:

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to yabai and BTT Remote)
Window Manager
56 56%
44% 44
OSX Tools
70 70%
30% 30
Mac Tools
53 53%
47% 47
Mac
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

BTT Remote might be a bit more popular than yabai. We know about 186 links to it since March 2021 and only 133 links to yabai. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

yabai mentions (133)

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BTT Remote mentions (186)

  • macOS Tips and Tricks
    Other good windows management options are Hammerspoon and BetterTouchTool: https://www.hammerspoon.org/Spoons/MiroWindowsManager.html https://folivora.ai/. - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • A collection of useful Mac Apps
    BetterTouchTool - Price: $15+ with a free trial Customizable gestures and shortcuts (also a BTT Remote, $5). Source: almost 2 years ago
  • How do you Mac users stand that stupid apple mouse?!
    Third party mouse is the way to go, but BetterTouchTool is a great software alternative. You can turn the scrolling off per app. And it has a lot of other great features. https://folivora.ai. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • An Open Source Mouse and Trackpad Utility for Mac
    > Unpopular opinion, but I like the Magic Mouse I've always liked the Magic Mouse. > The thing with the Magic Mouse is the touch sensor on top! Being able to swipe and scroll horizontally and vertically This is such an underrated feature; I use it constantly. But there's more it can do; Better Touch Tool lets you configure gestures to your heart's content [1]. [1]: https://folivora.ai. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Gaming Mouse with functionality on Apple Silicon
    I use BetterTouchTool to customize my mouse. That tool is amazing, it offers so much more functionality than that, including window management. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing yabai and BTT Remote, you can also consider the following products

Rectangle - Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.

Moom - Move your mouse over the green zoom button in any window, and Moom's mouse control overlay will appear (as seen in the above animation).

Karabiner - Karabiner, previously called KeyRemap4MacBook, is a very powerful keyboard remapper for Mac OS X.

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

Mizage Divvy - Divvy is an entirely new way of managing your workspace.

SteerMouse - Advanced driver for USB and Bluetooth mouses.