Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

yabai VS Moom

Compare yabai VS Moom and see what are their differences

yabai logo yabai

A tiling window manager for macOS based on binary space partitioning

Moom logo 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).
  • yabai Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-26
  • Moom Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-14

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.

Moom features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Moom offers a user-friendly interface that allows users to quickly and easily manage their window layouts without a steep learning curve.
  • Customizable Layouts
    The application allows users to create and save custom window layouts, which can be accessed and applied with a single click.
  • Keyboard Shortcuts
    Moom supports keyboard shortcuts for window management, enabling users to quickly move and resize windows without relying on a mouse.
  • Compatibility
    Moom works seamlessly with most macOS versions and integrates well with other Mac applications, enhancing productivity.
  • Snap to Edges and Corners
    The application enables windows to 'snap' to screen edges and corners, making it easier to manage multiple windows efficiently.

Possible disadvantages of Moom

  • Price
    Moom is a paid application, which might be a deterrent for users looking for free alternatives.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic features are easy to grasp, advanced functionalities might require some time to learn and set up optimally.
  • Limited to macOS
    The application is exclusive to macOS, which means Windows and Linux users cannot benefit from its features.
  • Potential for Overlaps
    Moom can sometimes interfere with other window management tools or macOS's built-in functionalities, leading to inconsistent behavior.
  • Performance
    In rare cases, Moom might consume more system resources than expected, potentially impacting the overall performance of the computer.

yabai videos

Yabai Demonstration

More videos:

  • Demo - yabai macOS Tiling Window Manager Demonstration

Moom videos

Organic-Please Reviews MOOM Organic Hair Removal!

More videos:

  • Review - Mixed Nuts: MOOM (Awesome Window Resizing Tool for Mac Users)
  • Review - moom

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to yabai and Moom)
Window Manager
46 46%
54% 54
OSX Tools
39 39%
61% 61
Mac Tools
49 49%
51% 51
Mac
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare yabai and Moom

yabai Reviews

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Moom Reviews

Best 6 Mac Window Managers
Although it’s the default way of controlling Moom, you can operate this Mac window organizer in other ways too. Head into Moom’s settings, and you can set up keyboard shortcuts, as well as drag and drop.
Source: mackeeper.com
Top 6 Window Manager Apps for Mac
While Moom is similar to other apps on this list, it does have a few tricks up its sleeve. First, there are several ways to use the app. You can either set it up in your Dock, have it stay in the Menu Bar, or use it as an invisible app running in the background.
The 6 Best Mac Window Management Tools
Moom lets you resize your window differently. Instead of putting everything in the menu bar, the window management options reside inside the green button. To view those different arrangements, you'll have to press the Option key while hovering your mouse over the green button.
Moom vs Magnet vs Spectacle
But that’s not all. Moom supports window layouts snapshots. This means that it can record where is each window so they can be restored after a trigger. This trigger can be connecting a second display or just a keyboard shortcut. This feature makes this tool way more powerful than its rivals.
Source: medium.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, yabai should be more popular than Moom. It has been mentiond 133 times since March 2021. 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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Moom mentions (67)

  • macOS Sequoia is available today
    We may actually be seeing the moment where Moom[1] is no longer an essential OS X app. It can solve both window tiling and the "maximize problem" on mac and has been my first install for many years. Here's to hoping that Apple can get one basic OS feature right once. [1] https://manytricks.com/moom/. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Stapler: I remade a 32 year old classic Macintosh app
    Moom⁽¹⁾ offers the ability to save and restore window layouts, including triggering saved layouts on addition or removal of displays. ⁽¹⁾https://manytricks.com/moom/. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Apple has not fixed the macOS audio left/right balance bug for 10 years
    Most of the time, I don’t. It sounds silly but macOS window management works best when you don’t micromanage and just let windows pile up at whichever size fits their content, kind of like papers on a desk. Instead I group windows by virtual desktop (space) on two monitors, switching out virtual desktops to mix and match sets of windows. Individual windows are rarely moved or resized. On the odd occasion I need... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Yabai – A tiling window manager for macOS
    I similarly find something like Yabai a bit too heavy-handed for my needs, and instead prefer Moom[0]. I find that only need tiling occasionally, and for that Moom excels since it doesn’t add any new key shortcuts to memorize and is only ever visibly present when hovering your cursor over a window’s green button. Its Aero Snap equivalent is optional and turned off by default too, which is great for me (I trigger... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Rethinking Window Management in Gnome
    I ended up using Moom [1] to work around some of the oddities of macOS window management. It's relatively low-feature, mostly for window arrangements and sizing. I use it on a vertical monitor to split window placement horizontally, since macOS can only natively do vertical splits. It has other features too (like saving layouts and keyboard shortcuts), but I don't use them that much. 1. https://manytricks.com/moom/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

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

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

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

BTT Remote - A remote control for you Mac, using your iPhone or iPad

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

Spectacle App - Move and resize windows with ease.

i3 - A dynamic tiling window manager designed for X11, inspired by wmii, and written in C.