i3 vs bug.n

i39.4Visit BNbug.n7.4Visit

Higher score i3 #1 in Window Management Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit i3

vs

BN bug.n #20 in Window Management Software 7.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit bug.n

• i3 fits best

  Linux users wanting configurable tiling

• bug.n fits best

  Windows users wanting free tiling and saved sessions

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Side by side

Feature	i3 9.4/10 Visit ↗	BNbug.n 7.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	7.4
Ranking	#1 in Window Management Software	#20 in Window Management Software
Best for	Linux users wanting configurable tiling	Windows users wanting free tiling and saved sessions
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Linux	Windows
Features i3 4/4 · bug.n 3/4
Layout presets	✓	✓
Application rules	✓	✓
Window grouping	✓ (best)	—
Virtual desktop controls	✓	✓
Specs
Platforms	linux	windows
Maximum displays	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Switch among tiling, stacking, tabbed, floating, and fullscreen layouts Assign workspaces to screens and windows to workspaces or outputs Save and restore workspace or output layouts with JSON files	Switch between tile, monocle, and floating layouts. Manage windows across virtual desktops and multiple monitors. Save monitor, view, layout, and window state between sessions.
Cons	Aimed primarily at advanced users and developers Designed for X11 rather than a broad range of desktop platforms Requires configuration to define bindings, app rules, and workspace behavior	Stable v9 is no longer actively maintained. Runs on Windows only. Window groups are not supported.
Our verdict	i3 is a free, open-source tiling window manager for X11, aimed primarily at advanced users and developers. It arranges windows in a tree structure and offers horizontal and vertical splits, stacking and tabbed containers, plus floating and… Read the review →	bug.n is an open-source tiling window manager add-on for the Windows Explorer shell. It automatically resizes and positions windows, with tile, monocle, and floating modes. Its combination of configurable layouts, tagged views for virtual… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• i3 — where it wins

  • Switch among tiling, stacking, tabbed, floating, and fullscreen layouts
  • Assign workspaces to screens and windows to workspaces or outputs
  • Save and restore workspace or output layouts with JSON files

  Where it doesn't

  • Aimed primarily at advanced users and developers
  • Designed for X11 rather than a broad range of desktop platforms
  • Requires configuration to define bindings, app rules, and workspace behavior

• bug.n — where it wins

  • Switch between tile, monocle, and floating layouts.
  • Manage windows across virtual desktops and multiple monitors.
  • Save monitor, view, layout, and window state between sessions.

  Where it doesn't

  • Stable v9 is no longer actively maintained.
  • Runs on Windows only.
  • Window groups are not supported.

• i39.4/10 · Free plan

  A configurable X11 window manager for Linux users who want precise tiling and workspace control.

  Visit i3Full verdict →
• BNbug.n7.4/10 · Free plan

  Free window tiling with customizable layouts, app rules, and saved sessions.

  Visit bug.nFull verdict →