i3 vs XMonad

i39.4Visit XMonad9.0Visit

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

vs

XMonad #5 in Window Management Software 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit XMonad

• i3 fits best

  Linux users wanting configurable tiling

• XMonad fits best

  Linux users wanting extensible Haskell layouts

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Side by side

Feature	i3 9.4/10 Visit ↗	XMonad 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	9.0
Ranking	#1 in Window Management Software	#5 in Window Management Software
Best for	Linux users wanting configurable tiling	Linux users wanting extensible Haskell layouts
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Linux	Linux
Features i3 4/4 · XMonad 2/4
Layout presets	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Application rules	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Window grouping	✓	✓
Virtual desktop controls	✓	✓
Specs
Platforms	linux	linux
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	Configurable Haskell layouts can vary by virtual workspace. Supports floating, tabbed, decorated, and automatically tiled windows. Reload configuration on the fly; extend it with xmonad-contrib.
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	Configuration in Haskell is a poor fit for users who want a graphical editor. Designed for X11, not a general-purpose window manager across platforms. Multi-monitor support relies on Xinerama.
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 →	XMonad is a dynamically tiling window manager for X11, written and configured in Haskell. It is aimed at Linux users who want predictable, keyboard-driven control and are comfortable shaping their desktop through configuration. Windows can… 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

• XMonad — where it wins

  • Configurable Haskell layouts can vary by virtual workspace.
  • Supports floating, tabbed, decorated, and automatically tiled windows.
  • Reload configuration on the fly; extend it with xmonad-contrib.

  Where it doesn't

  • Configuration in Haskell is a poor fit for users who want a graphical editor.
  • Designed for X11, not a general-purpose window manager across platforms.
  • Multi-monitor support relies on Xinerama.

• i39.4/10 · Free plan

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

  Visit i3Full verdict →
• XMonad9.0/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source Linux window manager for keyboard-driven, Haskell-configurable layouts.

  Visit XMonadFull verdict →