TaskbarX vs ExplorerPatcher

TaskbarX8.8Visit EExplorerPatcher8.4Visit

Higher score TaskbarX #2 in Taskbar Customization Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Visit TaskbarX

vs

E ExplorerPatcher #4 in Taskbar Customization Software 8.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 6 features Try ExplorerPatcher

• TaskbarX fits best

  Portable taskbar centering and visual effects

• ExplorerPatcher fits best

  Open-source Windows taskbar replacement

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Side by side

Feature	TaskbarX 8.8/10 Visit ↗	EExplorerPatcher 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	8.4
Ranking	#2 in Taskbar Customization Software	#4 in Taskbar Customization Software
Best for	Portable taskbar centering and visual effects	Open-source Windows taskbar replacement
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows	Windows
Support	Community	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features TaskbarX 5/6 · ExplorerPatcher 4/6
Taskbar positioning	✓	✓
Transparency controls	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
App grouping controls	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Multi-monitor support	✓	✓
Taskbar sizing	✓	✓
Portable version	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Platform	Windows	Windows
Our review
Pros	Free, open source, and portable without installation or background services Combines centering, offsets, animations, transparency, blur, and acrylic styles Supports multi-monitor, vertical taskbars, sizing, spacing, segments, and color controls	Supports Windows 10 and Windows 11 taskbar styles Offers edge positioning, monitor movement, grouping, and icon sizing Adds auto-hide, context-menu, Start menu, and Alt+Tab controls
Cons	Icon centering does not work on modern Windows 11 builds Primarily designed for Windows 10 The GitHub repository is archived and read-only	Some features depend on the Windows build in use Supports Windows only No AI features or verified portable distribution
Our verdict	TaskbarX is a free, open-source Windows utility for customizing taskbar layout and appearance. It centers taskbar icons or places them with custom offsets, and it is aimed at Windows users who want more control over positioning, spacing,… Read the review →	ExplorerPatcher is an open-source Windows utility for people who want more control over the taskbar and related shell behavior. It can restore a Windows 10-style taskbar on supported Windows 11 versions while also modifying parts of the… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• TaskbarX — where it wins

  • Free, open source, and portable without installation or background services
  • Combines centering, offsets, animations, transparency, blur, and acrylic styles
  • Supports multi-monitor, vertical taskbars, sizing, spacing, segments, and color controls

  Where it doesn't

  • Icon centering does not work on modern Windows 11 builds
  • Primarily designed for Windows 10
  • The GitHub repository is archived and read-only

• ExplorerPatcher — where it wins

  • Supports Windows 10 and Windows 11 taskbar styles
  • Offers edge positioning, monitor movement, grouping, and icon sizing
  • Adds auto-hide, context-menu, Start menu, and Alt+Tab controls

  Where it doesn't

  • Some features depend on the Windows build in use
  • Supports Windows only
  • No AI features or verified portable distribution

• TaskbarX8.8/10 · Free plan

  A free, portable Windows 10 taskbar customizer with limited modern Windows 11 support.

  Visit TaskbarXFull verdict →
• EExplorerPatcher8.4/10 · Free plan

  A broad, free taskbar replacement for Windows users who want legacy controls.

  Try ExplorerPatcherFull verdict →