Sway comparisons
Sway is compared head-to-head with i3, Hyprland and awesome and more: 7 head-to-heads in Window Management Software, each with the specs and prices we checked.
Sway head-to-head
Sway vs each of them
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Platforms | Layout presets | Application rules | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Sway | Yes | Free | linux | Yes | 9.3 | |
| 1 | i3 | Yes | Free | linux | Yes | Yes | 9.4 |
| 3 | Hyprland | Free | linux | Yes | 9.2 | ||
| 4 | awesome | Yes | Free | linux | Yes | Yes | 9.1 |
| 5 | XMonad | Yes | Free | linux | 9.0 | ||
| 6 | dwm | Yes | Free | linux, openbsd, solaris | No | Yes | 8.9 |
| 7 | IceWM | Free | linux | Yes | 8.8 | ||
| 8 | Qtile | Yes | Free | linux | Yes | Yes | 8.6 |
Compare Sway with any window manager
These are the matchups our editors wrote up. The compare tool pairs Sway with any other product in Window Management Software — and up to four at once — from the same checked specs.
Compare Sway with any tool side by side →
Every window management software head-to-head →
Our full Sway verdict, pricing and fact sheet →
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Compared by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update