# Amethyst vs AeroSpace

Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026

Amethyst and AeroSpace are both Window managers on a Mac, so the pick depends on workflow. xmonad veterans and first-time tilers: Amethyst. i3/sway engineers who think in workspaces and splits: AeroSpace. Try one for a committed week before declaring. As of October 2026, both install with brew install --cask amethyst and brew install --cask nikitabobko/tap/aerospace.

Re-verified August 2026: Amethyst 0.24.3 (Swift/MIT, April 2026) and AeroSpace 0.16.3-Beta (Rust/MIT, June 2026) still joint-lead open-source tiling on Tahoe 26.x with Rectangle as the snap-manager alternative. Amethyst wins on xmonad familiarity, gentler first-week curve, and broader casual tiling audience. AeroSpace wins on i3 parity: named workspaces, manual h/v splits, tabular/stack containers, and per-workspace layout that i3/sway converts expect. Both idle efficiently, both are Accessibility-only at their 2026 lines (no SIP tax), and both are US$0. A global winner would obscure the real product split: your Linux lineage decides the right macOS tiler.

## Head to head

| Factor | Amethyst | AeroSpace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Open Source | Yes | No |
| Replaces | Magnet ($4.99) | — |
| Best for | window, tiling, management | window-manager, tiling, i3 |
| Install | brew install --cask amethyst | brew install --cask nikitabobko/tap/aerospace |
| Category | System Utilities | System Utilities |

## Amethyst

Automatic tiling window manager

Install: `brew install --cask amethyst`

[Amethyst on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/amethyst)

## AeroSpace

i3-like tiling window manager for macOS

Install: `brew install --cask nikitabobko/tap/aerospace`

[AeroSpace on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/aerospace)

## Features

- **Tiling Philosophy.** xmonad auto-cycle (Amethyst) vs i3 workspace+tree (AeroSpace): pick your lineage, not a 'better' tile.
- **Layouts & Tree Control.** AeroSpace wins deterministic tree control; Amethyst wins automatic rebalance simplicity.
- **Workspaces & Multi-Monitor.** AeroSpace's i3-faithful workspace model wins for sway/i3 converts.
- **Configuration Surface.** AeroSpace's TOML is more expressive for per-workspace and rule-driven setups.
- **Ease of Onboarding.** Amethyst onboards faster unless you already breathe i3.
- **System Integration & Friction.** Both remain Tahoe-viable without yabai's SIP tax in their 2026 beta/stable lines.
- **Pricing & Licensing (2026).** Both remain US$0 forever; choose on workflow, not price.
- **Maintenance & Platform Fit (Tahoe / Apple Silicon).** AeroSpace's June 2026 beta is the more recent ship, edging recency confidence.

## FAQ

### Which versions should I install on Tahoe 26.x today?

Amethyst 0.24.3 (April 2026, Homebrew cask amethyst) and AeroSpace 0.16.3-Beta (9 June 2026, Homebrew tap aerospace). Both are universal and notarized for Apple Silicon; re-grant Accessibility after a major OS upgrade.

### Is either manager abandoned?

No. Amethyst shipped 0.24.2 in March 2026 and 0.24.3 in April 2026; AeroSpace shipped 0.16.3-Beta in June 2026 with August Homebrew rebuilds. Both are actively maintained in 2026, just at different release tempos.

### Do I need SIP or a scripting addition like yabai?

No for both in their 2026 lines. Amethyst and AeroSpace 0.16.x both live on Accessibility APIs for standard tiling, avoiding the SIP friction yabai's scripting addition introduces for advanced features.

### Which maps to i3 muscle memory?

AeroSpace , named workspaces, h/v splits, and workspace-to-monitor assignments configured in TOML are i3/sway-faithful. Amethyst's xmonad-inspired layout cycling feels more like Tall/Wide/Stack than i3's tree.

### Which is easier the first week?

Amethyst , layout cycling plus two float lists is quicker to internalize than AeroSpace's manual tree. If you already live in i3/sway, AeroSpace skips that curve.

### Can I run Amethyst and AeroSpace together?

No , both claim the same Accessibility window frames and will flicker or fight. Run yabai/Rectangle vs one tiler logic extended: pick exactly one.

### How do multi-monitor workspaces differ?

Amethyst keeps per-display layouts with focus/throw shortcuts across screens; AeroSpace adds named workspace→monitor binding in TOML so a workspace deterministically lives on a chosen display.

### Do they support Apple Silicon and Tahoe 26.x?

Yes. Both ship universal/natively compiled binaries (Amethyst Swift, AeroSpace Rust) and remain Tahoe 26.x-viable. Grant Accessibility on first launch after each major OS upgrade.

### Are these tools safe to give Accessibility access?

Both are long-standing MIT open-source projects with public GitHub histories (Amethyst since 2011, AeroSpace since 2023). Accessibility is the mandatory permission for any third-party window manager on macOS.

### Did pricing change since early 2026?

No. Both stayed MIT free at their 2026 release lines with no paid tier or subscription. Typical Homebrew install remains `brew install --cask amethyst` and `brew install --cask nikitabobko/tap/aerospace`.

### How does yabai change this choice?

yabai remains the third 'big three' tiler , scriptable, capable, but SIP-gated for some features. If you want tree control without SIP, AeroSpace is the closer match; if you want automatic layouts without tree mental load, Amethyst is the xmonad path. Evaluate yabai separately if you welcome scripting-addition power.

## Sources

- [Amethyst official site](https://ianyh.com/amethyst/)
- [Amethyst GitHub releases (0.24.3 April 2026)](https://github.com/ianyh/Amethyst/releases)
- [Homebrew cask: amethyst](https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/amethyst)
- [AeroSpace official docs (layouts & workspaces)](https://nikitabobko.github.io/AeroSpace/guide)
- [AeroSpace GitHub releases (0.16.3-Beta June 2026)](https://github.com/nikitabobko/AeroSpace/releases)
- [Homebrew tap: aerospace (formula metadata)](https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/aerospace)
- [AeroSpace tiling WM context (i3 lineage)](https://www.libhunt.com/topic/window-manager)

## Related

- [Amethyst vs Rectangle](https://bundl.run/compare/amethyst-vs-rectangle)
- [Magnet vs Amethyst](https://bundl.run/compare/magnet-vs-amethyst)

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