The best Polybar alternatives
4 tools that do a similar job to Polybar, 4 of them open source. Each entry says what it does and who it suits, so you can pick the one that fits instead of the most famous.
You're replacing
PolybarA customizable status bar for Linux desktops, mainly used with X11 window managers.
- 1
Waybar
Open source · MIT · ★ 12.1k
A customizable status bar for Wayland desktops like Sway and Hyprland.
Best for: Sway or Hyprland users who want a configurable status bar; People comfortable editing JSON and CSS-style config files
- 2
eww
Open source · MIT · ★ 12.7k
A Rust tool for building your own custom desktop widgets on Linux window managers.
Best for: Linux users who run a tiling or minimal window manager and want custom bars or panels; People who enjoy designing their own desktop look and are comfortable editing config files
- 3
AeroSpace
Open source · MIT · ★ 23.7k
A keyboard-driven window manager for macOS that tiles windows automatically, inspired by i3.
Best for: Keyboard-centric users who want to manage windows without the mouse; Developers and advanced users comfortable editing a text configuration file
- 4
Amethyst
Open source · MIT · ★ 16.3k
Automatic tiling window manager for macOS, modeled on xmonad.
Best for: Mac users who often work with several windows side by side; Keyboard-focused users who want to avoid dragging windows with the mouse
How we pick: tools in the same category that solve the same problem, projects that name each other as alternatives, and open-source projects that describe themselves as an alternative to Polybar. We don't take payment for placement.