AeroSpace

AeroSpace is a free, open-source tiling window manager for macOS that mimics the i3/Sway workflow Linux power users miss when they switch to a Mac. We rate it 82/100 — the most reliable keyboard-driven window manager available for macOS in 2026, ideal for Linux refugees and dotfile tinkerers, but still pre-1.0 with rough edges around drag-to-rearrange and macOS native fullscreen.

What is AeroSpace?

AeroSpace is a desktop window manager that automatically tiles your application windows into clean grids and lets you switch, move, and resize them with keyboard shortcuts instead of dragging with the mouse. It is written in Swift, licensed under MIT, and runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.

The project was created by Nikita Bobko and the first commit landed on GitHub on May 21, 2023. By May 2026 it has crossed 20,500 stars, 502 forks, and the latest beta — v0.20.3-Beta — shipped on March 8, 2026. AeroSpace's killer differentiator is that, unlike Yabai, it does not require disabling SIP (System Integrity Protection) because it relies only on the public macOS Accessibility API.

Key Features of AeroSpace

• Virtual workspaces, not macOS Spaces: AeroSpace ships its own workspace model so you can jump between numbered workspaces with alt-1, alt-2, etc., without the half-second slide animation Apple's native Spaces force on you.
• Tree-based tiling layouts: Windows live inside a tree of horizontal tiles, vertical tiles, and accordion containers. You reshape the tree with single-key commands instead of click-dragging.
• i3-compatible config in plain TOML: The whole configuration lives in a single ~/.aerospace.toml file with a syntax familiar to anyone who has used i3 or Sway on Linux.
• No SIP disabling: Built on the official Accessibility API. You grant permissions once and AeroSpace runs without disabling System Integrity Protection — the trade-off Yabai forces on you for fewer features.
• Multi-monitor and per-monitor workspaces: Each workspace can be assigned to a specific display, with persistent workspaces support added in v0.20.0.
• CLI-first scripting: An aerospace CLI exposes every action as a shell command, so you can drive it from skhd, Hammerspoon, or your own scripts.
• JSON-friendly listing commands: list-windows, list-workspaces, and list-monitors support custom interpolation variables for piping into menubar widgets like Zebar or sketchybar.

What Users Say About AeroSpace

On Hacker News and r/MacOS, the loudest praise is consistent: AeroSpace is the first macOS tiler that just works for daily driving — multiple long-time Yabai users describe switching and never going back precisely because they no longer need to disable SIP. Reviewers at roguelazer.com and nek12.dev rank it ahead of Amethyst and Yabai in 2026 head-to-heads.

The recurring complaints are also clear. Drag-to-rearrange is extremely limited — the workflow assumes keyboard, not mouse. Several users report AeroSpace gets confused with macOS native fullscreen mode, and a Hacker News thread notes flakiness under moderate system load because the underlying Accessibility API can stall for seconds. The project is still pre-1.0 and breaking config changes have shipped between minor versions — v0.20.0's new dialog heuristics, for example, briefly broke window detection in a few apps until follow-up patches.

AeroSpace Pricing

AeroSpace is free and open source under the MIT license. There is no paid tier, no premium edition and no telemetry. The project accepts donations via GitHub Sponsors but every feature is in the public binary.

Plan	Price	Includes
Open source	$0	Full feature set, MIT license, source on GitHub
GitHub Sponsors	Pay what you want	Same software, supports the maintainer

Who Should Use AeroSpace?

Best for: developers, sysadmins and writers coming from i3/Sway on Linux who want to keep their muscle memory on macOS, plus anyone who finds dragging windows tedious and prefers alt-h/j/k/l navigation. Especially good for multi-monitor setups where stable, scripted workspace assignment matters.

Not ideal for: mouse-first users, designers who rely on macOS native fullscreen for Figma or Final Cut, and anyone who needs first-class drag-and-drop window rearrangement. People who want a polished, opinionated, GUI-configured tool should look at Magnet or Rectangle Pro instead.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Does not require disabling SIP — installs and runs as a normal Mac app via Homebrew Cask
• Genuine i3-style workflow — the closest macOS gets to a real Linux tiling experience
• Single TOML file configuration that is easy to dotfile and share between machines
• Active maintainer and over 20,500 GitHub stars, with releases every 1–3 months
• Free and MIT-licensed forever

Cons:

• Still pre-1.0 — config breaking changes have shipped between minor versions
• Drag-to-rearrange is limited; the model is keyboard-first by design
• Conflicts with macOS native fullscreen mode in several apps
• Performance occasionally degrades under load because of macOS Accessibility API quirks
• Dated documentation site — the guide assumes you already understand i3 concepts

Alternatives to AeroSpace

The two most-cited alternatives in 2026 are Yabai — more powerful binary space partitioning but requires disabling SIP and breaks on every major macOS update — and Amethyst, an older xmonad-style tiler that needs no SIP disabling but lacks AeroSpace's workspace model and CLI. For paid users, Magnet and Rectangle Pro handle simple half/quarter snapping with a friendlier GUI but are not real tilers.

Verdict: Is AeroSpace Worth It?

Yes — if you came from i3 or Sway and want that workflow back on a Mac, AeroSpace is the answer in 2026. Our 82/100 reflects that: it is the best free macOS tiler we have tested this year, but it is still beta software with rough edges around drag-rearrangement and native fullscreen. If you want a polished mouse-friendly snapping tool, look elsewhere; if you want real i3 on macOS without disabling SIP, install AeroSpace today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AeroSpace free?

Yes. AeroSpace is fully free and open source under the MIT license. There is no paid tier and no telemetry.

Do I need to disable SIP to use AeroSpace?

No. Unlike Yabai, AeroSpace does not require disabling System Integrity Protection. It uses only the public macOS Accessibility API, so you grant standard accessibility permissions and that is all.

What platforms does AeroSpace support?

macOS only — both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. There is no Windows or Linux version because it is built on the macOS Accessibility API.

How does AeroSpace compare to Yabai?

Yabai offers more advanced binary-space-partitioning layouts and finer control, but it requires disabling SIP and frequently breaks on macOS updates. AeroSpace covers 90% of the same workflow with no SIP disabling and a simpler TOML config, at the cost of fewer layout primitives.

Is AeroSpace open source?

Yes — the source is on GitHub under the MIT license. The repo has more than 20,500 stars and accepts community pull requests.

How do I install AeroSpace?

The recommended path is Homebrew Cask: brew install --cask nikitabobko/tap/aerospace. You can also download the .zip from the GitHub Releases page and drag the app to /Applications.