Placement with a pointer
Snap Assistant places a window by dragging it to an edge or by pressing a shortcut, with 18 positions on a 3x6 grid and a fill action for the whole screen.
Amethyst alternative for Mac: Tangrid vs Amethyst
Amethyst is a free, open-source tiling window manager for macOS in the style of xmonad, driven by two modifier combinations and a set of keyboard commands. Tangrid is a macOS window manager that arranges windows automatically as well, and adds pointing-device placement, switching, search, and saved layouts. The decisive difference is the layout model: switching algorithms, or a layout that keeps itself in order.
In short
- Best at
- Amethyst is best at layout algorithms. Tall, tall-right, wide, middle-wide, fullscreen, column, row, widescreen-tall, floating, and bsp layouts can be cycled from the keyboard, and each one can be switched off in preferences.
- Tangrid adds
- Tangrid adds mouse placement through Snap Assistant, Tab Grouping, Window Switcher with vertical search, Dock Preview, and Workspaces.
- The deciding question
- Do you want to cycle tiling algorithms with shortcuts, or do you want a manager that also accepts a mouse and remembers a project layout?
Module by module
Both products arrange windows automatically and work with desktops, so the table compares those two modules.
| Module | Amethyst | Tangrid |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic layout | Yes Automatic tiling with ten layouts that you cycle with a shortcut, including tall, wide, column, row, floating, widescreen-tall, and bsp. Windows can also be moved between layout positions with keyboard commands. | Yes Auto Flow organises managed windows into layouts with split or tab priority, and adds rotation, flipping, balancing, directional reordering, and app-specific floating rules. |
| Desktops and displays | Yes Commands send the focused window to any of sixteen Spaces and move focus between screens. Amethyst asks you to turn off the system setting that reorders Spaces by recent use. | Yes Tangrid moves a window between desktops and displays, and the Space Indicator shows which desktop is currently active, with the macOS desktop settings left as they are. |
Where Tangrid goes further
Tangrid covers these modules too.
Finding one window
Window Switcher lists every window or only those of the current app, with previews and vertical search by window title or app name. Dock Preview shows an app's windows when you hover its Dock icon.
Keeping a project together
Tab Grouping keeps related windows in one tabbed slot inside the layout, and Workspaces save a project's arrangement, including tab groups, so the whole thing can be brought back later.
Which one to choose
Choose Amethyst if
- You want the layout algorithms of a tiling window manager and enjoy cycling between them.
- You want to send a window straight to one of sixteen Spaces from the keyboard.
- You prefer an open-source tool configured entirely from its preferences window.
Choose Tangrid if
- You want to place a window with the mouse as well as the keyboard.
- You want thirds, sixths, or an exact grid position instead of a tiled pane.
- You want window search, Dock previews, tab grouping, and saved project layouts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amethyst free?
Yes. Amethyst is free and open source, runs on macOS 10.15 or later, and installs from its releases page or Homebrew. It asks for the Accessibility permission so that it can move windows.
Does Amethyst need a macOS setting changed?
Yes. Apple's setting that automatically rearranges Spaces based on most recent use should be turned off. With it on, your Spaces swap places as you work and keyboard navigation between them becomes unpredictable.
How do Amethyst's layouts compare with Tangrid Workspaces?
Amethyst's layouts are algorithms: choosing one rearranges the windows that are open at that moment. Tangrid Workspaces store a named snapshot instead, including positions, sizes, tiled or floating state, tab groups, and the target desktop, and restore it when you ask.
Can I run Amethyst and Tangrid at the same time?
Technically yes, but both try to decide where windows go. Amethyst's tiling and Auto Flow would compete for the same windows, so most people run one tiling tool at a time.
What does Tangrid add to Amethyst's workflow?
Tangrid adds Snap Assistant for mouse placement, Tab Grouping, Window Switcher with vertical search, Dock Preview, Workspaces, and a Space Indicator, while keeping the automatic layouts Amethyst users expect.