RibbonBest scrolling window managers for Mac (2026)
There's no single winner. On macOS 26 Tahoe with Apple silicon, OmniWM is the best free choice. If you're comfortable with a terminal, Paneru is free and runs the same kind of strip. If your Apple silicon Mac is on an older macOS, or you want a settings window instead of a config file, that's where Ribbon, our app, fits.
How we judged
We make Ribbon, so read this with that in mind. We tried to be fair by judging every app on the same plain questions:
- Which Macs does it run on? Minimum macOS version, and whether Intel Macs work.
- How does it treat Spaces? Some apps use macOS's own Spaces; others replace them with their own workspaces.
- How do you set it up? A settings window, a config file, or a script.
- Trackpad. Can a swipe move the strip?
- Cost and licence.
- Is it maintained? Recent commits and releases, from each project's GitHub as of October 2026.
Ribbon and OmniWM both work with System Integrity Protection left on, and none of the free projects below asks you to turn it off.
The options, ranked by situation
1. Ribbon: best if you want it to just work on any recent Mac
Ribbon runs on macOS 13 Ventura through 26 Tahoe, on Apple silicon (M1 or later). Every option lives in a settings window, so there's no file to edit. It uses macOS Spaces as they are: each Space on each display gets its own strip. The three- or four-finger swipe follows your fingers and settles on a column, and a Mac Setup page checks the macOS settings that would get in the way.
The engine is built on Paneru, with a native SwiftUI app on top. The downsides: it costs $9.99 once for one Mac, it's closed source, and it does one layout only. There's no overview, no workspaces of its own and no config language (automation is limited to a ribbon:// URL scheme and a small CLI). All sales are final, so try the live demo before you buy.
2. OmniWM: best free option on macOS 26 Tahoe
OmniWM is free, GPL-2.0, actively developed and packed with features: a niri-style scrolling layout, a dwindle (BSP) layout you can choose per workspace, an overview, a command palette, scratchpads and rich trackpad gestures. Configure it in a settings window or a live-reloading TOML file.
The catch is hard: macOS 26 Tahoe or later, Apple silicon only. It also runs its own workspaces and recommends one macOS Space per display. If your Mac qualifies, start here. We compare the two in detail in Ribbon vs OmniWM.
3. Paneru: best free option if you like the terminal
Paneru is a free, MIT-licensed scrolling window manager written in Rust. It gives each monitor and each Space its own strip, supports stacks, trackpad swipes and native tabs, and is configured in TOML or Lua with a CLI for scripting. It's the engine Ribbon builds on, so if you're happy editing ~/.paneru.toml and running a service from the terminal, you can get a similar strip for free.
Two things to know: a thin sliver of each off-screen window stays visible, and it recommends stacking side-by-side monitors vertically in Display settings so windows don't spill onto the next screen.
4. Nehir: niri-only, for macOS 15 Sequoia
Nehir is an opinionated fork of OmniWM that keeps only the niri column layout and runs on macOS 15 and later. It's free (GPL-2.0), has an overview, a workspace bar and split TOML config files plus a settings window. It's a small project and has gone quiet lately: the last commit was in August 2026, and the newest builds are release candidates. Intel support isn't stated.
5. PaperWM.spoon: best if you already use Hammerspoon
PaperWM.spoon is a free, MIT-licensed plugin for Hammerspoon. It gives each Space a strip, supports stacked columns and a floating layer, and has an opt-in trackpad swipe. You set it up in Lua. Like every Mac strip, off-screen windows leave a visible margin at the screen edges. Our PaperWM.spoon setup guide walks through it.
6. ChainYourMac
Another paid scrolling window manager, also built on a Paneru fork. It costs $9.99, needs macOS 13 or later, and runs on Apple silicon only.
7. komorebi for Mac: if scrolling is one layout among many
komorebi for Mac is a port of the Windows tiler. Scrolling is one of many layouts next to BSP, columns, rows and stacks. It's free for personal use, but work use needs a licence at $10 a month or $110 a year. The scrolling layout only works with a single monitor, configuration is JSON plus a CLI and skhd for hotkeys, and it manages its own workspaces inside one macOS Space. More in komorebi for Mac.
8. ScrollDesktop.spoon: a curiosity
ScrollDesktop.spoon turns your desktop into an endless canvas you scroll sideways. It doesn't tile anything, and it hasn't changed since 2024.
Side by side
| Price | Licence | Min macOS | Intel | Config | Spaces | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ribbon | $9.99 once | Closed (engine on MIT Paneru) | 13 | No | Settings window | macOS Spaces, strip per Space and display |
| OmniWM | Free | GPL-2.0 | 26 | No | Settings window + TOML | Own workspaces |
| Paneru | Free | MIT | Not stated | Not stated | TOML or Lua + CLI | macOS Spaces (+ experimental virtual rows) |
| Nehir | Free | GPL-2.0 | 15 | Not stated | TOML + settings window | Own workspaces |
| PaperWM.spoon | Free | MIT | 13 (via Hammerspoon) | Not stated | Lua | macOS Spaces |
| ChainYourMac | $19.99 | Closed | 13 | No | Settings window | macOS Spaces |
| komorebi for Mac | Free personal, paid for work | Source-available | Not stated | Not stated | JSON + CLI + skhd | Own workspaces in one Space |
| ScrollDesktop.spoon | Free | MIT | 13 (via Hammerspoon) | Not stated | Lua | Not documented |
Often mentioned, but not scrolling
These come up in every "Mac window manager" thread. They're good tools, just a different model.
- AeroSpace: free i3-style tiling with its own workspaces and a TOML file. Its accordion layout is the closest it gets to a strip. See Ribbon vs AeroSpace.
- yabai: free BSP tiling driven from the shell. Many advanced features need SIP partly disabled. See Ribbon vs yabai.
- Amethyst: free xmonad-style automatic layouts with a GUI.
- Rectangle: free snapping to halves, thirds and corners by shortcut or drag.
- Loop: free snapping through a radial menu.
Pick in 30 seconds
- On Linux? Just use niri.
- macOS 26 Tahoe, Apple silicon, want free? OmniWM.
- Fine with TOML and the terminal? Paneru.
- Already a Hammerspoon user? PaperWM.spoon.
- Apple silicon on Ventura, Sonoma or Sequoia, and want a settings window and email support? Ribbon.
- Want every window visible in a grid? AeroSpace or yabai.
- Only snap windows to halves? Rectangle, Loop or macOS's own tiling.
FAQ
What is the best free scrolling window manager for Mac?
On macOS 26 Tahoe with Apple silicon, OmniWM. On older macOS versions, Paneru (TOML and terminal) or PaperWM.spoon (Hammerspoon and Lua) are the free choices.
Which scrolling window managers work on Intel Macs?
Ribbon, OmniWM and ChainYourMac are all Apple silicon only. The free projects (Paneru, Nehir, PaperWM.spoon) don't state Intel support either way, so check their pages.
Do any of these need SIP disabled?
Ribbon and OmniWM work with SIP on, and none of the free scrolling projects here asks you to disable it. yabai is the one that needs SIP partly off for some features, and it isn't a scrolling manager.
Can I run two window managers at once?
No. They fight over the same windows, and some, like OmniWM, refuse to start while another one is running. Quit one before trying the next.
Is Ribbon open source?
No. Ribbon is a closed-source paid app, but its window engine is built on Paneru, which is open source under MIT. All sales are final (terms), so try the demo first.