AeroSpace vs yabai: which tiling window manager fits your Mac

AeroSpace tiles i3 style with its own workspaces and never needs SIP off. yabai tiles by binary splits on real Spaces, and its Spaces features need SIP partly off.

Compare · Updated 4 November 2026

Pick AeroSpace if you know i3 and want one config file that holds the layout and the shortcuts, with nothing to change in macOS security. Pick yabai if you want to keep real macOS Spaces and are willing to add a hotkey app and, for the Spaces features, partly turn off System Integrity Protection (SIP).

What is the main difference between AeroSpace and yabai?

Workspaces. AeroSpace replaces macOS Spaces with its own workspaces: windows of a hidden workspace are moved off screen, and its guide suggests keeping a single macOS Space. yabai works with the real Spaces you see in Mission Control, and can create, destroy and move them, but only with SIP partly off.

AeroSpaceyabai
Tiling stylei3 style tree: tiles and accordionBinary space partitioning
WorkspacesIts own, in place of SpacesReal macOS Spaces
SettingsTOML config file, no settings windowyabairc file and a command line tool
ShortcutsBuilt in, set in the configNeeds a separate app such as skhd
SIPNever needed, by designPartly off for Spaces, shadows, layers, sticky windows
Newest version (4 Nov 2026)0.21.3 Beta, 16 July 20267.1.25, 8 May 2026
macOS13 or later11 or later (12 on Apple silicon), up to 26 listed
LicenceMIT, freeMIT, free

Does yabai need SIP disabled?

Not to tile. Its own documentation lists what needs SIP partly off: creating, destroying, moving and swapping Spaces, removing shadows, transparency, window animations, scratchpads, window layers, sticky windows and picture in picture. Plain tiling on the current Space works with SIP on.

Does AeroSpace need SIP disabled?

No. Its makers say it does not and never will. That is the main reason people move from yabai to AeroSpace.

Is AeroSpace stable enough for daily use?

Its makers call it a public beta that is usable every day, and warn of breaking changes before 1.0. Every release so far is marked as a pre-release, so expect to adjust your config now and then.

Which one is easier to set up?

AeroSpace: one app, one file, and a default config to start from. yabai is two pieces, the tiler and a hotkey daemon, each with its own file, plus the SIP steps if you want the Spaces features.

What do both have in common?

Both split the screen between every window you open. On a MacBook Air (1440 points wide), four windows side by side are 360 points each, and a fifth makes them all narrower again. If that is the part you dislike, the other kind is a scrolling window manager, where each window keeps its width and the row runs past the edge.

Each against ClutterFreeMac: vs AeroSpace, vs yabai. Coming from Linux: i3 for Mac. The wider field: the best window managers for Mac.

Facts read from the AeroSpace and yabai project pages, releases and wikis on 4 November 2026.

Questions

Is AeroSpace better than yabai?

AeroSpace is easier to set up and never needs SIP turned off; yabai keeps real macOS Spaces and has more control over them if you partly disable SIP. Neither is better for everyone.

Does AeroSpace use macOS Spaces?

No. It uses its own workspaces and moves hidden windows off screen. Its guide suggests one macOS Space.

Do I need skhd with yabai?

Yes, or another hotkey app. yabai has no keyboard shortcuts of its own.

Are AeroSpace and yabai free?

Yes. Both are free and open source under the MIT licence.

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