Kitsmith / Compare / AltTab vs BetterCmdTab
MacAltTab vs BetterCmdTab
AltTab vs BetterCmdTab: verdict, pricing, and specs compared, so you can pick the right one for your Mac.
At a glance
AltTab
Free (Pro: $9.99 one-time or $24.99 lifetime)A free, open-source window switcher — live thumbnails, up to 9 custom shortcuts, and trackpad gestures — with an optional $9.99 Pro upgrade for search and extra styles.
BetterCmdTab
FreeA free, open-source Cmd+Tab replacement — grid or live-preview switching, fuzzy app search and launch, plus basic window tiling — zero telemetry, from a solo Polish developer.
Spec comparison
AltTab
- Price
- Free (Pro: $9.99 one-time or $24.99 lifetime)
- Pricing model
- Free
- License
- Open source
- Placement
- Menu bar
- Channels
- Homebrew · Direct
- Category
- Utilities
BetterCmdTab
- Price
- Free
- Pricing model
- Free
- License
- Open source
- Placement
- Menu bar
- Channels
- Homebrew · Direct
- Category
- Utilities
The verdict
AltTab is the default free window switcher for a reason — 8.6M downloads, 16k GitHub stars, and live window thumbnails since 2016 — with an optional $9.99 Pro upgrade for in-switcher search and extra display styles. BetterCmdTab is the newer challenger, and its own FAQ names AltTab directly: everything stays free forever under GPL v3, including fuzzy app search/launch and basic window tiling that AltTab reserves for its paid tier, plus a stated zero-telemetry policy. Pick AltTab if you want the most established, most-reviewed option; pick BetterCmdTab if you want tiling and fuzzy launch without ever paying.
Which one should you pick?
Pick AltTab if…
- Pick AltTab if you want the most established, most-downloaded window switcher (8.6M downloads, 16k GitHub stars)
- Pick AltTab if trackpad gestures and up to 9 independently configurable shortcuts matter to you
- Pick AltTab if you’re fine paying $9.99 one-time (or $24.99 lifetime) for in-switcher search and extra display styles
- Pick AltTab if you want a project with a long track record, built since 2016
Pick BetterCmdTab if…
- Pick BetterCmdTab if you want fuzzy search that can also launch any installed app, not just switch windows
- Pick BetterCmdTab if you want basic window tiling (halves, corners, maximize) built in for free
- Pick BetterCmdTab if a stated zero-telemetry, no-paywall policy matters to you
- Pick BetterCmdTab if you’d rather never see a “Pro” upgrade prompt
AltTab vs BetterCmdTab — questions people ask
Is BetterCmdTab really free?
Yes — free forever under GPL v3, with no paywall and no telemetry, per the developer.
Does AltTab cost money?
The core switcher is free; an optional AltTab Pro upgrade ($9.99 one-time or $24.99 lifetime) adds in-switcher search, two extra display styles, and auto-sizing thumbnails.
Which one does more than switch windows?
BetterCmdTab — it adds fuzzy app search/launch and basic window tiling (halves, corners, maximize) that AltTab’s free tier doesn’t include.