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Compiz VS Dockaroo

Compare Compiz VS Dockaroo and see what are their differences

Compiz

Project information. Maintainer: PS Project Management Team. Driver: Compiz Maintainers. Licence: GNU GPL v2, GNU LGPL v2. 1, MIT / X / Expat Licence.

Rating
0 reviews
Alternatives Is it good?
Dockaroo

Dockaroo gives each display and each desktop its own dock, showing only the apps that have windows there. Free to use. Pro is a one-time purchase. For macOS 14 or later.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Freemium Free trial $14 / One-off (Pro)
Alternatives Is it good?
Notivo
Notivo is a private, per-person notebook for managers. Capture feedback, commitments, and 1:1 context as it happens — from web, iOS, WhatsApp, email, ChatGPT, or Claude — then get it back later, organized by person. sponsored

Which is more popular?

Window Manager popularity
90% vs 10%
alternatives listed
111 vs 7

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Compiz
Dockaroo
Website compiz.org dockaroo.com
Pricing —
Freemium Free trial $14 / One-off (Pro) Official pricing
Platforms —
Mac MacOS Mac OSX
Company — 2026
Listed in
Window Manager Linux Mac Note Taking +1
OS & Utilities Mac Tools Window Manager Multi Monitor +1

About Compiz and Dockaroo

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

Compiz
Dockaroo

No description of Compiz yet.

macOS shows the Dock on one display at a time. On your other screens you end up opening Mission Control or cycling through ⌘⇥ to find a window you know is there. Dockaroo fixes that by giving every display, and every desktop (Space), its own dock. Each bar shows only the apps that have windows on...

Read more about Dockaroo

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Compiz 5 features
Dockaroo 10 features
  • Enhanced Aesthetic Appeal
    Compiz provides a variety of visually appealing effects and animations, improving the overall look and feel of the user interface.
  • Customizability
    Users can extensively customize their desktop experience with various plugins and settings to tailor their environment to their personal preferences.
  • Improved Productivity
    Features such as the Exposé-like window overview, workspace switching animations, and enhanced window management help users stay organized and switch between tasks more efficiently.
  • Wide Range of Plugins
    Compiz offers a vast collection of plugins that extend its functionality, allowing users to add new features or enhance existing ones.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source project, Compiz invites community contributions and continuous improvements, fostering innovation and collaboration.

Possible disadvantages

  • Performance Overhead
    Running Compiz may consume considerable system resources, potentially impacting performance on lower-end hardware.
  • Stability Issues
    Some users may encounter instability or crashes, especially when using certain plugins or running it on unsupported hardware configurations.
  • Complexity
    The extensive customization options and numerous plugins can be overwhelming for users unfamiliar with Compiz, making it challenging to set up and manage.
  • Compatibility
    Compiz may not be fully compatible with all desktop environments or applications, potentially leading to graphical glitches or reduced functionality in some cases.
  • Maintenance
    As Compiz is heavily driven by community contributions, the pace of maintenance and updates can vary, sometimes resulting in delayed support for new features or bug fixes.
  • Dock on every display
    Each display gets its own floating bar of app icons
  • Dock on every desktop
    Each Space gets its own bar with only that desktop's apps
  • Per-screen app filtering
    Shows only the apps with windows on that screen
  • Live window previews
    Hover an icon to see that app's windows, with titles
  • Click to send back
    A second click restores whatever was in front before
  • Notification badges
    Same red badges and unread counts as the macOS Dock
  • Pinned and recent apps
    Pin apps and relaunch recently quit apps from a stack
  • Flexible placement
    12 snap positions on the top, bottom, left or right edge
  • Auto-hide options
    Auto-hide, fade until hovered, or hide when covered
  • Native and lightweight
    Swift/AppKit, about 20 MB of memory when idle

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Compiz
Dockaroo

Overall verdict

  • Compiz is considered to be a good choice for those who desire an enriched desktop experience with advanced visual effects. However, it is important to note that it may require a well-configured environment and might not be necessary for everyone, especially those who prefer simplicity over aesthetic enhancements.

Why this product is good

  • Compiz is a compositing window manager for the X Window System that uses 3D graphics hardware to create fast compositing desktop effects for window management. It's known for its visually appealing and smooth animations, which enhance the user interface experience. Users appreciate Compiz for its ability to provide a more dynamic and engaging desktop environment.

Recommended for

  • Users who want an enhanced visual desktop experience.
  • Individuals interested in experimenting with advanced window management effects.
  • Those running older Linux distributions that support Compiz.
  • Developers or enthusiasts looking to customize and tweak their desktop appearance.

No analysis of Dockaroo yet.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Compiz 3 videos + Add
Dockaroo 0 videos + Add

Fedora 32 mate compiz install and review.

More videos

  • - Linux Ubuntu 11.10 Kernel 3.0.0.12 compiz / review from a Windows guy
  • - VIDEO SATISFACTORIO, REVIEW DE MANJARO XFCE + COMPIZ

No Dockaroo videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Compiz
Dockaroo
90% 90%
Window Manager
10% 10%
0% 0%
Multi Monitor
100% 100%
100% 100%
Note Taking
0% 0%
82% 82%
OS & Utilities
18% 18%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Compiz and Dockaroo.

What makes your product unique?

Dockaroo's answer:

Dockaroo gives every display and every desktop (Space) its own dock, and each bar shows only the apps that have windows on that screen. The macOS Dock lives on one display and lists every running app, so on a second monitor you end up in Mission Control or ⌘⇥ looking for a window you know is there. With Dockaroo, the app you need is on the screen you are looking at.

It also behaves like a real Dock: click to bring an app forward, click again to send it back, live window previews on hover, notification badges, pinned apps and a recent apps stack.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Dockaroo's answer:

  • Per-screen and per-desktop: each bar is filtered to the apps with windows on that display and Space, not a copy of the same app list everywhere.
  • Native and light: built in Swift and AppKit, not Electron. About 20 MB of memory and around half a percent of one CPU core when idle on Apple silicon.
  • Respects your privacy: Strict Mode works with no extra permissions. Accessibility and Screen Recording are optional and only unlock exact window control and previews.
  • Fair pricing: Dockaroo Lite is free forever. Dockaroo Pro is a one-time purchase, not a subscription, and every install gets a 14-day Pro trial with no account or key.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Dockaroo's answer:

Mac users who work with two or more displays, or who use several desktops: developers, designers, writers, analysts and anyone who connects a laptop to an external monitor. They want the apps for each screen on that screen, without reaching for Mission Control or ⌘⇥.

What's the story behind your product?

Dockaroo's answer:

Dockaroo started from a simple annoyance: macOS shows the Dock on only one display, so on every other screen you hunt for windows with Mission Control or ⌘⇥. Dockaroo is built as a native Mac app that gives each screen and each desktop a dock of its own, showing only what is actually there. Version 1.0 launched in October 2026.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

Dockaroo's answer:

  • Swift and AppKit (native macOS, no Electron or web views)
  • macOS Accessibility APIs for exact window control in Normal Mode (optional)
  • macOS Screen Recording permission for live window previews (optional)

Who are some of the biggest customers of your product?

Dockaroo's answer:

Dockaroo launched in October 2026 and is sold to individual Mac users rather than to companies. Its users are people who work with multiple displays or desktops every day.

User comments

Share your experience with using Compiz and Dockaroo. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Alternatives to Compiz and Dockaroo

When comparing Compiz and Dockaroo, you can also consider the following products.

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