Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

WindowTop VS KWin

Compare WindowTop VS KWin and see what are their differences

WindowTop logo WindowTop

Easly set any window on top, just move the mouse to the top area of the window.

KWin logo KWin

KWin is a window manager for the X Window System, and is in the process of becoming a Wayland...
  • WindowTop Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-23
  • KWin Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-01

WindowTop features and specs

  • Always on Top
    WindowTop allows you to pin windows to stay on top of other applications, which enhances multitasking and productivity.
  • Opacity Control
    You can adjust the transparency of windows, which can help you view content in the background without switching away from the current window.
  • Shrink Feature
    This feature lets you minimize windows into small, interactive icons, which saves screen space while keeping important apps accessible.
  • Pinning Shortcut
    Supports customizable shortcuts for quickly pinning windows, making it easy to manage window positions and layers without navigating through menus.
  • Cross-Platform Availability
    Available for various operating systems, ensuring that users can benefit from its features regardless of their preferred platform.

Possible disadvantages of WindowTop

  • User Interface Complexity
    The user interface can be overwhelming for new users due to a wide range of features and settings to manage.
  • Performance Impact
    Running multiple windows with effects like transparency or always-on-top can lead to increased CPU and memory usage.
  • Limited Free Version
    Some advanced features may be restricted to the paid version, which limits functionality for users not willing to purchase.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Certain features may not work seamlessly with all applications, particularly older software or those with custom interfaces.
  • Learning Curve
    Users might need some time to fully understand and efficiently use all the available features due to the variety and customizability offered.

KWin features and specs

  • Feature-Rich
    KWin offers a wide range of features and customization options, including advanced window management capabilities and desktop effects, which make it highly versatile for users.
  • Integration with KDE
    As the default window manager for the KDE Plasma desktop environment, KWin is tightly integrated, providing seamless performance and appearance consistency across KDE applications.
  • High Customizability
    Users can extensively customize KWin to suit their needs, including configuring keyboard shortcuts, window rules, and visual effects to enhance productivity and aesthetics.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source project, KWin is free to use and modify, with a community of contributors that helps to maintain and improve the software.

Possible disadvantages of KWin

  • Resource Intensive
    KWin can be resource-heavy, particularly when using extensive graphical effects, which may not be suitable for older or less powerful hardware.
  • Complex Configuration
    For users not familiar with KDE or Linux window managers, KWinโ€™s numerous options and settings can be overwhelming and may require a learning curve to utilize effectively.
  • KDE Dependency
    While KWin can run independently, it primarily supports KDE and may not integrate as well with other desktop environments, limiting its use outside of KDE.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Some users report bugs and crashes with KWin, especially when using cutting-edge or experimental features, which could affect the stability of the desktop experience.

WindowTop videos

WindowTop - Set any window to be on top (Pin window)! (Link to download at the description)

KWin videos

Review Sih KWIN | KLX Gordon Yang Menggoyahkan Iman

More videos:

  • Review - KWIN App Review for iPhone, iPod, iPad

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to WindowTop and KWin)
Image Optimisation
100 100%
0% 0
Linux
0 0%
100% 100
Note Taking
35 35%
65% 65
Window Manager
37 37%
63% 63

User comments

Share your experience with using WindowTop and KWin. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, WindowTop seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 14 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

WindowTop mentions (14)

  • Can i see my kids screens on my screen like a twitch window?
    Use something like this to do Picture in Picture as well https://windowtop.info/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • looking for software that can turn any program window into dark mode
    WindowTop claims to put any window into Dark Mode. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Finally got to maximize the 32:9 real estate for media purposes outside of Gaming. (apps used in comments:)
    WindowTop to allow always on top function. Source: over 3 years ago
  • I'm trying to create images like this but can't find a way to get the camera in the same spot every time. Does anyone have any advice?
    Now there's probably no easy way to make everything exactly the same, but what you can do is use the software Windowtop (look at the video provided in the link) to have transparent windows for transparent overlays of previous screenshots to get things lined up so you don't have to use fades in photoshop like the above. This is a trial software so just get the project done in the temp length you're allowed to use... Source: over 3 years ago
  • What's your current hyperfocus song? (u know...the one, that keeps your dopamine searchin' brain busy while you get some shit done)
    There are a few programs out there that might be able to do it. The one I had the most success with on Windows is WindowTop. Recently it started being really buggy for me personally. I could reported the bugs and hopefully either got some help or some bug fixes. But for me it made more sense to write my own simple AutoHotKey script to put it all more under my own control with very minimal code to manage. I came up... Source: over 3 years ago
View more

KWin mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of KWin yet. Tracking of KWin recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing WindowTop and KWin, you can also consider the following products

DeskPins - DeskPins can be used to make any application topmost, that is, to keep it above all other windows.

Dexpot - If you don't have Dexpot yet, the new update makes it a must-have tool for Windows, adding a ton of features to your desktop that you never knew you wanted.

SmartSystemMenu - SmartSystemMenu extends system menu of all windows in the system

IceWM - icewm home page . Bug Tracking. If you have a patch, a bug report or a feature request to submit, please do so at the icewm project page at SourceForge.

PinWin - Download PinWin - Pin On Top for free. Pin any window to be always on top of the screen. PinWin is a minimal Windows system tray application that allows you to pin any windows to the top of the screen with one click.

VirtuaWin - VirtuaWin is a virtual desktop manager for the Windows operating system (Win9x/ME/NT/Win2K/XP/Win2003/Vista/Win7/Win10). A virtual desktop manager lets you organize applications over several virtual desktops (also called 'workspaces').