1
Also covers desktop customization · open source
AGS provides a command-line scaffold for Astal and Gnim projects used to build desktop shells.
Alternatives
The Best quickshell Alternatives in 2026
24 alternatives5 free · 10 open source
Looking for something like quickshell? Here are 24 alternatives, ranked by how closely they match it on purpose, features and platforms. Of these, 5 are free or have a free plan and 10 are open source.
About quickshellquickshell.org
VisitQuickshell provides customizable building blocks for creating a desktop shell.
Top picks at a glance
First suggestionAylur's GTK ShellAGS provides a command-line scaffold for Astal and Gnim…Free or freemium optionRainmeterRainmeter displays customizable desktop skins, from…Another optionNotcursesBuild vibrant text user interfaces for modern terminal…
Quick comparison
| # | Alternative | Pricing | Open source | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aylur's GTK Shell | — | Yes | — |
| 2 | Notcurses | — | Not stated | Linux, Web |
| 3 | Rainmeter | Free | Not stated | Web, Windows |
| 4 | Guillotine | — | Not stated | Web |
| 5 | Shell Color Scripts | — | Not stated | Web |
| 6 | WinClassic | — | Not stated | Linux, Web, Windows |
| 7 | Elkowar's Wacky Widgets | — | Not stated | Linux |
| 8 | NotCurses | — | Yes | — |
| 9 | Iron Bar | — | Yes | — |
| 10 | wayfire | — | Yes | — |
All quickshell alternatives
2
Notcurses
nick-black.com/dankwiki/index.php/NotcursesAlso covers desktop customization · same kind of website
Build vibrant text user interfaces for modern terminal emulators with the Notcurses library.
3
Also covers desktop customization · same kind of website · free
Rainmeter displays customizable desktop skins, from hardware meters to audio visualizers.
4
Guillotine
gitlab.com/ente76/guillotineAlso covers desktop customization · same kind of website
Guillotine offers a GNOME menu for selecting and running commands from a customizable list.
5
Shell Color Scripts
gitlab.com/dwt1/shell-color-scriptsAlso covers desktop customization · same kind of website
Shell Color Scripts collects terminal color scripts and provides a program for running a selected script.
6
WinClassic
winclassic.netAlso covers desktop customization · same kind of website
WinClassic hosts discussions about classic Windows themes, shell customization, and related modifications.
7
Elkowar's Wacky Widgets
elkowar.github.io/ewwAlso covers desktop customization
Eww is a Rust widget system for creating custom desktop widgets, including configurations similar to those in AwesomeWM.
8
Also covers desktop customization · open source
Build terminal user interfaces with Notcurses, a library for character-based graphics in modern terminals.
9
Also covers desktop customization · open source
Ironbar is a customizable GTK4 status bar for Wayland, written in Rust.
10
Also covers desktop customization · open source
Wayfire offers a modular Wayland compositor with extension points and customizable behavior.
11
Also covers desktop customization · open source
Waybar provides a customizable status bar for Wayland compositors such as Sway and wlroots-based environments.
12
Also covers desktop customization · open source
The Pop OS Shell project provides a shell interface for its Linux desktop environment.
13
Also covers desktop customization · open source
Arc provides a flat GTK theme with transparent elements for desktop shells and applications.
14
Also covers desktop customization · open source
Forge adds window tiling and management controls to the GNOME Shell desktop.
15
Also covers desktop customization · open source
AeroThemePlasma offers a KDE Plasma shell with a design based on the Windows 7 desktop.
16
Also covers desktop customization · open source
Pokemon-Terminal provides Pokémon-themed terminal themes, with topics listing shells and terminals including Bash and iTerm2.
17
Also covers desktop customization · same kind of website · free plan
backiee provides Windows wallpaper downloads, live wallpapers, and interactive widgets.
18
Also covers desktop customization · same kind of website
Manage and synchronize dotfiles across multiple machines with chezmoi, which emphasizes secure handling.
19
Also covers desktop customization · same kind of website
Awesome is a highly configurable and extensible window manager for X, described as fast and framework-based.
20
Also covers desktop customization · same kind of website
dotfiles.github.io explains how dotfiles can help back up, restore, and synchronize preferences and settings.
21
Also covers desktop customization · same kind of website · free
Dynamic Theme updates Windows wallpaper or lock screen images from Bing or Windows Spotlight.
22
Also covers desktop customization · same kind of website · free plan
MechaKeys simulates mechanical keyboard sounds on a desktop, with free and paid sound packs.
23
Also covers desktop customization · same kind of website · free
WallpaperWaifu offers live and animated wallpapers for desktop computers.
24
Kawaii Hoshi
kawaiihoshi.comAlso covers desktop customization · same kind of website
Browse cute wallpapers and backgrounds for desktop computers, phones, and tablets at Kawaii Hoshi.
No alternatives match this filter.
Alternatives to similar tools
backiee24 alternativesChezmoi24 alternativesawesomewm24 alternativesDynamic Theme24 alternativesdotfiles24 alternativesArc24 alternatives
What is the best alternative to quickshell?
Based on features, tags and platforms, the closest alternatives to quickshell are Aylur's GTK Shell, Notcurses, and Rainmeter.
Is there a free alternative to quickshell?
Yes. Rainmeter, backiee, and Dynamic Theme are free or offer a free plan.
Are there open-source alternatives to quickshell?
Yes: Aylur's GTK Shell, NotCurses, Iron Bar, and wayfire.
Alternatives are suggested from the purpose and features described in our listings. Different pages for the same product appear once. Read each description to check whether it fits your task. How we choose alternatives · Suggest an alternative