How Canopy compares.
Every Mac window tool makes different trade-offs. Here's Canopy next to the four you're most likely weighing it against, including the two that come with your Mac, with the honest parts left in.
| Canopy CMD | AltTab | Contexts | ⌘Tab | Mission Control | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it switches between | Windows, grouped by app | Every window | Every window | Apps | Every window |
| How windows are shown | Live previews | Thumbnails | Text list | App icons | Spatial thumbnails |
| Minimized windows | Shown, marked | Shown | Listed | Hidden | Hidden |
| Find by typing | Title, URL, file, profile | Pro tier | Yes | No | No |
| Adobe documents | One card each | One per app window | One per app window | The app only | The app window |
| Safari profiles | Colored badges | No | No | No | No |
| Project groups | Workgroups | No | No | No | No |
| App coverage | Curated roster | Every app | Every app | Every app | Every app |
| Price | One-time; free tier | Free; paid Pro | One-time | Built in | Built in |
Canopy's roster is curated: it covers the apps creative and technical people live in, with deeper detail per window, rather than every process on the system. If you need universal coverage, AltTab or Contexts may be the better fit, and each comparison says so.
The detailed comparisons
Canopy vs AltTab
The free, open source switcher that covers every app, and where Canopy's grouping, search and Adobe cards differ.
Read the comparison →Canopy vs Contexts
A fast searchable text list versus a grid of live previews you recognize at a glance.
Read the comparison →Canopy vs ⌘Tab
The built-in app switcher, the window it can't take you to, and the hidden Option-key trick.
Read the comparison →Canopy vs Mission Control
A map of your screen versus a labeled, searchable directory of windows. Canopy never touches Spaces.
Read the comparison →Comparing by the apps you use
If your question is less "which switcher" and more "how do I stop losing this app's windows," start here:
Try it against your own windows.
Free while the beta runs. Keep your current switcher; Canopy uses its own shortcut.
Download the free beta