Wimi vs Stage Manager

Stage Manager is built into macOS: the app you’re working in sits in the center of the screen and your recently used apps wait as thumbnails along the left side. Wimi’s Staged layout also centers one window, but every other window, not just recent apps, waits in the drawer, and other layouts put windows side by side.

Who Stage Manager is great for

Working in one app at a time, with recent apps a click away at the side.
Grouping a few apps you use together, then switching between groups.
Anyone who wants nothing to install: turn it on in Control Center or Desktop & Dock settings.

What Wimi does differently

Side by side when you want it

Staged and Fullscreen show one window; halves, thirds, quarters and more tile several. Switch per display in the drawer, and Wimi keeps every window in its slot.

The drawer

Rest the mouse at the screen edge and every open window is there with a live preview. Click one to bring it into your slot, or drag it onto the slot you want.

A layout, not a position

You pick a layout for a display once. A new window takes the slot you’re working in at that slot’s size, and the window it replaces is parked out of the way instead of piling up behind. ⌘Tab, ⌥Tab or the drawer bring it back.

Workspaces without Spaces

Nine workspaces on Hyper 1–9 that don’t use macOS Spaces, so sending a window to one is a single shortcut. Part of Pro.

Side by side

Topic	Wimi	Stage Manager
On screen	One window (Staged, Fullscreen) or a tiled layout, per display	The current app, or a group of apps you dragged together, in the center
The other windows	Parked out of sight; every window is in the drawer with a live preview	Recently used apps as thumbnails along the left side
Layouts	Staged, Fullscreen and Halves free; thirds, quarters, 2/3–1/3, stacked and main + side in Pro	None; you place the windows of a group yourself
Window switcher	⌥Tab cycles windows; the drawer shows every window with a live preview	Click an app at the left side
Setup	Menu bar app, downloaded from getwimi.app	Built in: Control Center or Desktop & Dock settings
Price	Free forever; Pro $19.99 once, plus tax, for 2 Macs. Every download includes 30 days of Pro	Included with macOS
Requires	macOS 14 or later	macOS 13 or later

Stage Manager details from Use Stage Manager on Mac (Apple), checked November 10, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Which one fits you

Choose Stage Manager if you mostly work in one app at a time and want something built in, with nothing to install.

Choose Wimi if you want windows side by side in a layout, or one centered window with every other window, not just recent apps, a click away in the drawer.

Try Wimi on your own windows

Free to use, with 30 days of Pro included. No account or card. See what’s Free and what’s Pro.

Download for Mac