IkunaIkuna vs Tangrid
Tangrid tiles open windows and enhances your window switcher. Ikuna saves and restores complete work contexts. They mostly solve different problems.
Tangrid is a window tiler and switcher: it tiles open windows using a BSP algorithm, organises them into tab groups, provides a global window switcher, and enhances the Dock with live thumbnails. It does not save or restore work contexts — when you quit apps or restart, nothing is remembered. Ikuna works differently: it saves a complete context (apps, browser tabs, window layout) and rebuilds it on demand. Tangrid and Ikuna can realistically be used together, with Tangrid handling live window tiling and Ikuna handling context persistence.
Side by side
| Ikuna | Tangrid | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Save & restore whole contexts | Tile open windows + enhance switcher |
| Saves contexts permanently | Yes | No |
| Relaunches closed apps | Yes | No |
| Restores browser tabs | Yes | No |
| BSP / auto tiling | No | Yes — native BSP algorithm, 18 snap points |
| Tab groups (window stacking) | No | Yes |
| Global window switcher | No | Yes — horizontal + searchable vertical |
| Enhanced Dock preview | No | Yes — live thumbnails, multi-monitor |
| Focus analytics | Yes | No |
| Distraction blocking | Yes — Focus Shield | No |
| Pricing | Free tier · Pro €9/mo | Free download (pricing not listed) |
| macOS requirement | 13+ | Not specified |
Where Ikuna has the advantage
Context persistence and restore
Tangrid doesn't save anything between sessions. Ikuna saves complete work contexts — apps, browser tabs, window positions — and rebuilds them on demand. They target different layers of the same workflow.
Focus analytics and distraction blocking
Tangrid is a window management tool. Ikuna adds visibility into how you focus and the ability to block distracting apps mid-sprint.
Where Tangrid has the advantage
Live window tiling
Tangrid's BSP algorithm, snap points, and auto-tiling give you much more control over how windows are arranged live — a layer Ikuna doesn't cover.
Global window switcher
Tangrid's window switcher (horizontal cinematic preview or searchable vertical list) is a fast way to navigate a dense window stack. Ikuna has no equivalent.
Enhanced Dock with live thumbnails
Tangrid replaces the standard Dock preview with live, multi-monitor-aware thumbnails. Ikuna doesn't modify the Dock.
The bottom line
Tangrid and Ikuna are complementary tools that happen to share the macOS workspace category. Tangrid is for power users who want precise live tiling, a fast global switcher, and an enhanced Dock. Ikuna is for users who want to save a work context and restore it later, with focus analytics on top. Using both together is a reasonable setup.
Frequently asked questions
Do Ikuna and Tangrid do the same thing?
No. Tangrid tiles and organises open windows. Ikuna saves complete contexts and restores them later — including closed apps and browser tabs. Many users run both: Tangrid for live window management, Ikuna for saving and restoring the overall context.
Does Tangrid save workspaces?
No. Tangrid manages open windows in the moment but does not persist any state between sessions. Quit apps or restart and nothing is remembered.
Can I use Ikuna and Tangrid at the same time?
Yes. They operate at different layers and don't conflict. Ikuna restores the context at the start of a session; Tangrid handles live window tiling within it.