Compare software

dmenu vs bemenu: catalog facts
dmenu	bemenu
Best for: Minimal X setups and tiling window manager users who script their own menus	Best for: Tiling window manager users who want a dmenu-style menu that also works on Wayland
Free Free to download from suckless.org.	Free Free and open source.
Linux	Linux, Command line
Very small and fast Scriptable for any list-selection task All 3 strengths for dmenu Very small and fast Scriptable for any list-selection task Pairs naturally with dwm and other tiling window managers	Works on Wayland, X11 and in a terminal via curses Drop-in style replacement for dmenu in scripts All 4 strengths for bemenu Works on Wayland, X11 and in a terminal via curses Drop-in style replacement for dmenu in scripts Signed releases Usable as a library in other programs
X only, no native Wayland support Customizing it means editing source and recompiling	Minimal interface with no icons or previews Configured through command-line options rather than a settings window
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Not open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-3.0 (client), LGPL-3.0 (library)
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for dmenu tools.suckless.org/dmenu Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for bemenu github.com/Cloudef/bemenu Catalog checked September 23, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.