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IceWM vs Openbox: catalog facts
IceWM	Openbox
Best for: Older or low-powered machines that need a simple desktop with a taskbar	Best for: Manage X11 windows with a configurable stacking window manager
Free Free and open source.	Free Free and open source. Hosting, hardware and any external services are separate.
Linux	Linux
Low resource use Built-in taskbar, tray and menu All 4 strengths for IceWM Low resource use Built-in taskbar, tray and menu Large collection of themes Fully usable from the keyboard	Supports custom menus and window rules Can be used alone or within another desktop setup
X11 only Dated look without a theme	A complete desktop requires separate panels, launchers and other utilities.
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Offline features available	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for IceWM ice-wm.org Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Openbox openbox.org Catalog checked September 22, 2026

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