Compare software

labwc vs Xfwm4: catalog facts
labwc	Xfwm4
Best for: Openbox users moving to a light Wayland setup	Best for: Xfce users and anyone wanting a simple, low-overhead stacking window manager on Linux
Free Free and open source.	Free Free and open source as part of the Xfce desktop.
Linux	Linux
Lightweight stacking compositor for Wayland Familiar to Openbox users All 3 strengths for labwc Lightweight stacking compositor for Wayland Familiar to Openbox users Works with separate panels and tools of your choice	Light on resources Built-in compositor that can be tuned or turned off All 4 strengths for Xfwm4 Light on resources Built-in compositor that can be tuned or turned off Supports freedesktop, GNOME and KDE window manager standards Large choice of installable themes
Needs other programs for a complete desktop Wayland only	Designed for X11 sessions No tiling layouts beyond basic edge snapping
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-2.0
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for labwc labwc.github.io Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Xfwm4 docs.xfce.org/xfce/xfwm4/start Catalog checked October 1, 2026

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