Open ContextsFeature and price comparison
On a small screen, scroll the table horizontally to compare both products.
| Category | Open Contexts | AltTab |
|---|---|---|
| Window selection | Title list in most-recently-used order | Live thumbnails; Pro also offers titles and app icons |
| Search | Not currently available | Pro: filter by app name or window title |
| Task organization | Saved named custom groups; pin and order windows | App, Space and screen filters; use Open Contexts for saved custom groups |
| Gestures | Not currently available | Available in the free version |
| Price | Free, Apache 2.0 | Free core; Pro $9.99; Pro Lifetime $24.99, one-time |
| Compatibility | macOS 13+; Intel and Apple silicon | macOS 12+; Intel and Apple silicon |
Recognizing a window versus organizing a task
Suppose you have three reference windows with similar titles. Their visible contents may make an AltTab preview the easiest way to tell them apart. If you already know the titles and want your editor, terminal and references kept together, an Open Contexts group addresses a different need.
AltTab Pro also offers title and icon styles. Open Contexts is not the only way to get a text-based switcher; the useful distinction is its saved custom-group and app-bar workflow. Neither product automatically makes an unclear window title more descriptive.
Shortcuts and search have different scopes
Open Contexts has customizable all-window and same-app shortcuts, defaulting to Command-Tab and Command-backtick. Shift is used to reverse direction. AltTab offers shortcut filters by app, Space and screen, and Pro supports up to nine independent shortcuts.
When you want to type a title instead of cycling the list, AltTab Pro is the option here. Open Contexts currently has no window search or gesture switching. Compare the actual shortcuts you use rather than counting how many settings each app has.
What paying changes
AltTab’s core thumbnail switching is free. Pro costs $9.99 once with current-major-version updates; Pro Lifetime costs $24.99 once with future updates. Pro features can be tried for 14 days, and the free features remain available afterward. Prices may vary by regional checkout.
Open Contexts includes its current features for free under Apache 2.0. If you only need previews, compare the two free experiences first. If you need search, paying for AltTab Pro buys a capability Open Contexts does not currently supply.
Which one fits your Mac
- Choose AltTab for preview-led selection, trackpad gestures or a Mac still running macOS 12.
- Choose AltTab Pro if searchable windows, alternative styles or several independent shortcut configurations matter.
- Choose Open Contexts on macOS 13+ if you want a compact list plus named, saved task groups and a screen-edge app bar.
Before replacing either switcher, quit the other app, test same-app windows and your minimized/full-screen setup, and keep your old settings. There is no automatic settings migration. Open Contexts full-screen behavior still needs further real-world verification.