MakerRadar

Backdrop

A native Mac window manager that groups every window under a project and switches the whole screen with one keystroke.

Visit Official Website

https://backdrop-app.com

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What It Does

Backdrop organizes the Mac by project rather than by window. Every window is assigned to a project — School, Development, Personal in the demo — and switching to one shows only the windows that belong to it, reached from the board or by pressing 1, 2 or 3.

Each project gets its own layout from five options. Main and stack gives the primary window sixty percent of the screen and stacks the rest beside it; there is also side by side, grid, focus, and a keep-my-layout mode that leaves your arrangement alone. A pause control stops the rearranging when you want to work free for a while.

A notchboard adds a second surface for the always-open things. The app is native, sold with a free trial you can download before paying, and the site is explicit about the commercial terms — license terms, a purchase recovery route, a refunds page and a contract withdrawal option, alongside support and privacy pages.

Key Features

  • Every window assigned to a project, switched from a board or keys 1/2/3
  • Five layouts including main-and-stack, side by side, grid and focus
  • Per-project layout memory with a keep-my-layout option
  • Notchboard for the windows you always want reachable
  • Pause control to stop automatic arranging
  • Native Mac app with a downloadable free trial

Who It Is For

Mac users who juggle several unrelated work contexts in one day and lose time hunting windows.

Key Use Cases

Separating work, study and personal windows into switchable sets; giving each project its own window layout; clearing a cluttered screen without closing anything; restoring a project setup with a single keystroke.

Pricing and Access

Pricing

Freemium

Plans

PlanPriceBillingNotes
Launch$9.90one-timeIntro price; rises to $14.90 after launch
Standard$14.90one-time—

Plan details are shown as published; taxes and regional pricing may differ.

Access

A free trial can be downloaded before purchase; the paid license terms, refund policy and a contract withdrawal route are published on the site, with purchase recovery available.

Pricing and availability last checked: Oct 24, 2026 · Source: official website

Privacy and Data Handling

Official privacy policy

Strengths and Limitations

Strengths

Layouts are per project rather than global, so a context switch restores the arrangement that suits that work.

Limitations

Mac only, and the trial is the entry point — the license itself is paid.

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