Scopo vs Stage Manager
Stage Manager is Apple's attempt to reduce on-screen clutter. It groups your windows and keeps recent ones tucked along the edge so the current one stands center stage.
Scopo solves a related but different problem: not the clutter on one screen, but the clutter across projects. It uses your Spaces as project boundaries and scopes switching to the one you are in, rather than rearranging windows on a single display.
| Feature | Scopo | Stage Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Scoped to your current Space / project | Per screen | |
| Window-level switching (not just apps) | ||
| Cross-Space navigation from the keyboard | ||
| Per-project shelf for files, links & text | ||
| Client / context profiles | ||
| Search across windows | ||
| Live window previews | ||
| Window tiling / snapping | Coming soon | Auto-arrange |
| Price | Free trial, then subscription | Built into macOS |
| Open source |
Where Stage Manager shines
- Built in and free.
- Reduces clutter on a single screen.
- Automatic window grouping.
Where Scopo is different
- Organizes across projects and Spaces, not just one screen.
- Keyboard-first switching scoped to the current project.
- Adds shelf, profiles, search, and move-window flows.
Choose Stage Manager if
You work mostly on one display and want macOS to tidy windows automatically.
Choose Scopo if
You separate projects across Spaces and want switching that respects those boundaries.