BeWidgets vs Monitor Flows

BeWidgets is a Windows app for customizing a desktop with widgets, including changing widget colors and usage. Users can update widgets individually inside the application and receive notifications when updates are available. Layouts collect widgets into arrangements that can be saved and loaded. The maker's documentation describes a store for downloading widgets and notes that a layout store update is scheduled for 2026. BeWidgets is distributed through the Microsoft Store; the listed plan is free, and the Store listing indicates in-app purchases. For users who want to build widgets, the maker provides a Visual Studio project template. Custom widget packages use the.wpkg archive format and can be installed into BeWidgets. The listed development prerequisites are Visual Studio,.NET 8.0, the Windows 11 SDK, and the BeWidgets Widget Template extension. The maker describes the interface as modern, easy to use, and inspired by Windows 11.

Monitor Flows provides customizable desktop widgets that stay visible while users switch between apps. Its library has more than 50 widgets across nine categories, with examples including weather forecasts, terminal emulators, color pickers, and 3D globes. A drag-and-drop editor arranges and resizes widgets, while settings adjust opacity, blur, accent colors, themes, and backgrounds. Video can keep playing, radio can keep streaming, and web pages can stay loaded as users switch pages. The listed integrations include Spotify, Google Assistant, Philips Hue, Discord, YouTube, GitHub, Twitch, Steam, Slack, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, WLED, and OpenWeather. The app supports Windows 10 and 11, including Home and Pro editions; macOS and Linux support are being explored for the 2026 roadmap. Free includes 15 core widgets, three pages, and five themes, with no time limit or credit card. Pro costs $3 a month; Max costs $49 a year. The FAQ says credentials and configurations are stored locally and that the product collects no telemetry, usage analytics, or personal information.