Deskloom vs TaskbarX
Deskloom
bitinggoatsoft.winTaskbarX
taskbarx.appSide by side
| Figure | Deskloom | TaskbarX |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Spec score · Taskbar Customization Software | 8.3 (#4) | 8.4 (#3) |
| Maker | The maker identifies itself as BitingGoat Software and describes itself as independent software; the pages reviewed do not state its headquarters or founding year. | The project identifies Chris Andriessen as its developer. |
| Purpose | Deskloom combines dynamic wallpaper, taskbar styles, desktop widgets, icon groups, and cursor themes into scenes that can be saved and restored. | TaskbarX centers Windows taskbar icons with customizable animations and taskbar styling. |
| System requirements | Deskloom requires x64 Windows 11 version 25H2 (build 26200) or later; Windows 10 and earlier Windows 11 releases are unsupported. | Softorage reports that system requirements are not available on its listing. |
Plans
TaskbarX
- Free portable buildFree
- TaskbarX portable buildFree
- Microsoft Store version$1.09, paid once
- TaskbarX Microsoft Store versionPrice not published
In their own words
Deskloom
Deskloom is a free Windows app for arranging desktop elements into reusable scenes. A scene can coordinate dynamic wallpaper, taskbar style, widgets, workspace layout, desktop groups, and cursors. The app includes five built-in scenes and does not require an online gallery. Taskbar styles include System Default, Crystal Clear, Atmosphere Glass, Immersive Solid, and Floating Dock; widgets include clocks, system readings, Quick Notes, network throughput, storage, and battery cards. Desktop groups organize existing items visually without moving their files.
Scenes, settings, imported assets, and layouts are stored locally in the Windows user profile; no account or runtime internet connection is required. Capability checks, recovery journals, rollback, and a Restore Windows defaults option support reversible changes. Imported self-contained HTML wallpaper is blocked from network access, downloads, and external navigation. Deskloom 1.0 is available from the Microsoft Store and requires x64 Windows 11 version 25H2 (build 26200) or later. It does not replace classic Windows desktop-system icons.
TaskbarX
TaskbarX is a free, open-source Windows utility for positioning taskbar icons and changing taskbar styling. Icons can be placed at the exact center or nudged left or right, with adjustable spacing and size. Animation choices include fade, slide, other easing styles, or no animation. Backgrounds can be transparent, blurred, opaque, or accent-colored. Unlimited taskbars can have independent settings per monitor, including vertical taskbars. The portable build needs no installer, makes no registry edits, and uses no background services. TaskbarX is released under the MIT license. The site says Windows 10 is fully supported; on Windows 11, centering works through build 22621.1265 but not on modern builds. Version 1.7.8.0 is listed as latest stable, and the GitHub repository is archived and read-only. A Store version offers automatic updates for an optional donation.