An XDA writer this week turned an old Chromebook into a Windows-95-looking machine with XFCE. The Windows-on-Windows side of that joke is a steady stream of users who run Windows 11 but want the Start menu and taskbar from an older release. Open-Shell is the free de-facto answer. The seven Open-Shell alternatives below cover the paid polish (Start11, StartAllBack), the deeper system patchers (ExplorerPatcher, Windhawk), and the surrounding shell tools (RetroBar, Stardock Curtains).
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Pricing | Open source | Approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start11 | Polished paid Start menu with theming | $9.99 one-time | No | Replacement Start menu |
| StartAllBack | Classic Start with taskbar tweaks | $4.99 one-time | No | Patches Explorer |
| ExplorerPatcher | Free Windows 10 shell on Windows 11 | Free | Yes (GPL) | Patches Explorer |
| Windhawk | Modular shell modding platform | Free | Yes (GPL) | Loads mods into Windows |
| RetroBar | The classic XP/7/98 taskbar | Free | Yes (Apache 2.0) | Standalone taskbar replacement |
| Classic Shell | The original predecessor to Open-Shell | Free (archived) | Yes (community) | Replacement Start menu |
| Stardock Curtains | Full Windows theming and skinning | $9.99 one-time | No | System-wide theming |
Why people leave Open-Shell
The recurring complaints in the r/Windows11 threads and the Open-Shell issues:
- Update breakage. Major Windows 11 feature updates occasionally break the menu, and the community waits weeks for a patch.
- No taskbar control. Open-Shell replaces the Start menu only. The taskbar stays as Windows 11 shipped it.
- Visual polish. The default themes look dated next to Start11 and StartAllBack.
- Wider customisation. Open-Shell does Start. Users who want file-explorer tweaks, taskbar moves, or system-wide themes need additional tools.
Each pick below answers at least one of those.
The alternatives
1. Start11 — best polished paid Start menu
Start11 is Stardock’s paid Start menu replacement. The polish is the headline: live previews, multiple Start menu styles (Windows 7, 10, 11, classic), taskbar position controls (top, bottom, left, right), and a theming engine. Updates ship through Stardock’s installer, with Windows 11 feature updates handled within days of release.
Where it falls short: $9.99 one-time. Some users dislike the Stardock installer’s nagware.
Pricing:
- Trial: 30 days
- Paid: $9.99 one-time
- vs Open-Shell: polished and paid, no taskbar replacement is needed
Migrating from Open-Shell: uninstall Open-Shell, install Start11, pick a starting style.
Download: stardock.com/products/start11
Bottom line: the right pick for the user who wants the cleanest paid Start menu without messing with the underlying shell.
2. StartAllBack — best classic Start with taskbar tweaks
StartAllBack is the lower-cost paid alternative. The hook is that it patches Explorer for a more complete restoration: a real Windows 7-style menu, an unmoved taskbar, the old context menus, and the old File Explorer ribbon. The themes ship as Remastered 7, Kinda 10, and Proper 11.
Where it falls short: patches Explorer, which means major Windows updates can briefly break the experience.
Pricing:
- Trial: 100 days
- Paid: $4.99 one-time, with discounts for multi-PC packs
- vs Open-Shell: cheaper than Start11, deeper system patches than Open-Shell
Migrating from Open-Shell: uninstall Open-Shell, install StartAllBack, pick a Remastered theme.
Download: startallback.com
Bottom line: the right pick for the user who wants the Windows 7 feel with a small one-time fee.
3. ExplorerPatcher — best free path to a Windows 10 shell
ExplorerPatcher is the free open-source patcher that brings the Windows 10 shell back to Windows 11. Old-style taskbar (movable, with labels), classic context menus, old Start menu via Open-Shell integration, and a long list of small tweaks. Pair with Open-Shell for the Start menu.
Where it falls short: breaks more often than the paid options after Windows feature updates. Some antivirus products flag it on first install.
Pricing:
- Free: GPL v3
- vs Open-Shell: complementary. ExplorerPatcher handles the taskbar; Open-Shell handles the menu.
Migrating from Open-Shell: keep Open-Shell, add ExplorerPatcher for the taskbar side.
Download: github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
Bottom line: the right pick for the free path to a Windows 10 shell.
4. Windhawk — best modular shell modding platform
Windhawk is the modular mods platform. Install Windhawk once, then enable individual mods for Start menu sizing, taskbar tweaks, context menus, clock formats, and dozens of other small fixes. Each mod is a small piece of code that runs against Windows. The community catalogue is growing quickly.
Where it falls short: the modular nature means we are stacking small mods rather than getting one polished experience. Some mods conflict with each other.
Pricing:
- Free: GPL v3
- vs Open-Shell: different approach. Windhawk is a platform; Open-Shell is a single tool.
Migrating from Open-Shell: keep Open-Shell or replace it with the Start Menu Size mod, then add other Windhawk mods as needed.
Download: windhawk.net
Bottom line: the right pick for the user who wants surgical control over many small parts of the shell.
5. RetroBar — best classic XP/7/98 taskbar
RetroBar is the standalone taskbar replacement that brings back the Windows 98, XP, Vista, and 7 taskbar visuals. Pair with Open-Shell for the Start menu and the combination feels like a complete classic Windows experience.
Where it falls short: strictly a taskbar replacement, not a Start menu. The performance is good, but some users see flicker on high-DPI displays.
Pricing:
- Free: Apache 2.0
- vs Open-Shell: complementary. RetroBar replaces the taskbar; Open-Shell replaces the Start menu.
Migrating from Open-Shell: keep Open-Shell, add RetroBar for the taskbar side.
Download: github.com/dremin/RetroBar
Bottom line: the right pick for the classic Windows 98 or XP taskbar specifically.
6. Classic Shell — best community-maintained Open-Shell predecessor
Classic Shell is the original project Open-Shell was forked from. The official version was archived years ago but the community keeps the older builds running. We rarely recommend it over Open-Shell on Windows 11, but on older hardware or older Windows installs it remains useful.
Where it falls short: archived. Open-Shell is the active descendant.
Pricing:
- Free: archived community builds
- vs Open-Shell: Open-Shell is the direct successor
Migrating from Open-Shell: we usually stay on Open-Shell. Classic Shell only makes sense for very old hardware or Windows installs.
Download: classicshell.net
Bottom line: kept on the list for completeness. Skip unless we are running an older Windows version that Open-Shell does not officially support.
7. Stardock Curtains — best for full system theming
Stardock Curtains is the system-wide theming companion. It does not touch the Start menu but it replaces the colour scheme of every Windows surface, with packaged themes that cover Windows 7, XP, and macOS-inspired looks. Pair with Start11 for the complete Stardock setup.
Where it falls short: does not touch the Start menu. Needs Start11 or another menu tool for the full experience.
Pricing:
- Trial: 30 days
- Paid: $9.99 one-time
- vs Open-Shell: a complement. Curtains handles theming; Open-Shell handles the Start menu.
Migrating from Open-Shell: keep Open-Shell, add Curtains for the wider theming pass.
Download: stardock.com/products/curtains
Bottom line: the right pick when the goal is a fully themed desktop and Start11 is already installed.
How to choose
Pick Start11 for the polished paid Start menu without any deeper patching. Pick StartAllBack for the cheapest paid Start menu with taskbar tweaks. Pick ExplorerPatcher for the free path to a Windows 10 shell. Pick Windhawk for surgical control over many small shell parts. Pick RetroBar for the classic taskbar specifically. Pick Classic Shell only on older hardware. Pick Stardock Curtains when full theming is the goal. Stay on Open-Shell if the Start menu is the only piece we want to change and we are not bothered by the default theme.
FAQ
Is Open-Shell still maintained in 2026?
Yes. Open-Shell ships through GitHub with a community team patching Windows 11 feature updates. The release cadence is slower than the paid alternatives, but the project is alive.
Is Start11 worth $9.99 over Open-Shell?
For polish, yes. For features, the gap is smaller than it used to be. The deciding factor is whether the small fee is worth not maintaining a free open-source tool.
Can I use Open-Shell and ExplorerPatcher together?
Yes. Open-Shell handles the Start menu, ExplorerPatcher handles the taskbar. The combination is the most common free Windows-10-style setup.
What is the best free alternative to Start11?
Open-Shell paired with ExplorerPatcher. Optionally Windhawk on top for finer control.
Does Windhawk replace Open-Shell?
Not directly. Windhawk is a mods platform with small mods that adjust individual parts of the shell. Open-Shell is a Start menu replacement. Many users run both.
