Comparison
Float vs Floaty for Mac
Both keep something on top of your screen — but they solve different problems. Floaty pins a window you already have open. Float is a floating browser: paste any URL and it floats a real web page on top of everything, even full-screen apps. Here’s the side-by-side.
| Floaty | Float | |
|---|---|---|
| What it floats | Pins an existing app window | A real browser window (any website) |
| Watch YouTube / Netflix / Twitch | Only if you already have it in a window | Built in — paste any URL |
| Stays on top of full-screen apps | No | Yes — the core feature |
| Works across Spaces | Limited | Yes |
| Opacity / ghost mode | Basic | Yes |
| Ad blocker (YouTube/Twitch) | No | Yes (Pro) |
| Permissions needed | Accessibility + Screen Recording | None beyond network |
| Size | Small | Native, ~1.8 MB |
| Price | Free / paid tiers | Free · $12 one-time Pro |
The bottom line
Pick a window-pinning tool if you only need to keep an app you already have open in view. Pick Float if you want to watch YouTube, Netflix, or Twitch — or keep any web page — floating over your full-screen work, with opacity, an ad blocker, and no extra permissions.
Questions
What is the difference between Float and Floaty?add
Floaty makes an existing app window stay on top. Float is a floating browser — you paste any URL (a video, a stream, a doc) and it floats a real web window on top of everything, including full-screen apps, which Floaty cannot do.
Does Floaty work over full-screen apps on Mac?add
No. Like most window-pinning tools, Floaty relies on standard window levels that macOS hides behind full-screen apps and games. Float uses the native system window layer, so it stays visible over full-screen.
Which should I choose?add
If you just want to pin a window you already have open, a pinning tool is fine. If you want to watch YouTube, Netflix, Twitch, or keep any web page floating over a full-screen editor or game, choose Float.