Start11 v3 Brings Widgets and a Mac-Style Taskbar to Windows 11 - Is It Worth Paying For?

Start11 v3 is out as a release preview, and it puts widgets inside the Windows 11 Start menu and turns the taskbar into rounded, Mac-style "islands".

It's paid software from Stardock, currently $8 instead of $10 while the preview lasts, with a free trial to try first.

Here's what's new, who it's worth paying for, and the free tweaks that cover the basics.

What's New in Start11 v3

• Widgets in Start. More than 20 small widgets, including calendars, clocks, notes and system monitors, sit right in the Start menu.
• Taskbar Islands. The taskbar breaks into rounded, dock-like groups that work centred or left-aligned.
• App groups. Hold Alt and drag apps together to group them, then pin a group as a workspace that opens several apps at once.
• A new taskbar More button. It gathers recently closed apps, overflow icons and taskbar tools in one place.
• Shareable Start layouts. Share your Start menu pages and browse a gallery of community Start button designs.

Windows Central liked the overall look, but called the widgets "fairly straightforward" and said some feel more like a proof of concept.

Price, Trial and Who Can Get It

Stardock says v3 costs $8 during the release preview, down from $10, and it's also part of the Object Desktop suite. Stardock's own pages call it a release preview and a beta, and give no final release date.

Stardock offers an annual licence and a permanent one, each for up to five PCs, and a free trial from its site. Current Start11 owners can check the upgrade price on the product page.

Who Should Pay for It

• Worth it if you want a Windows 7 or Windows 10 style Start menu back, or you like the dock look of macOS.
• Worth it if you juggle the same set of apps every day, because app groups and workspaces save real clicks.
• Skip it if you only want Start to stop showing ads and suggestions - Windows 11 can do that itself.

The Free Way to a Cleaner Start Menu

Before you pay, try the built-in settings. Our guide to cleaning up the Windows 11 Start menu shows how to hide Recommended and switch off app suggestions in two minutes.

If you mainly open Start to launch apps, the free Microsoft PowerToys adds Command Palette, a fast search-and-launch box. To clear out preinstalled apps you never use, FluentTweaker removes them in one go.

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