CustomTkinter vs Kivy
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A Python library that gives Tkinter GUIs a modern, customizable look, including dark mode.
Open source · MIT
Python framework for building cross-platform GUI apps, including mobile, desktop and embedded.
The short answer
Choose CustomTkinter if you need…
- Python developers who already know Tkinter and want a newer look
- Students building simple desktop apps in Python
- Developers who want built-in dark mode for a Python desktop tool
Choose Kivy if you need…
- Python developers who want one codebase for desktop and mobile apps
- Developers prototyping touch-friendly interfaces quickly
- Projects that need multitouch input support
- Hobbyists targeting Raspberry Pi OS or other embedded Linux devices
Side-by-side
| CustomTkinter | Kivy | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Framework |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 13.6k | 19k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | Python | Python |
| Last code update | 4 months ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
CustomTkinter
CustomTkinter is a Python UI library built on top of Tkinter, the standard GUI toolkit that ships with Python. It provides replacement widgets that look more modern and can be customized, with a dark theme option based on the repository's description and topics. People use it to build desktop windows and applications in Python without learning a new GUI framework.
Kivy
Kivy is an open-source Python framework for making graphical apps that run on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS from one codebase. It is written in Python and Cython, built on OpenGL ES 2.0, and includes a widget library with multitouch support. People use it for quick interface prototyping and for shipping the same app across several platforms.
Best for
CustomTkinter
- Python developers who already know Tkinter and want a newer look
- Students building simple desktop apps in Python
- Developers who want built-in dark mode for a Python desktop tool
Kivy
- Python developers who want one codebase for desktop and mobile apps
- Developers prototyping touch-friendly interfaces quickly
- Projects that need multitouch input support
- Hobbyists targeting Raspberry Pi OS or other embedded Linux devices
Strengths
CustomTkinter
- Built on Tkinter, so it relies on the standard library rather than a separate GUI engine
- Widely starred and actively maintained, with a recent push date listed in the metadata
- Released under the permissive MIT license
Kivy
- One codebase targets Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS
- MIT licensed and actively developed with a large community
- Documentation, tutorials, API reference and bundled examples are provided
Not ideal for
CustomTkinter
- Web or mobile app developers, since this produces desktop GUIs only (inferred from the Tkinter base)
- Projects needing a large ecosystem of ready-made complex widgets, since the README was not available to confirm its widget set
Kivy
- People who need native-looking platform widgets, since Kivy draws its own widgets (inferred from its OpenGL-based design; the README does not discuss this directly)
- Developers who want to avoid Python entirely
- Teams needing a web-only app; Kivy targets desktop, mobile and embedded platforms
Trade-offs
CustomTkinter
- The README was truncated, so detailed features, setup steps, and limitations could not be verified here
- Being based on Tkinter means it inherits that toolkit's constraints on styling and widget choice
Kivy
- Installation details live on the external documentation site rather than in the README
- Mobile packaging relies on separate sibling projects such as Buildozer and Python for Android
- The README does not state a minimum Python version, so check the docs before starting
Getting started
CustomTkinter
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/TomSchimansky/CustomTkinterFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between CustomTkinter and Kivy?
CustomTkinter: A Python library that gives Tkinter GUIs a modern, customizable look, including dark mode. Kivy: Python framework for building cross-platform GUI apps, including mobile, desktop and embedded. CustomTkinter suits python developers who already know tkinter and want a newer look, while Kivy suits python developers who want one codebase for desktop and mobile apps.
Are CustomTkinter and Kivy free?
CustomTkinter: Free and open source. Kivy: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, CustomTkinter or Kivy?
CustomTkinter is easier to get started with (rated beginner); Kivy is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is CustomTkinter or Kivy more popular?
Kivy has more GitHub stars (19k) than CustomTkinter (13.6k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to CustomTkinter and Kivy?
Other options people compare them with include FTXUI, Mantine.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.