Both apps snap windows into place with shortcuts or by dragging. If you have never used either, try macOS first: it tiles windows on its own now. If you want thirds and your own shortcuts, one of these two will do it.
Side by side#
| Rectangle | Magnet | |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | See vendor site | See vendor site |
| Best for | Keyboard-driven window snapping | Snapping windows to halves, thirds and quarters |
| Price | Price not yet verified | Price not yet verified |
| Our rating | Not yet rated | Not yet rated |
| Hands-on testing | Not yet tested | Not yet tested |
| Official site | Visit | Visit |
Where they overlap#
Only Rectangle
- Free and open source
- Remappable shortcuts for each layout
- A paid Pro version adds extras
Both
- Halves, thirds and quarters
- Drag to a screen edge to snap
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Multi-display support
Only Magnet
- Installs from the Mac App Store
- Familiar Windows-style snapping
- Simple menu-bar control
Pick one in four questions#
Rectangle or Magnet?
1/4
What do you want to pay?
Feature differences#
| Rectangle | Magnet | |
|---|---|---|
| Halves, thirds, quarters | Yes | Yes |
| Drag-to-edge snapping | Yes | Yes |
| Free to use | Yes | No |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Mac App Store install | No | Yes |
| Custom shortcut for each layout | Yes | Check the vendor |
| Extra layouts in a paid tier | Partly | Check the vendor |
Pricing comparison#
Prices appear in the table above, marked unverified until checked on each vendor site and dated. The shape is clear from the profiles: Rectangle is free with a paid Pro option, and Magnet is a low one-off purchase.
Performance and day-to-day use#
We have no measurements yet. When we test, we will check snapping accuracy, behaviour on a second display, and any conflict with macOS tiling. If snapping misbehaves after you install either one, turn off edge-snapping in one tool or the other so they do not both react to the same drag.
Pros and cons#
Rectangle#
Pros
- Free and open source
- Light and quick to learn
- Remappable shortcuts
Cons
- Basic interface
- No automated multi-window layouts in the free version
- Can clash with macOS tiling until adjusted
Magnet#
Pros
- Cheap and simple
- Mac App Store install and updates
- Reliable for everyday tiling
Cons
- Fewer advanced features
- App Store rules limit some behaviours
- macOS tiling now covers its basics
Best for different users#
- Budget-first: Rectangle.
- Keyboard-first: Rectangle.
- App Store-first: Magnet.
- Switching from Windows: Magnet's snapping will feel familiar.
- Wants gestures and automation too: look at the wider list in Best Window Managers for Mac.
Final recommendation#
Try the built-in tiling first. If you need more, start with Rectangle because it costs nothing, then buy Magnet only if you prefer its feel. This is provisional until we test both. To learn the shortcuts you will use either way, see essential Mac keyboard shortcuts. For the wider decision on paying, read free vs paid Mac apps.
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Guides are researched, written, and maintained by the Atypical Mac User editorial team. Every procedure is checked against the current version of macOS before it is marked as published.
Last updated . First published .
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