The best Rectangle alternative for Mac (and when to switch)
Rectangle is one of the best things to happen to Mac window management: it's free, open source, and rock solid. So if you're searching for a Rectangle alternative, it's usually not because Rectangle is bad — it's because something about how it works doesn't fit how you work. Maybe you never remember the shortcuts. Maybe the settings feel like a cockpit. Maybe you want layouts Rectangle doesn't offer, or a license that isn't tied to fiddling with config. This guide walks through the honest reasons to switch, the alternatives worth trying, and where each one fits.
Why look for a Rectangle alternative at all
Rectangle's model is snap: you press a keyboard shortcut and the front window jumps to a region — left half, top-right quarter, and so on. That's fast once it's in muscle memory. The friction shows up in a few predictable places:
- You have to memorize a shortcut per layout. Halves are easy. But thirds, two-thirds, and asymmetric splits each need their own chord, and most people never commit them all to memory — so they fall back to the mouse for anything beyond a left/right split.
- The settings can be a lot. Rectangle is the most configurable of the free snappers, which is a strength and a tax: there are a lot of toggles to wade through before it feels right.
- Some features live behind Rectangle Pro. Custom snap zones, saved layouts, and auto-layouts when a monitor connects are part of Rectangle Pro, a one-time purchase (commonly around $9.99). The free app is genuinely complete for basic snapping, but the power-user pieces are paid.
- Open source isn't a priority for you. If you don't specifically need the MIT license, you might just want the tool that's easiest to keep using.
If none of those bother you, honestly — keep Rectangle. It's free and it works. But if one of them rings true, here's where to look.
The best Rectangle alternatives at a glance
| Rectangle | Magnet | Loop | Moom | Let's Tile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (Pro ~$9.99) | ~$8 one-time (App Store) | Free | ~$10 one-time | Free tier + one-time Pro |
| License | Open source (MIT) | Proprietary | Open source | Proprietary | Proprietary; free thirds forever |
| How you choose a layout | Memorize a shortcut | Memorize a shortcut | Radial flick menu | Shortcuts + drag grid | Summon a visible grid, tap a region |
| Thirds / custom regions | Yes (some Pro) | Halves, quarters, thirds | Halves, quarters, thirds | Saved layouts, grids | Thirds free; full grid in Pro |
| Devices per license | Pro: a few Macs | Tied to Apple ID | n/a | A few Macs | Up to 20 per key |
| Account required | No | Apple ID | No | No | No — just a key |
Let's Tile — when you'd rather see the grid than memorize it
Let's Tile is built around the one thing the snap tools leave on the table: instead of remembering a shortcut for every region, you press a shortcut to summon a grid overlay, glance at it, and tap a couple of keys to drop the active window into place. Because the grid is on screen, there's nothing to memorize — you learn the layout by using it. That's the exact step people bounce off with Rectangle: the shortcuts that never quite stuck.
It's a fair-minded trade. Let's Tile is newer than Rectangle, and it's not open source — so if either of those is a dealbreaker, Rectangle stays the better fit. What Let's Tile offers in return is a gentler learning curve and friendly licensing: thirds are free with no time limit, so you can find out whether keyboard tiling sticks before paying anything. Let's Tile Pro unlocks the full grid — reshape it on the fly with ⌥ + arrows, expand a window across cells with ⇧ + arrows, send the grid to another display with ⌘⇧ + arrows, plus per-monitor defaults and margins. It's a one-time purchase, no subscription, no account, no telemetry, and the key works on up to 20 of your devices — a more generous device policy than Rectangle Pro or Magnet.
The other alternatives, briefly
Magnet is the App Store pick: a polished, minimal, one-time purchase (no subscription, no in-app purchases) that covers halves, quarters, and thirds with sensible defaults. Its strength is restraint — there's almost nothing to learn. Its limit is the flip side: fewer custom regions and less flexibility than Rectangle, and it's still a snap tool, so you memorize a shortcut per layout.
Loop is the most interesting free alternative if Rectangle's keyboard model never clicked. It's open source and built around a radial menu: hold a trigger key, flick toward a direction, and the window snaps there. If a visual, gesture-style flow appeals to you more than chords, Loop is worth a look — and it costs nothing.
Moom (Many Tricks) leans the opposite way: it's a paid, one-time app focused on saved layouts and a drag-over grid. If your real need is "restore my five windows to exact positions when I sit down," Moom's saved arrangements are its standout feature.
Which should you pick?
If you specifically want open source, stay on Rectangle or try Loop (radial) — both are free. If you want App Store simplicity, buy Magnet. If you live and die by saved, restorable layouts, look at Moom. And if the thing that never worked about Rectangle was remembering the shortcuts, try Let's Tile: a grid you can see beats a shortcut you have to recall, and free thirds let you test it risk-free for a day or two.
The good news is that none of this is expensive, and switching is low-stakes — just don't run two snappers at once, since their shortcuts will fight. Pick one, remove the rest. For more on the whole category, see our guide to the best macOS window manager or the deeper Rectangle vs Magnet vs Let's Tile comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free alternative to Rectangle?
Yes — Loop is free and open source with a radial-menu interface, and Let's Tile has a free tier (thirds, no time limit). Rectangle itself is also free, so if cost is the only question, you may not need to switch at all.
Why would I switch away from Rectangle if it's free?
Mostly for how it works rather than what it costs. Rectangle asks you to memorize a shortcut for every layout and has a lot of settings. If you'd rather point at a visible grid than recall chords, or you want a more generous device license, an alternative can fit better — even though Rectangle is excellent.
What's the difference between Rectangle and Let's Tile?
Rectangle is a snap tool: press a shortcut, the window jumps to a region you've memorized. Let's Tile shows a grid overlay on screen so you tap the region you want — nothing to memorize. Let's Tile also offers free thirds and a one-time Pro license good for up to 20 devices; Rectangle is open source and free, with paid Pro extras.