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A scrolling window manager for Mac. Windows sit on one strip: scroll instead of shrinking.

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© 2026 Ribbon · macOS 14+ · Apple siliconBuilt on top of Paneru

Guides

Rectangle Alternative Mac (2026)

A Rectangle alternative Mac users pick by the gap: Ribbon for a strip, Rectangle Pro or Moom for layouts, Amethyst or AeroSpace to tile.

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A Rectangle alternative Mac users need is the one that fixes the reason they are leaving, not a longer list of the same snaps. If the screen is full of windows that keep getting thinner, use Ribbon. If you still want to place each window yourself, Rectangle Pro, Loop or Moom may be enough. Rectangle itself is still free.

Rectangle alternative Mac, by why you leave

  1. Stay on Rectangle if halves, thirds and a settings window are the whole job. It is MIT licensed. The current build wants macOS 14 or later. Repeat a shortcut and it cycles sizes.
  2. Move to Rectangle Pro or Moom if you want the same kind of snap, plus saved layouts.
  3. Move to Loop or BetterSnapTool if you want the mouse more than the keyboard.
  4. Move to Amethyst or AeroSpace if you want every window placed for you.
  5. Move to a strip if opening another window should not shrink the ones you already sized.
You want...TryPrice
Many apps, none of them squeezedRibbon$17 / $39 / $59
Rectangle, with more featuresRectangle Pro$9.99, 10-day trial
A radial menuLoopFree
Drag-to-snap, very cheapBetterSnapTool$1.99
An App Store snapperMagnet$4.99
Saved layoutsMoom$15
Windows placed for youAmethystFree
i3-style tilingAeroSpaceFree

Ribbon

Ribbon is not a snapper. Each display gets a strip of columns. A new window opens beside the focused one and nothing else resizes. ⌃⌥R cycles that column through a quarter, a third, a half, two thirds, three quarters and full, which is the closest feeling to Rectangle's "repeat to cycle." ⌘⌃2 through ⌘⌃6 lay out that many windows for a moment. ⌘⌃\ puts them back on the strip.

Apple silicon, macOS 14 or later, Accessibility only, SIP on, native Spaces. $17 for one Mac, $39 for three, $59 for five. No free trial. Other strips are in scrolling window manager macOS.

If you still want snapping

Rectangle Pro is $9.99 from the same developer, Ryan Hanson, after a 10-day trial. macOS 13.5 or later, Intel and Apple silicon, one licence active on three devices. It adds a throw to 16 positions, custom snap targets, layouts when a display connects, and iCloud sync. The Rectangle site says its Multitouch app includes Rectangle Pro, so read both pages before you pay.

Moom is $15 with a free trial, macOS 10.13 or later. You save an arrangement and restore it. That is the tool for a laptop you dock every morning. Moom alternatives.

Loop is free, GPL-3.0, macOS 13 or later. Hold a trigger key, move the pointer, and a radial menu shows where the window will land. The last tagged release is 1.4.2 from January 2026.

BetterSnapTool is $1.99, macOS 12 or later. Drag to an edge, or draw your own snap areas. Magnet is $4.99, macOS 13 or later, and lives in the App Store. Rectangle is free and covers the same basics. Magnet alternatives.

If you want windows placed for you

Amethyst tiles every window, free, macOS 10.15 or later. ⌥⇧Space cycles layouts. Every window must fit, so a laptop gets tight.

AeroSpace is i3-style, free, macOS 13 or later. Its own workspaces, a TOML file, no settings window, and it never asks you to turn SIP off. AeroSpace vs yabai.

Quit Rectangle before you start another app. Its ⌃⌥ keys clash with several others. The wider ranking is the best Mac window manager.

Related guides

  • Best Magnet Alternatives for Mac, Free and Paid
  • Moom Alternatives for Mac: Saved Layouts and More
  • Best Mac Window Manager (2026)

FAQs

Short answers for this guide. Setup and license links if you need the next step.

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Can’t find what you’re looking for? See the Mac Setup page or write from the app’s About screen.

Yes. Rectangle is free and MIT licensed. Rectangle Pro is the paid version at $9.99 with a 10-day trial.

Is Rectangle still free?
Yes. Rectangle is free and MIT licensed. Rectangle Pro is the paid version at $9.99 with a 10-day trial.
What is the difference between Rectangle and Rectangle Pro?
Rectangle Pro adds a window throw to 16 positions, custom snap targets, layouts that fire when displays connect, edge-hidden windows and iCloud sync. One licence covers three devices.
Is Magnet better than Rectangle?
No, not for most people. Rectangle is free and covers the same snapping basics plus thirds on a key. Magnet suits people who want a paid App Store app.
Is there a Rectangle alternative that tiles automatically?
Yes. Amethyst and AeroSpace arrange every window for you, and both are free. Scrolling window managers also place windows for you, on a strip instead of a grid.
Can I run Rectangle with another window manager?
Not reliably. Two apps moving the same windows will fight, and Rectangle's Control-Option shortcuts clash with several others. Quit Rectangle first.

Can’t find what you’re looking for? See the Mac Setup page.

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