At a glance
Both apps are open source, live in the menu bar, and cost nothing. The difference is philosophy: Rectangle is manual and shortcut-driven; Amethyst is automatic and tiling-driven.
Where they differ
Amethyst borrows its paradigm from xmonad: open a window and it automatically tiles into a predefined layout (tall, fullscreen, wide, etc.). Switch between layouts with a shortcut. It's powerful once mastered but demands a mental model shift — especially if you're used to floating windows.
Rectangle App keeps macOS's floating-window paradigm and adds a shortcut layer on top. Windows go where you put them; you snap with a key combo and continue. This suits mixed workflows where some windows float (communication apps, small utilities) and others tile.
Rectangle — strengths
- Free and open source
- Works with macOS's native floating paradigm
- Low learning curve, sensible defaults
- Good for mixed tiling/floating workflows
✕ Rectangle — trade-offs
- Manual — windows don't auto-arrange
- No dynamic layout cycling like Amethyst
Our take
Rectangle for most, Amethyst for hardcore keyboard tiling fans
If you're moving from Windows or Linux and want familiar shortcut-based snapping, Rectangle App is the smoother transition — and handles the majority of Mac users' needs.
If you want a fully automatic tiling window manager akin to i3 or xmonad on macOS, Amethyst is the free choice to explore.
Get Rectangle freeFrequently asked questions
Does Rectangle auto-tile windows?
No — Rectangle is a manual window manager. You trigger snap positions with keyboard shortcuts. Windows only move when you tell them to.
Is Amethyst hard to learn?
Amethyst requires thinking in layouts rather than individual window positions. The initial adjustment takes a few days. Rectangle has essentially no learning curve — its shortcuts mirror Windows Snap behaviour.
Can I use both at the same time?
Technically yes, but they will conflict if both attempt to manage the same windows. For hybrid workflows, Rectangle App with manual snapping usually wins.