Window managers for MacHead to head

Rectangle vs Swish

Rectangle ranks #1 and Swish ranks #4 in our guide to the best window managers for Mac. Rectangle is our pick for most people.

The Useful TechResearched and written with AI under our rulesUpdated 14 Oct 2026

Our pickRectangle app iconRectanglePick Rectangle if you want windows side by side on a laptop screen and don't want to pay anything.Free, open source#4 in the guideSwish app iconSwishPick Swish if you work on a trackpad and would rather swipe and pinch windows into place than press shortcuts.$16 once

What decides it

  • Rectangle costs less over 3 years: Free, against $16 for Swish.
  • Both run on Mac.
  • Swish is included with a Setapp subscription; Rectangle isn't.

Side by side

Prices are checked every day.

At a glanceRectangle app iconRectangleSwish app iconSwish
PriceFree and open source. Rectangle Pro is $9.99$16 once for 2 Macs. 14-day free trial
How you payFreePay once
3 years of useFree Cheaper$16
Free trialFree to startYes
Runs onMacMac
Where to buyDeveloperDeveloper, Setapp
FeaturesOpen sourceFree trial
Last updated21 Oct 2026Not tracked

Who should get which

Get Rectangle if

You juggle windows on a laptop screen and want them side by side without dragging corners.

Get Swish if

You use a MacBook or Magic Trackpad and want to arrange windows without reaching for the keyboard.

Skip Rectangle if

You keep every app in full screen and rarely need 2 windows next to each other.

Skip Swish if

You are happy dragging windows to the screen edges, which macOS now does on its own.

Our verdicts

Rectangle app iconRectangle

Free and open source, Rectangle snaps Mac windows to halves, thirds and corners with a keyboard shortcut or a drag to the screen edge, and pressing the shortcut again cycles through sizes. A Tile All action spreads every open window across the screen at once. Magnet charges $4.99 for the same basic snapping, and the only catch here is that version 2 needs macOS 14 or later, with 1.100 kept for older Macs.

Swish app iconSwish

Recent macOS tiles windows when you drag them to the screen edges, but Swish does it with a swipe on the title bar, snapping to halves, thirds or quarters. Pinch to close, pinch out for full screen and swipe down to minimize, with 30 gestures across windows, the Dock and the menu bar. It needs a trackpad or Magic Mouse and costs $16 once, while Rectangle does keyboard snapping free.

What each one helps you do

Rectangle app iconRectangle

  • Snap a window to half the screen
  • Cycle a window through thirds with 1 shortcut
  • Tile every open window at once
  • Get Windows-style snapping on a Mac

Swish app iconSwish

  • Snap windows into place with a swipe
  • Close and minimize windows with a pinch
  • Arrange windows without touching the keyboard
  • Move windows between screens and spaces

Where to get them

Rectangle

Free and open source. Rectangle Pro is $9.99

  • From the developerVersion 2 needs macOS 14 or later; version 1.100 still covers macOS 10.15 to 13
    FreeGet it

Swish

$16 once for 2 Macs. 14-day free trial

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Neither one quite right?

The other picks in our guide to the best window managers for Mac.

Read the full guideAll Rectangle alternativesAll Swish alternatives

More comparisons