EDIBLOG · DEVTOOLS · PRODUCTIVITY
Rectangle: Buy Coffee Instead of Magnet
Bottom line first. There’s no reason to buy Magnet for window snapping on macOS. I used Magnet for over four years, then switched to Rectangle a month ago. The verdict is simple. It’s free, it’s fast, and your shortcuts move over as-is.
01 · BEFORE → AFTER4 years on Magnet, 1 month on Rectangle
I bought Magnet back in 2022. Around $7 for a lifetime license — felt like a steal at the time. It served me well for four years. Then I tried Rectangle a month ago, and I haven’t found a single reason to switch back.
Install App Store only
Updates Tied to App Store
↓
Install brew install
Updates Auto + GitHub
02 · THE TURNING POINTMy shortcuts moved over untouched
My biggest worry going in was the shortcuts. After four years of muscle memory on ⌃⌥← and ⌃⌥→, losing them would mean a full week of relearning. A “Use Magnet shortcuts” preset sits on the very first settings screen. One click, done.
ONE-CLICK PRESET
Settings → Shortcuts → “Use Recommended Shortcuts” sits next to “Spectacle” and “Magnet” presets. Hit Magnet and you’re done.
03 · ON THE NUMBERSFour numbers after a month
UP FRONT
SIZE
USAGE
STARS
04 · MY DECISIONWhy I actually made the switch
I picked Rectangle not because it’s free, but because it’s safer to maintain. Magnet isn’t bad — but for two tools doing the same job, the one with more contributors tends to outlast the other.
One-click Magnet shortcut import, hide-from-menu-bar option, brew-managed updates.
The drag-snap zone overlay is a touch less polished than Magnet’s.
05 · SETUP IN 5 MIN5-minute install & setup checklist
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Install via brew install –cask rectangle
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Grant Accessibility permission in System Settings
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Settings → Shortcuts → click “Magnet” preset
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Toggle “Launch on login”
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Uninstall Magnet (remove from App Store)
06 · STOPDon’t switch if this is you
You run 4+ Macs and need iCloud-synced settings.
Rectangle has no built-in iCloud sync. You have to export and import the config file by hand. Meanwhile, Rectangle Pro (one-time $10) adds sync, Touch Bar support, and more. Even so, 95% of the features are the same as the free version — just start with free.
“For two tools doing the same job, the one with more contributors tends to live longer.“
— EDDIE · ONE MONTH IN
If you’re about to buy Magnet, hold up. Try Rectangle for 5 minutes first — you can always go back.
rectangleapp.com — official site GitHub — rxhanson/Rectangle (MIT)
Disclaimer: personal experience and judgment. Your workflow may give different results. No ads, no affiliate links.
This post is part of an English mirror of a Korean dev experiments blog. Cross-posted for the global developer audience.